title: Pain mechanisms and the rheumatic diseases.
abstract: Pain is the predominant complaint of those with a rheumatological condition. This paper provides a broad overview of the current theories on the mechanisms of pain, the structure of the nervous system, and how these may relate to the sometimes seemingly incomprehensible symptoms of pain and other sensory disturbances that some rheumatology patients describe. Three case histories relating to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia are used to illustrate how this knowledge can be applied to clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases and School for Health, University of Bath, UK. candy.mccabe@rnhrd-tr.swest.nhs.uk
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: McCabe