Some people feel pain from the lightest touch. A waistband against the skin, a gentle breeze, digesting food, or even a warm hug can trigger discomfort that seems out of proportion. It can be confusing, frustrating and deeply isolating.
This type of pain is real. It is not imagined or exaggerated. It is caused by a shift in how the brain and nervous system process signals. This is known as central sensitisation.
If you live with histamine intolerance or chronic gut symptoms, you might already be familiar with the idea of a sensitised system. Just as the digestive tract can overreact to certain foods or microbes, the nervous system can become overly sensitive to normal sensory input. Today, we will explore what central sensitisation is, how it develops and how it may connect with conditions like visceral hypersensitivity in the gut and internal organs. Most importantly, we will look at supportive ways to begin calming a hypersensitive nervous system.
What is central sensitisation?
Central sensitisation is a condition in which the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, becomes overly reactive. Normally, the nervous system processes incoming information and filters out what is not dangerous. With central sensitisation, that filter becomes faulty. The system starts to misinterpret harmless signals as painful or threatening.
This means that everyday sensations like pressure, light touch, heat, or even internal signals from the gut or bladder may be experienced as pain. In some cases, there may be no visible inflammation or injury, but the pain still feels very real!
This kind of pain is called nociplastic pain. It is not due to ongoing tissue damage, and it is not imagined. It is the result of changes in the way the nervous system processes input.
Some examples of nociplastic pain include:
• Fibromyalgia
• Tension headaches
• Some forms of chronic pelvic pain
• Certain types of IBS
• Visceral hypersensitivity
How does central sensitisation develop?
Central sensitisation often develops over time. It may begin with an injury, an illness, trauma or prolonged stress. When pain signals are repeated over and over, the nervous system starts to learn those patterns. The pathways involve in processing pain become stronger and more easily activated. This is part of a process called neuroplasticity. The brain can rewire and adapt.
While this can be helpful in many situations, in central sensitisation, it becomes a problem. The brain and spinal cord adapt in ways that amplify pain instead of regulating it. There are a few key changes that happen in central sensitisation:
- The threshold for pain is lowered. What would not normally hurt now causes
discomfort. - Pain signals are amplified. The same stimulus produces a stronger pain
response. - The brain becomes hypervigilant. It starts to expect pain and looks for it
everywhere. - Even unrelated stimuli, such as noise, light, or touch, may trigger discomfort
or distress. - Pain is now generated in the brain, and created in a different part of the brain. It is no longer caused by the past injury or infection.
Over time, this can lead to a constant state of physical and emotional tension. Many people with central sensitisation describe feeling exhausted, on edge, and misunderstood.
The link between central sensitisation and visceral hypersensitivity
Last month’s we talked about visceral hypersensitivity in detail. Both conditions involve the nervous system responding too strongly to input. In visceral hypersensitivity, this response is focused on the internal organs, especially the gut and bladder.
People with visceral hypersensitivity often experience bloating, burning or unusual sensations in the digestive tract, even when there is no structural damage. The sensations are not imagined, but they are being processed in a heightened way by the nervous system. Central sensitisation may be part of what drives that response.
The gut is closely linked to the brain and nervous system through the vagus nerve and gut-brain axis. Signals travel constantly between these systems. If the central nervous system becomes more reactive, it can influence how the gut feels and functions. This may explain why some people with histamine intolerance or IBS develop a heightened awareness of every internal sensation.
In practice, central sensitisation and visceral hypersensitivity often overlap. One may amplify the other. A person who reacts to foods or environmental triggers may also find that touch, noise, or emotional stress becomes more difficult to tolerate. The nervous system is not just reacting to one thing. It is in a global
state of overactivation.
What does central sensitisation feel like?
Every person’s experience of central sensitisation is different. Some common signs include:
- Pain in response to sensations that are not usually painful, such as light touch
or mild temperatures. - A feeling that the whole body is tender or inflamed, even without injury
- Chronic pain present more than 6 months after an initial injury, surgery or infection
- Pain that spreads beyond the original area or that seems to come and go unpredictably
- Heightened sensitivity to sound, light, or smell
- Digestive symptoms that worsen with stress or sensory input
- Difficulty calming down after minor stressors
- Fatigue, sleep problems, or brain fog related to nervous system overactivity
Many people with central sensitisation have been told their symptoms are in their head or that they are overreacting. This is not true. The pain is real, and it has a physiological basis. Unfortunately, central sensitisation is still poorly understood in many healthcare settings, which can lead to frustration and delayed care.
Can the nervous system recover?
Yes. And that is one of the most important messages to take away. Just as the nervous system learned to become sensitised, it can also learn to regulate and recalibrate. The process takes time, consistency and a multi-layered approach.
There is no single treatment for central sensitisation, but the following strategies can help support recovery:
1. Understand the process
Learning about central sensitisation helps reduce fear and uncertainty. When people understand that their pain has a basis in the nervous system, not in tissue damage, they often feel more empowered.
2. Calm the system through pacing and rest
Pushing through pain or stress often worsens symptoms. Instead, gentle pacing, rest, and predictable routines help the nervous system feel safe and begin to regulate.
3. Support gut health
For people with histamine intolerance or gut issues, reducing inflammation, supporting the microbiome and identifying trigger foods can help calm one of the main signalling pathways to the brain.
4. Use body-based therapies
Gentle movement, breathwork, grounding techniques and somatic practices can help bring the body and brain back into connection. Over time, this reduces reactivity.
5. Address underlying stress
Chronic stress is one of the biggest drivers of nervous system sensitisation. Stress management techniques, therapy and safe support networks can play a vital role in recovery. Brain retraining, hypnotherapy, meditation, and mindfulness can help increase your capacity for stress.
6. Take a whole person approach
No single pill or treatment will fix central sensitisation. But an integrated approach that includes education, lifestyle support, nutrition and nervous system retraining can make a significant difference.
Central sensitisation is not a life sentence. It is a sign that the nervous system needs support, safety, and time to reset. If you live with unexplained pain, fatigue or heightened sensitivity, know that your symptoms are valid. You are not imagining them, and you are not alone!
The nervous system is dynamic and adaptable. With the right tools and support, it is possible to move from reactivity to regulation and to feel calmer and well in your body again.
If this blog resonated with you, find out more about our BrainFood program, which contains all the tools you need to increase your tolerance for stress, reduce your symptoms and get back to enjoying life!
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Is it your gut or your nervous system? Understanding visceral hypersensitivity