I Rewrote the Rules of My Own Pain: How Functional Neurology Gave Me My Life Back
If you are living with chronic pain, you know that every day can feel like an uphill battle. I know because I lived it. For nearly two decades, I was trapped in a cycle of pain, medication, and despair. Traditional medicine offered me a single solution: a lifetime of drugs to mask my symptoms. But I refused to accept that as my reality. I want to share my story with you—a story of how I found a different path, one that addressed the root cause of my pain and empowered my body to heal itself. This is the story of how functional neurology transformed my life and gave me genuine hope for lasting healing.
My Journey from Despair to Discovery
My journey toward understanding the true potential of healing began in my darkest moments. In the early 2000s, when I was working as a police detective in Luxembourg, I was suddenly struck by a sharp, crippling pain in my lower back. The pain was so severe that it disrupted my work, my sleep, and my entire life. After extensive medical evaluation, doctors diagnosed me with ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fusion of the vertebrae, potentially leading to paralysis.
The medical establishment offered me a clear but disheartening path forward: a lifetime of immunosuppressant medication to manage the symptoms. While the medication initially worked to reduce the pain, I could feel that it was merely covering up a deeper problem. My body was still screaming beneath the pharmaceutical veil. Having worked extensively with drug addicts in my role as a detective, I recognized disturbing parallels between their dependence and my own relationship with the medication. I made a pivotal decision: I would not accept a lifetime of dependency on drugs that merely masked symptoms while my body deteriorated.
The Traditional Medical Model and Its Limitations
The conventional approach to chronic pain typically follows a predictable pattern: diagnose the condition, prescribe medication to manage symptoms, and monitor for complications. This model, while effective for acute injuries and certain diseases, often falls short when addressing complex chronic conditions. The focus remains on symptom management rather than identifying and resolving the underlying dysfunction.
In my case, even after I immigrated to the United States in 2011 and sought a second opinion from American specialists, the message remained the same. Not only did they confirm my Luxembourg diagnosis, but they also warned me that without aggressive treatment—including methotrexate, a medication commonly used for cancer patients—I would likely find myself in a wheelchair within a few years. The proposed treatments were prohibitively expensive for me as a student, and the side effects were daunting. Ankylosing spondylitis was labeled as "non-curable," meaning the best I could hope for was symptom management, not true healing.
This experience reflects a broader challenge within Western medicine: the tendency to view chronic conditions as permanent states that can only be managed, never truly resolved. For millions of people suffering from chronic pain, this paradigm offers little hope and even less empowerment.
Taking Control: The Power of Lifestyle and Mindset
Refusing to accept my diagnosis as a life sentence, I embarked on my own healing journey. I began implementing lifestyle changes that made intuitive sense to me. After watching documentaries about the anti-inflammatory effects of plant-based diets, I adopted a vegan lifestyle. The results were remarkable: my pain levels dropped from a ten out of ten to a four or five. While this was not complete relief, it was a significant improvement achieved without pharmaceutical intervention.
I also refused to let pain dictate my activity levels. Despite the discomfort, I continued going to the gym and maintaining my physical fitness, often pushing through the pain. This decision to remain active, combined with my dietary changes, allowed me to maintain a quality of life that my doctors had suggested would be impossible without medication. For nearly a decade, I lived with manageable pain, proving to myself that there were alternatives to the pharmaceutical path.
The Breakthrough: Discovering Functional Neurology
In December 2024, I attended a business mastermind event in Bali. It was there that my life would change forever. At the event, I met Dr. Lee, a physician who specialized in functional neurology. During a casual lunch conversation, my partner, Antrea, asked Dr. Lee if he could help me with my chronic pain. What happened next seemed almost miraculous.
In a restaurant setting, Dr. Lee performed a functional neurology treatment on me that lasted less than four minutes. Within those four minutes, all of my pain disappeared. Completely. After nearly two decades of living with chronic pain, I was suddenly pain-free. My initial reaction was skepticism—surely this couldn't last. But as days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, the pain did not return. I experienced a level of vitality, range of motion, quality of sleep, and overall happiness that I hadn't felt since I was a teenager.
Dr. Lee's prediction proved accurate: I was healed for life. No ongoing treatments were necessary. This experience was so profound that Dr. Lee offered to teach Antrea and me the techniques so we could maintain our own health and help others. We traveled to the UK for intensive training, and it turned out we had a natural gift for this healing modality. We began treating others and witnessing similarly remarkable transformations.
Understanding Functional Neurology: A Brain-Based Approach to Pain Relief
So what exactly is functional neurology, and how can it produce such dramatic results? Functional neurology is a specialized field of healthcare that focuses on the assessment, quantification, and rehabilitation of the nervous system. Unlike traditional neurology, which primarily diagnoses and treats structural damage to the nervous system (such as strokes or tumors), functional neurology addresses how the brain and nervous system function.
The foundation of functional neurology rests on the principle of neuroplasticity—the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize itself, form new neural connections, and adapt throughout life. This means that the brain is not fixed or static; it can be retrained and optimized. Functional neurologists use this understanding to identify dysfunctions in the nervous system that may be contributing to pain and other symptoms, then apply targeted interventions to restore proper function.
The Science Behind Functional Neurology and Pain
Chronic pain is not simply a matter of damaged tissue sending pain signals to the brain. Research has shown that chronic pain often involves changes in how the brain processes and interprets sensory information. The nervous system can become hypersensitive, amplifying pain signals even when the original injury has healed. This phenomenon, known as central sensitization, means that the problem is not just in the painful area but in how the brain and nervous system are functioning.
Functional neurology addresses this by using non-invasive techniques to stimulate specific areas of the nervous system and retrain the brain's response to sensory input. By identifying which neural pathways are dysfunctional and applying targeted stimulation, functional neurologists can help "reset" the nervous system and reduce or eliminate chronic pain.
Treatment Approaches in Functional Neurology
Functional neurology employs a wide range of non-invasive treatment modalities, each designed to stimulate and optimize different aspects of nervous system function. These may include:
Vestibular Rehabilitation involves exercises designed to improve balance, spatial orientation, and coordination. The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, plays a crucial role in how the brain processes movement and position. Dysfunction in this system can contribute to dizziness, vertigo, and even chronic pain. By retraining the vestibular system, functional neurologists can help restore proper brain function and reduce symptoms.
Eye Movement Exercises are used to improve the coordination between the eyes and the brain. The visual system is intimately connected with many other brain functions, including balance, attention, and even pain processing. Specific eye movement patterns can stimulate particular brain regions and help restore proper neural function.
Sensory Integration Therapy exposes patients to various sensory stimuli—visual, auditory, tactile, and proprioceptive—in a controlled manner. This helps the brain better process and integrate sensory information, which can be particularly helpful for individuals whose nervous systems have become hypersensitive or dysregulated.
Chiropractic Neurology combines traditional chiropractic adjustments with neurological principles. By restoring proper alignment to the spine and improving joint function, practitioners can influence the nervous system's function. The spine houses the spinal cord and serves as a major pathway for neural communication between the brain and the body.
Neuromodulation Techniques may include low-level laser therapy, vibration therapy, or other forms of non-invasive brain stimulation. These techniques can help activate underactive brain regions or calm overactive ones, promoting better overall nervous system balance.
Nutritional and Lifestyle Counseling addresses factors that may be contributing to nervous system dysfunction, such as nutritional deficiencies, poor sleep, chronic stress, or inflammatory dietary patterns. The brain requires specific nutrients to function optimally, and addressing these foundational factors can significantly enhance the effectiveness of other interventions.
The Holistic Healing Paradigm: Beyond Functional Neurology
While functional neurology was the breakthrough that transformed my life, my healing journey has expanded to embrace a broader holistic paradigm. My partner Antrea and I now integrate principles from multiple healing modalities, including energy healing and biofield tuning. This comprehensive approach recognizes that everything in the body is connected—physical, emotional, mental, and energetic—and that true healing must address all these dimensions.
This holistic perspective aligns with growing recognition in the medical community that chronic pain often has multiple contributing factors. Research has shown that trauma, both physical and emotional, can become encoded in the nervous system and contribute to chronic pain patterns. By addressing these deeper layers through energy work and other holistic modalities, we can help patients release long-held patterns and achieve more complete healing.
The integration of functional neurology with energy healing and other holistic approaches represents a new paradigm in healthcare—one that honors the body's innate wisdom and capacity for self-healing while using targeted interventions to support and accelerate that process.
Redefining What's Possible: From Wheelchair Prediction to Vibrant Health
My story is a powerful testament to what becomes possible when we refuse to accept limiting diagnoses and explore alternative healing pathways. Despite being told by multiple physicians that I would likely end up in a wheelchair without aggressive pharmaceutical intervention, I am now living my healthiest, most vibrant life. I have gone from being a patient managing a "non-curable" condition to becoming a healer myself, helping others discover their own capacity for transformation.
This shift from entrepreneur and investor to healer represents more than just a career change—it's a mission to bring a new paradigm of healing to the world. Through our website, Go Pain to Power, Antrea and I are now dedicated to touching many lives and inspiring others to not accept whatever limiting situation they find themselves in.
The Broader Implications: A New Framework of Hope
The implications of my story extend far beyond one individual's healing journey. It challenges fundamental assumptions about chronic pain and what is possible in terms of healing. If someone diagnosed with a progressive, "non-curable" autoimmune disease can achieve complete, lasting relief through functional neurology and holistic healing approaches, what does that mean for the millions of others suffering from chronic pain?
It suggests that many conditions currently labeled as chronic or incurable may actually be reversible when we address the underlying nervous system dysfunction and support the body's natural healing capacity. It offers a framework of hope built on evidence and my own lived experience—hope that there is a way out of pain, even when conventional medicine has nothing more to offer.
Key Takeaways for Those Seeking Healing
For anyone struggling with chronic pain or a diagnosis that feels like a life sentence, my journey offers several important lessons:
Question the Narrative. Just because a condition is labeled as "chronic" or "non-curable" doesn't mean you have to accept a lifetime of symptom management. Medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and there may be approaches that your doctors are not aware of or trained in.
Explore Functional Neurology. If you've tried conventional treatments without success, functional neurology may offer a different pathway. Look for practitioners who are trained in functional neurology, chiropractic neurology, or related disciplines. A comprehensive neurological evaluation may reveal dysfunctions that have been overlooked.
Address Lifestyle Factors. While functional neurology can produce remarkable results, supporting your nervous system through proper nutrition, regular movement, stress management, and adequate sleep creates the foundation for healing. These factors are not optional—they are essential.
Stay Open to Holistic Approaches. Healing often requires addressing multiple dimensions—physical, emotional, mental, and energetic. Approaches like energy healing, mindfulness practices, and trauma resolution can complement functional neurology and support deeper, more lasting transformation.
Empower Yourself. Take an active role in your healing journey. Educate yourself, ask questions, and trust your own experience. You know your body better than anyone else, and your intuition is a valuable guide.
Don't Give Up. Even if you've been suffering for years or decades, healing is still possible. I lived with chronic pain for nearly 20 years before discovering the treatment that changed my life. Your breakthrough may be closer than you think.
The Future of Pain Management: A Paradigm Shift
As more people discover the transformative potential of functional neurology and holistic healing approaches, we are witnessing the beginning of a paradigm shift in how we understand and treat chronic pain. Rather than viewing pain as something to be managed indefinitely with medication, we are learning to see it as a signal from the nervous system that can be addressed and resolved.
This shift has profound implications not only for individual health but also for public health. The opioid epidemic has made painfully clear the dangers of relying primarily on pharmaceutical solutions for chronic pain. Functional neurology and other holistic approaches offer safer, more sustainable alternatives that address root causes rather than merely suppressing symptoms.
Research institutions are beginning to take notice. Studies on neuroplasticity, brain-based pain management, and the effectiveness of functional neurology interventions are expanding our understanding of what's possible. As this evidence base grows, these approaches are likely to become more widely accepted and integrated into mainstream healthcare.
Conclusion: An Invitation to Healing
My journey from police detective to chronic pain sufferer to successful entrepreneur to healer is ultimately a story about refusing to accept limitations and discovering the extraordinary capacity for healing that exists within each of us. My experience with functional neurology was nothing short of life-changing, and my mission now is to share this possibility with others.
If you are living with chronic pain, whether from ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, migraines, back pain, or any other condition, know that you do not have to accept your current situation as permanent. There are healing modalities that can address the root causes of your pain and help your nervous system function optimally again. Functional neurology, combined with holistic healing approaches, offers a framework of hope grounded in both science and my own lived experience.
The path to healing may look different for each person, but the destination is the same: a life of wholeness, vitality, and freedom from pain. As Antrea and I demonstrate through our work, healing is not just about the absence of pain—it's about alignment, happiness, and living your fullest potential.
The rules of pain are being rewritten. The question is: are you ready to explore what's possible for your own healing journey?
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The experiences described are my personal accounts and should not be considered typical results. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any decisions about your health or treatment. Do not discontinue prescribed medications or treatments without consulting your physician.
