Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) have developed a promising new therapy for chronic pain that works by improving how individuals manage their emotions.
A recent study conducted by the team highlights the crucial role emotional processing plays in both the treatment and long-term management of chronic pain.
The findings come from a randomized controlled trial led by Professor Sylvia Gustin and Dr Nell Norman-Nott of UNSW and NeuRA. Together with experts at NeuRA’s Centre for Pain IMPACT, they shared their results today in the journal JAMA Network Open.
The study demonstrated that strengthening the brain’s ability to process emotions through targeted therapy can significantly reduce the intensity of chronic pain.
“By changing how we manage emotions, it is possible to change the experience of pain itself,” Professor Gustin explained. “This is not just a temporary relief but a potential long-term improvement in quality of life for those affected by chronic pain.”
Professor Gustin and Dr. Norman-Nott created a new digital health approach called Pain and Emotion Therapy, designed to help individuals better manage their emotions by teaching the brain to downregulate negative feelings and boost positive ones.
Conducted between March 2023 and September 2024, the clinical trial involved 89 participants living with chronic pain. According to the researchers, the outcomes suggest this method could revolutionize chronic pain treatment by highlighting the critical connection between emotional wellbeing and physical health.
This innovative online program was the first of its kind, featuring eight therapist-led group sessions via video conferencing across the country. Participants also engaged in self-directed learning through a dedicated app and workbook, while those in the control group continued with their standard care.
Professor Gustin noted that participants who underwent the therapy experienced improved emotional regulation and reported a significant reduction in pain—about 10 points lower on a 100-point pain intensity scale—within six months.
She pointed out that this demonstrates not just a medical improvement, but one that significantly enhances the day-to-day lives of those affected.
Researchers of the study pointed out that chronic pain—typically defined as pain persisting for more than three months—impacts roughly 30% of the global population. The financial burden is estimated to exceed the combined costs of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Mental health struggles are also common, with up to 80% of individuals living with chronic pain experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, suicide rates among this group are two to three times higher than in the general public.
“A key factor in disease progression is the inability to regulate negative emotions,” said Professor Gustin. “This is disrupted by the impact of persistent pain on the brain’s emotional circuitry. The resulting emotion dysregulation is an ill-understood and undertreated aspect of chronic pain, which we addressed in this trial.”
Participant Jabez Allies has experienced chronic back pain for the past decade. She explains that the ongoing pain takes a toll on her emotional well-being.
She further indicated that it makes her feel more anxious, irritable, and frustrated, which then makes the pain worse. The more she struggles emotionally, the more intense the pain becomes—and it just feeds into itself.
According to Professor Gustin, this cycle of escalating pain and negative emotions is a common pattern among chronic pain sufferers.
Dr. Norman Nott explains that over the past 50 to 60 years, the understanding of chronic pain has evolved significantly.
She indicated that they moved away from viewing pain solely through a medical or biological lens and toward a more holistic model that also considers social and psychological factors.
While both prescription and over-the-counter pain medications remain important tools in managing pain, Dr. Nott notes they come with limitations and are just one part of a broader treatment approach.
