Muscle, Bone, and Joint Pain

Chronic pain affecting the muscles, joints, and bones is also known as musculoskeletal pain. It refers to pain that has lasted for more than three months and may originate from the muscles, joints, bones, tendons, or ligaments. It most commonly affects the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and knees.

This type of pain may develop following an injury, surgery, or prolonged overuse. It can also be associated with osteoarthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions. In some people, however, there is no single identifiable cause that fully explains why the pain continues.

Many people describe the pain as aching, sore, sharp, or deep and penetrating. It may be accompanied by stiffness, muscle tension, and reduced mobility, and it often worsens with physical activity, repetitive strain, or prolonged inactivity. The intensity of the pain may also vary from day to day.

When pain persists for a long time, the nervous system can gradually become more sensitive. The brain may begin to amplify pain signals, causing the pain to continue—or to feel more intense—even after the original injury has healed or can no longer fully explain the symptoms. This does not mean the pain is “all in your head.” The pain is real and can have a significant impact on sleep, movement, work, and everyday life.

When muscle and joint pain has persisted for a long time, the brain and nervous system may play a role in maintaining and amplifying the pain. With rTMS, we stimulate the primary motor cortex (M1), which is part of the brain network involved in regulating and reducing pain.

The treatment does not repair an injury or reverse wear-and-tear changes in the body. Instead, its goal is to reduce the component of the pain that results from the nervous system becoming overly sensitive. This may make the pain less intense and easier to manage in everyday life.

Treatment takes place while you are awake and comfortably seated in a chair. During the session, you will typically feel a gentle tapping sensation on your scalp and hear clicking sounds from the device. No anaesthesia is required, and you can return home immediately afterwards.

At our clinic, a typical course of treatment consists of 10 sessions over 2 to 6 weeks. Following an individual assessment before treatment begins, rTMS can be used alongside the medication and other treatments you are already receiving.

The benefits of rTMS vary from person to person and depend, among other things, on the underlying cause and duration of the pain. Some people experience a noticeable reduction in pain, while others achieve more moderate improvement or no meaningful benefit. When the treatment is effective, improvements usually develop gradually over the course of treatment.

The goal is not necessarily to eliminate the pain completely, but to reduce its impact and make it easier to live with. This may make it easier to move, improve sleep, and increase participation in work, family life, and other everyday activities. Some people, however, do become completely pain-free following a course of treatment.

Research suggests that rTMS can reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain and improve quality of life. However, results vary between different pain conditions. For some people, the benefits continue after treatment has ended, while others may benefit from occasional maintenance sessions.

Chronic muscle and joint pain is often treated with physical exercise, physiotherapy, pain-relieving medication, or other pain management strategies. These approaches help many people, but some continue to experience pain even after the original injury has been treated and multiple treatment options have been tried.

rTMS offers a different approach by targeting the brain’s own processing and regulation of pain. It does not require surgery, anaesthesia, or additional medication and can be used alongside the treatment you are already receiving.

If rTMS reduces your pain, it may also make it easier to stay active and gain greater benefit from exercise and other treatments. The goal is to reduce the impact of pain so that you can enjoy greater freedom, improved function, and a better quality of everyday life.