Pain management techniques are about treating the whole person. If you have chronic pain, you may benefit from seeing a psychologist. When your brain fears pain, you move differently and change your behavior to avoid it, according to Driscoll. “Psychology works on our beliefs about those fears,” she says. “Somebody who has experienced pain when they moved in the past may decide they’re not going to move anymore. But maintaining flexibility and muscle strength could improve their pain symptoms.” To learn more about the Chronic Pain Program at UPMC Rehabilitation Institute, or to schedule an appointment, please call 1-888-723-4277 or visit our website. Editor's Note: This article was originally published on March 21, 2022, and was last reviewed on December 6, 2022.