I see too many books, websites, products, and services claiming to magically solve chronic pain. Chronic pain by its name is chronic – it lasts a long time. While there is hope for recovery, there aren’t any miracle treatments.
Beware of claims that:
Pain is biopsychosocial. To get the best treatment possible, all three elements of pain – biological, psychological, and social – need to be considered and addressed using a multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary approach. Instead of looking for a quick fix, focus on managing the pain using tools like cognitive restructuring, distraction, deep breathing, and exercise to break the cycle of pain. Learn more
[Updated 11/18/21]
If you have chronic pain, the answer is probably yes. Central sensitization has been tied to a variety of chronic pain conditions including fibromyalgia, whiplash, shoulder pain, neuropathic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, non-cardiac chest pain, irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular disorders, complex regional pain syndrome, low back pain, osteoarthritis, pelvic pain, and headache. What is it Central sensitization, also called centralized pain, is due to maladaptive neuroplastic changes in the spinal cord and brain. And is associated with the development, maintenance, and amplification of chronic pain. The official definition by the International Association for the Study of Pain is, “Increased responsiveness of nociceptive neurons in the central nervous system to their normal or subthreshold afferent input.” Understanding it - putting it in plain language Chronic pain is an abnormal response and doesn’t improve over time. It can happen long after an injury or illness heals. It can be due to a degenerative disease, like arthritis. It can be neurological. It can also have no known biological cause, as in the case of fibromyalgia and many common low back pain conditions. Once it becomes chronic, pain loses its warning function and becomes its own disease/condition. It changes how the brain processes pain – misfiring nerve signals and continuing to tell the body it hurts. Just like an alarm that goes on and won’t turn off. An overreaction or amplification, of sorts. It gets stuck on high alert and the body learns the pain. And it can happen in all chronic pain conditions, no matter the underlying cause. We may feel it when only lightly touched or bumped. The pain can move around to different areas of the body other than the spot of the original injury. It can even change the type of feeling we may have like achiness, stabbing, tingling, or burning, for example. Changing it The good news is we can change our nervous system. Central sensitization can be reversed by doing things that promote positive neuroplasticity like changing how we think about pain, react to pain, and manage pain. Best treatment is a biopsychosocial approach, including pain education, physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, pain acceptance, sleep management, and pharmaceutical management. I got a heavy dose of all these at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center. Learn more
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WelcomeChronic Pain Champions is an information resource/blog/support group to help people living with nonmalignant pain, their families and friends, as well as healthcare professionals. Learn more about this site and the author. Archives
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Tom Bowen Chronic Pain Champions |