PTSD can profoundly affect a person’s ability to function, heal, and engage in treatment, especially in individuals living with chronic pain. In this article, Dr. Vanterpool explores the connection between trauma, the nervous system, and pain recovery, and why restoring function often requires treating more than just physical symptoms.

Chronic pain can make you feel hopeless. Rebuilding hope requires three things: a clear goal, a path forward, and the belief that improvement is possible.