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Increased deep pain sensitivity in persistent musculoskeletal pain but not in other musculoskeletal pain states

Gunnarsson, Helena Eva Margareta ; Grahn, Birgitta LU and Agerström, Jens LU (2016) In Scandinavian Journal of Pain 13. p.1-5
Abstract

BackgroundPressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in a non-painful body area are known to be affected in some chronic pain states. The aim of this study is to investigate PPTs in a pain-free body part in relation to pain persistence and intensity in patients with musculoskeletal pain. MethodsPatients with musculoskeletal pain were divided into three different pain groups: acute pain (pain duration <3 months, n = 38), regularly recurrent pain (regularly recurrent pain duration > 3 months, n = 56), persistent pain (persistent pain duration > 3 months, n = 52) and a healthy control group (n = 51). PPT measures were conducted over the tibialis anterior muscle on the right leg in all groups. ResultsThe persistent pain group showed... (More)

BackgroundPressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in a non-painful body area are known to be affected in some chronic pain states. The aim of this study is to investigate PPTs in a pain-free body part in relation to pain persistence and intensity in patients with musculoskeletal pain. MethodsPatients with musculoskeletal pain were divided into three different pain groups: acute pain (pain duration <3 months, n = 38), regularly recurrent pain (regularly recurrent pain duration > 3 months, n = 56), persistent pain (persistent pain duration > 3 months, n = 52) and a healthy control group (n = 51). PPT measures were conducted over the tibialis anterior muscle on the right leg in all groups. ResultsThe persistent pain group showed significantly lower PPTs over the tibialis anterior muscle compared to controls. No significant differences were found between the acute and regularly recurrent pain groups compared to healthy controls. Significant correlations, albeit small, were found between pain intensity and PPTs. ConclusionsIncreased deep pain sensitivity was found in patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain, but not in regularly recurrent pain or in acute pain. Yet, a limitation of the study is that it did not have sufficient power to detect small levels of increased deep pain sensitivity among the latter groups when compared to healthy controls. Implications: Knowledge about increased general hypersensitivity in persistent musculoskeletal pain could be important in clinical treatment.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Central sensitization, Deep pain sensitivity, Persistent pain, Pressure pain threshold
in
Scandinavian Journal of Pain
volume
13
pages
5 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000391261500001
  • pmid:28850505
  • scopus:84973340677
ISSN
1877-8860
DOI
10.1016/j.sjpain.2016.05.032
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
38be709a-a8b2-4cda-bd12-08f5fd5114f7
date added to LUP
2016-07-06 14:11:31
date last changed
2024-01-04 09:34:59
@article{38be709a-a8b2-4cda-bd12-08f5fd5114f7,
  abstract     = {{<p>BackgroundPressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in a non-painful body area are known to be affected in some chronic pain states. The aim of this study is to investigate PPTs in a pain-free body part in relation to pain persistence and intensity in patients with musculoskeletal pain. MethodsPatients with musculoskeletal pain were divided into three different pain groups: acute pain (pain duration &lt;3 months, n = 38), regularly recurrent pain (regularly recurrent pain duration &gt; 3 months, n = 56), persistent pain (persistent pain duration &gt; 3 months, n = 52) and a healthy control group (n = 51). PPT measures were conducted over the tibialis anterior muscle on the right leg in all groups. ResultsThe persistent pain group showed significantly lower PPTs over the tibialis anterior muscle compared to controls. No significant differences were found between the acute and regularly recurrent pain groups compared to healthy controls. Significant correlations, albeit small, were found between pain intensity and PPTs. ConclusionsIncreased deep pain sensitivity was found in patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain, but not in regularly recurrent pain or in acute pain. Yet, a limitation of the study is that it did not have sufficient power to detect small levels of increased deep pain sensitivity among the latter groups when compared to healthy controls. Implications: Knowledge about increased general hypersensitivity in persistent musculoskeletal pain could be important in clinical treatment.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gunnarsson, Helena Eva Margareta and Grahn, Birgitta and Agerström, Jens}},
  issn         = {{1877-8860}},
  keywords     = {{Central sensitization; Deep pain sensitivity; Persistent pain; Pressure pain threshold}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1--5}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Pain}},
  title        = {{Increased deep pain sensitivity in persistent musculoskeletal pain but not in other musculoskeletal pain states}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sjpain.2016.05.032}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.sjpain.2016.05.032}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}