In today’s episode of Bite Back with Abbey Sharp, we’re exploring one of medicine’s biggest blind spots — unexplained pain. You know the story: you go to the doctor with real symptoms, only to be told it’s “all in your head.” My guest today, Dr. David Clarke — gastroenterologist, author, and expert in stress-related illness — argues that it’s not imaginary at all. It’s stress illness: real, physical pain caused or amplified by emotional stress.We unpack how to tell the difference between stress illness and structural disease, the surprising role of childhood trauma in chronic pain, and the powerful recovery stories that challenge everything we think we know about the mind-body connection. If you’ve ever felt dismissed or gaslit about your symptoms, this episode will help you reclaim your story — and maybe even your health.