What causes chronic pain?
Pain is felt through the body’s nervous system. There are two parts to this – the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Damage to either can lead to chronic pain.
- The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain, the brain stem and the spinal cord. Damage to any part may be caused by injury, bleeding, tumours, or nervous disorders such as multiple sclerosis
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- The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of nerves that transmit information to and from the brain and spinal cord to and from every other part of the body. Pain can result from damage to the nerves caused by infections, inflammation, chemicals, cancer or a problem you were born with. All result in increased pain messages. It is also caused by the nerves sending the wrong messages to the brain known as peripheral hyperexcitability
Damage to any nerves can lead to chronic pain
When you feel pain, your CNS and PNS work together to transmit the signal from the site of injury to your brain. Sensors, known as pain receptors, in your skin and throughout the body send messages through nerves to the spinal cord. The messages then travel to specific areas in the brain where the sensation of pain is felt.
This means that pain can be controlled by blocking pain messages from travelling along the nerves to the brain. The brain can also control pain by blocking pain messages. This controlling effect is known as neuromodulation.
Damage to any nerves can lead to chronic pain
Pain can be controlled by blocking pain messages from travelling along the nerves to the brain
