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Chronic Pain Management

CPM-03 - Can Chronic Pain be “Unlearned?” The Novel Neuroscience of Pain Reversal

Thursday, September 4, 2025
10:00 AM – 10:55 AM PST
Location:  Mont Royal (Level 4)

    Co-Presenter(s)

  • Rebecca H. Kennedy, MD

    Physician Owner
    Resilience Health Care
    Portland, Oregon

  • Howard H. Schubiner, MD

    Clinical Professor
    Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
    Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
    Pleasant Ridge, Michigan

Patients often present with chronic painful conditions for which there is no clear medical explanation. These syndromes include chronic widespread pain, pelvic pain syndromes, irritable bowel syndrome, and head and facial pain syndromes. Many people with chronic neck and back pain also fall into this category.

This lecture will review the scope of nociplastic pain and offer a novel understanding of it through the application of the cutting edge neuroscience brain model known as predictive processing. The presenters have developed a clinical assessment procedure that allows for accurate assessment for nociplastic pain conditions. They will discuss research findings showing that the vast majority of people with chronic neck and back pain have nociplastic pain.

Learning Objectives:

  • Examine the role of cutting edge neuroscience known as predictive processing in chronic pain
  • Review studies showing that the majority of chronic pain conditions are nociplastic and studies showing that many nociplastic chronic pain conditions can be completely resolved
  • Assess patients for nociplastic conditions
  • Describe emerging treatment approaches for nociplastic pain conditions such as Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Emotional Awareness, and Expression Therapy
  • Explore resources for clinicians and patients to access these approaches