Episode Description
Grief and Chronic Pain: Why Loss Amplifies Pain and What to Do About It
Dr. Zev Nevo introduces a three-part series on grief and chronic pain, describing a patient whose longstanding low back pain sharply worsened after her husband’s sudden death despite unchanged imaging, framing it as nervous system grief rather than bodily damage. He explains how grief disrupts the HPA axis and cortisol rhythm, increases inflammatory signaling (including a 2022 study of 111 bereaved spouses showing higher stress-related IL-6 rise in those with high grief symptoms), and activates reward circuitry (UCLA fMRI work showing nucleus accumbens activation), linking grief to craving and reduced endogenous opioid regulation that normally dampens pain. He uses allostatic load to show how grief overwhelms an already taxed chronic pain system and highlights shared identity disruption and “relearning the world.” He offers three practices: stabilize the nervous system (coherence breathing, gentle movement, grief-adapted sleep support), use a “stenographer” observing practice for grief sensations, and seek witnessing/co-regulation through safe people or communities. He shares recent personal losses and previews episode two on invisible losses from chronic pain.
00:00 Grief Makes Pain Louder
01:26 Why Loss Amplifies Pain
02:03 Stress Hormones Go Offbeat
02:53 Inflammation Turns Up Pain
03:57 Grief Is Craving
06:11 Allostatic Load Explained
08:05 Identity After Pain And Loss
10:29 Three Practices To Try
10:50 Practice One Stabilize
13:20 Practice Two Observe Waves
14:31 Practice Three Be Witnessed
16:03 Personal Loss And Next Episode
This essential pre-roll message serves as a clear disclaimer, stating that the podcast provides pain and trauma-informed psychoeducation for informational and entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. Listeners are reminded to always consult a qualified healthcare professional for specific medical conditions or symptoms.
About Dr. Nevo
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LINKS:
- Body and Mind Pain Center
- Mind Body Rehabilitation
- Substack