The 2% Theory: Finding a Way Forward When Nothing Seems to Work

When we first start dealing with chronic pain, most of us go on a mission to find the one root

cause — and the one treatment that will fix it 100%.

After months (or years) of trial and error, it’s easy to feel hopeless that anything will help.

I’m sure you’ve tried a lot: medications, physiotherapy, diets, acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, specialists, tests, imaging...And if you’re here reading this blog, I’m guessing none of them have been especially effective in taking the pain away completely.

A Mindset Shift

At some point, many of us reach a place of acceptance — not giving up, but realizing that pain may be part of our lives for a while, and that there might not be one thing that takes it away entirely.

That’s when it’s time to shift your mindset.

Instead of asking, “What will fix my pain?”, try asking:“What helps, even a little?”

Maybe none of the things you’ve tried have cured your pain, but were there any that helped even 2%?

If you can find five things that each help 2%, that’s 10% better.And 10% better can be life-changing.

The 2% Theory in Action

There are many things I wrote off in the past because they didn’t “fix” my pain. Later, I revisited them with a new question:

“Does this help enough to earn a spot in my repertoire?”

Here are some of the things I’ve kept:

• Drinking a glass of water when I wake up

• Walking every day

• Going to bed by 10 p.m.

• Waking up at 7 a.m. instead of sleeping in

• Physiotherapy

• Massage therapy

• Monthly migraine injection

• Acute migraine medication

• Giving myself the entire day to prep when hosting (less stress = fewer migraines)

• Reducing sugar and flour (less inflammation)

• Having an emergency plan for flare-ups

• Keeping flexible plans I can cancel if needed

• Regular counselling sessions (even counsellors need counsellors!)

• Having enough to do in a day — but not too much

  
  

Each of these things helps by at least 2%, so they stay in my routine.

My pain isn’t gone — I still get migraines a couple times a week — but it’s manageable. Every small thing adds up. That’s the heart of the 2% theory:

If something helps at least 2%, it’s worth keeping.

Why Small Changes Matter (the Nervous System Angle)

When pain becomes chronic, our nervous system can get stuck in a high-alert mode, like a smoke alarm that keeps going off even after the fire is out.

The longer it stays on alert, the harder it is for pain signals to quiet down.But when we start layering small, steady signals of safety — like movement, rest, connection, and predictable routines — we can help our body feel calmer and more stable again.

That’s why a bunch of small 2% shifts often do more than one “big” intervention: they gently retrain the nervous system over time, showing it that we’re safe, supported, and capable.

As your system begins to calm, you might notice something remarkable: Treatments that didn’t help before start to help now.It’s not that they’ve changed — it’s that you’ve changed at a nervous system level.

Try It for Yourself

What practices or habits help you, even 2%?

Start noticing them. Keep a list. Layer them gently. You might be surprised to find that you feel 10%, 20%, even 40% better over time.

Small things matter — especially when your body is learning to feel safe again.

~ Carla

Registered Clinical Counsellor

& Chronic Pain Coach

general contents of this website are provided solely for educational and informational purposes and are not meant to provide professional medical or psychiatric advice, counselling or therapeutic services.