How do you break the cycle of pain behavior, criticism from your partner, and more pain? You have the choice whether to engage in pain behavior or not. At some level you must know that your partner is going to react negatively to it, but you do it anyway. When you feel the hostility and criticism from your partner, your pain increases. This is expected, since we know that stress chemicals increase the speed of nerve conduction, resulting in more pain. Since there is seemingly no end to the pain, the cycle can continue for a long time. In this podcast episode, spine surgeon Dr. David Hanscom explains how the cycle of pain affects family relationships and provides tips for what family members can do to break the cycle. For more information, go to http://www.backincontrol.com/the-chronic-pain-marriage-go-round/