Unpacking Pain

If you’ve ever wondered why surgery can “fix” the structure but not always fix the pain, you’re not alone.Dr. Megan Steele and Holly Osborne explore what really influences surgical outcomes, especially for people living with chronic pain. Join them as they break down why pain isn’t purely mechanical, how your nervous system’s threat detection can shape recovery (even under anesthesia), and why scar tissue, stress, and past medical experiences can change the healing process.You’ll also hear practical ways to prepare before surgery - like prehab, planning for the hospital experience, and using calming strategies to dial down stress - plus realistic post-op considerations many people aren’t warned about, including digestion issues, brain fog, and why early movement matters. Along the way, they share a simple framework for evaluating newer procedures and what to ask a surgeon before agreeing to an approach that may not have a long track record.Helpful for anyone weighing surgery, supporting someone through it, or trying to make sense of why “successful” operations don’t always lead to relief.Links to interesting things from this episode:Waddell Signs

Did you know researchers are teaching kids about pain before they experience it - and it might prevent chronic pain in adulthood?Between 20-25% of children with acute injuries develop chronic pain, but they're not just small adults. Their brains are more plastic, more vulnerable, and remarkably more responsive to intervention. Dr. Megan Steele and Holly Osborne explore what makes pediatric pain different, why some kids get stuck in chronic pain cycles, and what parents and caregivers can do about it.You'll learn about the two critical periods in childhood brain development (ages 2-3 and 12-13) when kids are most vulnerable to pain becoming chronic, and why hormone shifts during puberty play a bigger role than we thought. Discover how sensory sensitivity in childhood predicts widespread pain later, and why having just two caring adults outside the home can buffer kids against developing chronic pain.Holly and Dr. Megan discuss practical strategies for parents - including how to talk about your own chronic pain with your children without passing patterns along, when to normalize pain versus when to take it seriously, and why pain literacy education in schools shows remarkable promise.Whether you're a parent, work with children, or experienced chronic pain as a kid yourself, this conversation offers hope and actionable insights for breaking the cycle before it starts.Links to interesting things from this episode:Joshua W. Pate, website - with links to the book series mentioned by Dr. MeganAdriaan Louw's website, "Why you hurt"ACEs Aware - organization educating about and screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences"Adolescence"

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

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

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

What if chronic pain isn’t only a body problem, but a biology–psychology–social puzzle you can learn to solve?Meet your guides: Dr. Megan Steele, a physical therapist and pain science researcher, and Holly, a long‑time pain experiencer with a thousand practical questions. Together, they break persistent pain into clear, human terms. You’ll hear candid stories, simple explanations of what’s happening in your brain and body, and small daily practices you can try right away.What you’ll get:Plain‑language science that makes pain make senseReal-life tools to reduce fear and build confidenceSupport for people living with pain, their families, and the clinicians who care for themA community grounded in empathy, curiosity, and actionJoin us on February 2nd, 2026 to start understanding your pain and taking back more of your life.