Neck Pain & the Nervous System - What the Research Shows

Watch the neck pain series:    • Neck Pain Series  
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If you’ve tried every neck stretch, posture fix, pillow and physio treatment but your pain keeps coming back, this video explains why.
We’ll look at what current research shows about the nervous system, stress patterns, and why chronic neck pain doesn’t always match what shows up on scans.
If you want a clearer, more empowering understanding of your pain — you’re in the right place.

0:00 What’s the deal with neck pain?!
0:50 Who the heck am I?
2:36 The MRI Myth - What do scans really tell us?
2:42 Let the studies begin/ Brinkijikiji???
4:21 The Good News - What’s going on behind the pain?
7:39 Personality & Pain - How are past shapes our pain
12:23 So what do we do with all of this information?

References (in order of appearance):
1. Hogg-Johnson et al. (2021) – Lifetime prevalence of neck pain
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomed...

2. Li et al. (2024) – Neck pain as a leading cause of disability
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

3. IHPM / Pfizer Report (2018) – Economic impact of chronic pain
https://ihpm.org/wp-content/uploads/2...

4. The Lancet Rheumatology (2023) – Global trends in neck pain
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/la...

5. Brinjikji et al. (2015) – MRI degeneration in asymptomatic adults
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25430...

6. 2023 Review – Degeneration only modestly associated with neck pain
https://chiromt.biomedcentral.com/art...

7. Carroll et al. (2008) – Whiplash recovery & psychological predictors
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-008-06...

8. Psychological factors linked to neck pain occurrence (2021)
https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomed...

9. American Academy of Family Physicians (2023) – Central sensitisation
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/...

10. Neural overlap between stress and pain
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

11. Li et al. (2021) – Increased amygdala–pain circuit connectivity
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

12. Perfectionism & self-pressure in chronic pain (2025)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.10...

13. Hypervigilance predicting chronic pain
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40584...

14. Harm avoidance in chronic pain (Review)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28850...

Disclaimer: The information in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your physical or mental health plan. Viewers are responsible for assessing their own health conditions and consulting with the appropriate professionals. While I strive to provide accurate and helpful information, I cannot guarantee that all content is applicable to every individual or situation.