The Surprising Connection Between Breathing and Chronic Pain with Dr. David Rubenstein

Can the way you breathe actually affect chronic pain, stress, sleep, and even how well your brain functions? Most people think of breathing as something that simply keeps us alive. But what if the way you breathe could be connected to chronic pain, oxygenation, stress, emotional regulation, and your body’s ability to heal? In this episode of the Feeling and Healing Podcast, Danielle Z sits down with Dr. David Rubenstein, a Chronic Pain Specialist and Creator of the Total Relief Method, to explore the surprising connection between breathing, the diaphragm, the brain, and chronic pain. Whether you’re interested in chronic pain, stress management, breathing techniques, brain health, or the mind-body connection, this conversation offers a fascinating perspective on how the body works as an interconnected system. This episode covers: How Dr. David’s personal experience with chronic pain inspired the Total Relief Method Why traditional approaches to chronic pain may sometimes provide only temporary relief The difference between concentric and eccentric muscle contractions How the brain controls movement and muscle function Why the diaphragm plays an important role in spinal stability The surprising connection between breathing and low back pain How breathing mechanics can affect the neck, shoulders, and jaw ⏱️: 00:00 Introduction 00:15 Meet Dr. David & the Total Relief Method 00:36 The personal story behind his chronic pain work 02:03 Discovering eccentric contraction 04:19 Working with clients and discovering unique movement patterns 06:37 Why the brain—not just the painful area—matters 07:23 The surprising role of breathing in chronic pain 08:00 The diaphragm and spinal stability 08:32 Chronic pain patterns in yoga instructors 09:55 Testing and retraining the diaphragm 11:29 How the diaphragm affects the spine 12:38 Primary vs. accessory breathing muscles 14:07 Mechanical hypoxia explained 15:18 The impact of diaphragm retraining 16:29 Oxygen, sleep, stress, and recovery 17:18 Why oxygen delivery to cells matters 18:33 The connection between breathing and healing 19:16 How the diaphragm and chest work together 20:32 Why the brain is the future of medicine 21:21 Oxygenation and stress reduction 22:28 Why the brain protects breathing and the airway 23:25 Breathing, cortisol, inflammation, and pain 24:27 Oxygenation, mood, and emotional health 25:04 Breathing during stress and anxiety 25:44 Breathing, focus, and clear thinking 26:35 The reactive brain vs. higher brain function 27:10 How stress and breathing affect the organs 28:04 The mind-body connection 28:28 Why we sometimes “forget” to breathe 28:58 Stress, breathing, and the jaw/TMJ 29:18 Why chronic stress keeps building 💬 Connect with Dr. David and Total Relief Method Website: https://totalreliefmethod.com 💬 Connect with Danielle Z Website: https://www.daniellezmft.com Instagram:   / danielle.z.mft   Facebook:   / daniellezilg   X: https://x.com/daniellez_mft LinkedIn:   / daniellezilg   ▶️ Watch More Episodes    • Heal your Identity, Change your Life: Emot...      • Attachment Theory & Family Healing: Unders...      • A Photo of Your Eye Can Reveal Your Trauma...   🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about mental health, chronic pain, stress management, emotional wellness, brain health, nervous system regulation, healing, psychology, and the mind-body connection. 📜 Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, psychological, nutritional, legal, or financial advice. The information discussed in this episode is not a substitute for professional medical care or diagnosis. 💖 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment with your biggest takeaway, and share it with someone interested in chronic pain, breathing, stress, mental health, or holistic approaches to healing. © Feeling and Healing Podcast SEO Keywords: chronic pain, chronic pain relief, Total Relief Method, Dr. David, chronic pain, breathing and chronic pain, diaphragm breathing, diaphragm and back pain, breathing techniques, chronic back pain, low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, TMJ and stress, breathing and anxiety, oxygenation and healing, brain health, mind body connection, nervous system regulation, stress and chronic pain, cortisol and pain, inflammation and chronic pain, emotional regulation, breathing for stress, brain and body connection, chronic pain treatment, pain management, mental health, Feeling and Healing Podcast, Danielle Z #chronicpain #painrelief #breathing #diaphragm #mentalhealth #brainhealth #stressmanagement #nervoussystem #mindbodyconnection #healing #feelingandhealingpodcast