Learning to Separate Pain from Suffering

Five years ago, I was in a car accident that changed everything. The physical pain was immediate and overwhelming, but I expected it to improve with time. And it did—slowly. But even as my body healed, some of the pain lingered in a different way. I found myself caught in thoughts like What if I never fully recover? and What if I make things worse? That fear and frustration made everything feel heavier, as if the pain would never leave me.

Then, I learned about clean pain vs. dirty pain:

• Clean pain: The physical discomfort of healing—the tightness, soreness, and stiffness.
• Dirty pain: The suffering we add on top of it—fear, self-doubt, and frustration that amplify pain.

Once I started identifying and separating the two, I realized I had more control over my experience than I thought. Many people unknowingly carry dirty pain, making recovery harder than it needs to be. The good news? You don’t have to. Here’s how you can start recognizing and reducing it.

Understanding Pain: More Than Just a Physical Sensation

Pain isn’t just about the body; it has an emotional and psychological component that can significantly impact recovery. If you’ve ever noticed your pain feeling worse on days when you’re stressed or frustrated, you’re not imagining it. Understanding the difference between clean pain and dirty pain can help you take back control of your healing process.

What Is Clean Pain?

Clean pain is the actual physical sensation of pain that comes from an injury, surgery, or illness. It’s the body’s way of signaling that something needs attention. Examples include:

• Soreness after a workout or physical therapy session.
• Discomfort from post-surgical healing.
• Stiffness in a recovering joint.

This pain is necessary and often unavoidable—it signals healing and helps guide movement modifications to prevent further damage.

What Is Dirty Pain?

Dirty pain is the emotional suffering layered on top of physical pain. It stems from fear, frustration, negative self-talk, and the psychological toll of being in pain. Examples include:

• Worrying that pain means you’re getting worse, not better.
• Feeling like you’ll never return to your normal activities.
• Blaming yourself for getting injured or struggling with recovery.

Unlike clean pain, dirty pain isn’t inevitable—it’s something that can be managed and shifted through mindset and awareness.

How to Reduce Dirty Pain and Improve Your Recovery

• Recognize the Mental Loop: Pay attention to the thoughts that arise when you feel pain. Are you catastrophizing? Assuming the worst? Acknowledging these patterns can help break the cycle.
• Reframe Your Pain Experience:
  • Instead of “This pain means I’m broken,” try “This pain means my body is healing.”
  • Instead of “I’ll never get better,” try “Recovery takes time, and I’m doing my part.”
• Practice Mindfulness and Breathing Techniques: Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or guided visualization can help separate physical sensation from emotional reaction, reducing stress and calming the nervous system.
• Seek Support: Recovery can feel isolating, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. A coach, therapist, or supportive community can help you process emotions and reframe challenges in a productive way.
• Embrace the Healing Journey: Recovery isn’t linear. Some days will feel better than others. Learning to accept fluctuations in progress can prevent dirty pain from taking over.

How Coaching Can Help

A holistic recovery coach helps bridge the gap between clean pain and dirty pain by guiding clients through mindset shifts, emotional processing, and movement strategies that support healing. By focusing on both the physical and psychological aspects of recovery, clients can regain confidence, build resilience, and move forward with a renewed sense of control.

Pain doesn’t have to dictate your life. By understanding and managing the emotional side of pain, you can change your experience and accelerate your recovery.