title: What Do We Know About the Pathophysiology of Chronic Pain? Implications for Treatment Considerations.
abstract: We discuss the complex features of the pathophysiology of chronic pain and the implications for treatment and provide an overview of nociceptive processes, neuropathic pain, cold hyperalgesia, peripheral nerve injury, wind-up pain, central sensitization, and common clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria. Advanced medicine has proven that chronic pain need not involve any structural pathology as pain is a complex biopsychosocial experience. Treatment of the specific mechanisms responsible for pain should be aimed at preventing and or reducing dysfunctional neuro-plasticity resulting from poorly controlled chronic pain. Further study is needed to reduce the probability and of persistent changes that cause chronic pain.
authors.affiliation: Carolina Pain Associates, PA, 1900 Randolph Road, Suite 1016, Charlotte, NC 28207, USA. Electronic address: painexpert@painexpert.com.
authors.forename: Gerald M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aronoff
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics
keywords: Central sensitization; Cold hyperalgesia; Neuropathic pain; Nociceptive processes; Pain pathophysiology; Peripheral nerve injury; Wind-up pain