Unpacking Pain

Unpacking: Gender Differences and the Impact of Hormones on Pain

Why do women make up 70% of chronic pain sufferers? The answer involves more than just biology. Dr. Megan and Holly examine how hormones, pain thresholds, and social conditioning create vastly different pain experiences for men and women.You'll discover:Why pain thresholds change dramatically at puberty and menopauseHow testosterone acts as a buffer and estrogen fluctuations trigger painInsights about that viral study where men couldn't last through simulated labor painWhy menstrual pain is chronically underreported (and how that leads to worse outcomes)How memory and pain are linked through estrogen receptors in the brainWhat happens to transgender individuals' pain perception during hormone therapyHolly and Dr. Megan also tackle the social costs of pain - from women hesitating to report debilitating cramps to men feeling pressured to "gut it out" - and why finding a practitioner who asks about your full pain experience matters.The good news? Pain is malleable, and there are evidence-based approaches that can help.Links to interesting things from this episode:Dr. Jen Gunter, website

Unpacking: How Social Factors Shape Chronic Pain Journeys

Why do two people with the same injury have completely different pain journeys - and what does a zip code have to do with it?Today we dig into the often-overlooked social side of persistent pain: the way income, work conditions, food access, relationships, and even cultural expectations can ramp pain up or help dial it down.Dr. Megan and Holly explore how:Socioeconomic status and access to care change the way pain shows up and sticks aroundFood deserts, chronic stress, and unstable housing contribute to inflammation and nervous system sensitizationSocial support, community, and a sense of belonging act as real “medicine” for the brainWork satisfaction, toxic bosses, and job insecurity influence chronic low back pain and recoverySimple practices - like visualization, “spoon” or gas-tank metaphors, and clearer communication with friends, partners, and coworkers - can make it easier to live your life while living with painYou’ll come away with language to explain your limits to others, new ways to think about your own pain story, and practical, low-cost tools for building more safety, connection, and support into your everyday lifeLinks to interesting things from this episode:Dr. Megan’s Instagram“Integrating multidimensional data analytics for precision diagnosis of chronic low back pain”“Navigating the biopsychosocial landscape: A systematic review on the association between social support and chronic pain”“Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha” by Tara BrachÉtoile

Unpacking: The Emotional Burden of Chronic Pain

What if the pain you feel long after an injury has “healed” isn’t a sign that your body is broken, but that your nervous system is stuck in protection mode?Dr. Megan and Holly break down what’s happening in the brain and body when pain lingers, scans look “normal,” and daily life starts to shrink. They explore how chronic pain and emotions are tightly linked, and why anxiety, depression, shame, and even hyper-empathy so often travel with long-term pain.You’ll hear about the shift from acute to chronic pain, how the brain’s “pain map” can smudge and spread, and why pain can move around the body even when there’s no clear structural damage. They unpack the boom-and-bust cycle of pushing hard on “good” days and crashing afterward, the heavy toll of masking and “performing okay” for others, and how shame and hopelessness can quietly take root alongside physical symptoms.Most importantly, Dr. Megan offers practical, science-backed ways to begin lightening the emotional load of chronic pain:Understanding functional vs. structural pain and why that distinction matters for your recoveryRecognizing how anxiety and depression can amplify pain - without blaming yourselfUsing small, realistic goals to build evidence that pain and depression are “lying” about what’s possibleReframing flare-ups as part of a non-linear healing path rather than proof of failureLeveraging simple tools like movement, breath work, and gratitude to gently retrain the brainIf you’ve ever felt like your scans are “fine” but your life is not, or wondered whether your emotional struggle around pain really “counts,” this conversation offers clarity, validation, and a grounded sense of hope that change is still possible.Links to interesting things from this episode:“No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering” by Thich Nhat Hanh

Unpacking: The Psychology of Pain

Why does chronic pain spread from one area of your body to another? And why does it often feel worse at night when you're trying to sleep?When pain persists for months or years, your nervous system doesn't just stay the same - it changes. Your nerves lose their protective coating, your spinal cord becomes more sensitized, and your brain actually develops structural changes that keep you locked in a cycle of protection and threat detection. Dr. Megan Steele walks you through the biological transformations happening in your body when pain becomes chronic, from peripheral nerve changes to decreased gray matter in areas responsible for memory and executive function.But here's where it gets counterintuitive: the path forward might involve turning toward your pain rather than away from it. Dr. Steele explains why constantly trying to ignore or push through pain can actually make it worse, and introduces somatic tracking as a way to bring subconscious protective mechanisms into conscious awareness. You'll learn why women are 70% more likely to experience chronic pain, how hormones play a role, and why your nervous system is wired for sameness - even when that sameness includes dysfunction.Holly shares her own experience of building an identity around pain and the fear that comes with imagining life without it. Together, they explore how life shrinks when pain takes over, and how it can expand again through small, graded steps that feel safe to your nervous system.If you've ever felt like your pain has a mind of its own, this conversation will help you understand what's actually happening in your body and brain - and why there's still hope for change.

Unpacking: The Podcast

What happens when a pain researcher teams up with someone who’s lived with chronic pain for decades?In this bonus conversation, meet the voices behind Unpacking Pain. Dr. Megan Steele, a physical therapist and pain science researcher, explains why evidence-based guidance is still hard to find and what the data actually says. Holly Osborne shares the lived experience side - what helped, what didn’t, and how to keep going when progress stalls. Together, they lay out why they started the show and how they hope to serve you.Listen to learn:How research and real life fit together to make sense of persistent painWhat you can expect from future episodes: clear explanations, practical tools, and steady encouragementSimple ways to become a better observer of your pain and talk about it with your care team and your circleHow to plug into a community that understands the invisible parts of this journey