On this page
How it can feel
- Constant background pain with sharp spikes.
- Pain that spreads or moves.
- Worse after activity or poor sleep.
- Pain that makes tremor, weakness or fog harder to manage.
Day to day
- Movement shrinks; then stiffness and fear of movement can grow.
- Medication decisions become complicated — always with a clinician.
- People may focus on the dramatic FND sign and ignore the pain load.
How this can relate to FND
Pain and FND both involve nervous-system regulation. They can amplify each other. Chronic pain conditions can co-exist; they are not a moral failure.
What can help
- Proper pain assessment and a written plan.
- Physio/OT approaches that respect flare sensitivity.
- Sleep, pacing and stress-load reduction.
- Psychological support for living with pain — not “it’s all in your head” therapy.
This is information, not a treatment plan. Personal care decisions belong with you and your clinicians.
FAQs
If I have FND, will doctors ignore my pain?
They should not. Good care holds both. You can ask for pain to be on the plan explicitly.
About this guide & further reading
Written and published by FND Connect. This is general information for people living with FND and those supporting them. It does not diagnose a symptom or replace advice from your clinician.
- Neurosymptoms: Pain
- North Bristol NHS Trust: functional neurological symptoms
- Neurosymptoms: when new or different symptoms need reassessment
External resources provide further reading; their inclusion does not mean their authors have reviewed or endorsed this FND Connect guide. Page updated 3 October 2026.
Take this to your next conversation
Note what happens, how it affects your day and what you want to ask. An appointment pack can help you organise that conversation.