Is Trauma Hiding in Your Pain? 5 Signs to Watch For
Trauma & Pain Blog Series – Part 3
Not all pain comes from a pulled muscle or an old injury.
Sometimes, pain lingers because your nervous system is stuck in protection mode, especially if you’ve been through trauma or long-term stress.
When your system doesn’t feel safe, even on a subconscious level, it can express that unease through the body. And what you may feel is pain, tightness, or exhaustion.
Pain Is a Messenger
And It’s Not Always About Damage
Pain is real. And that doesn’t always mean something is broken. Especially when trauma is involved, pain can be the body’s way of saying: “I’m overwhelmed. I don’t feel safe.”
Here are five common signs that trauma might be showing up in your pain patterns:
- Your Pain Flares with Emotional Stress
If stressful conversations, conflict, or even being overstimulated leads to pain flare-ups, your nervous system might be linking emotional input with physical threat.
- You Can’t Relax (Even When You Try)
You stretch, rest, meditate, but your body still feels guarded. This might mean your system is stuck “on,” even when there’s no immediate danger.
- You Feel Like You’re Always Bracing
Jaw tight. Shoulders up. Hips tense. You might not even notice it until someone touches you or you try to move. This is muscle guarding, which is a common trauma response.
- You’ve Been Told “Nothing’s Wrong”… You Still Hurt
Trauma can disrupt your body’s internal communication. Scans might look fine, but the nervous system is still reacting to perceived danger.
- You Struggle to Describe the Pain
Many trauma survivors describe their pain as everywhere, hard to explain, or not always connected to movement. That’s often a sign it’s coming from the nervous system, not a localized injury.
If This Sounds Familiar… You’re Not Alone
Many people come to BodyTech feeling frustrated, dismissed, or confused. They’ve tried everything, and their pain persists.
Once we start looking at the nervous system, things begin to shift.
With the right support, you can learn how to:
- Regulate your body’s stress response
- Feel safe in movement again
- Build strength and confidence without flaring up
You don’t need to power through.
You need to work with your system, not against it.
Next Up:
Part 4: How to Create Safety and Shift Out of Pain
