Nociplastic pain

Nociplastic pain
Other namesCentral sensitisation (older term)
Fibromyalgia is the classic example of nociplastic pain,[1] being diagnosed when pain is felt in four different quadrants of the body using measures such as the Widespread Pain Index shown
SpecialtyNeurology, psychiatry, orthopedics
DurationShort to long-term[2]
Diagnostic methodClinical history, description of pain, quantitative sensory testing [3]
TreatmentExercise, medication, psychological therapies, pain neuroscience education[4]

Nociplastic pain, formerly known as central sensitisation, is chronic pain that persists without evidence of tissue injury, resulting in and being sustained by aberrant or heightened pain signal processing of the central nervous system (CNS).[5] It may occur in combination with the other types of pain or in isolation. The pain may be generalised or multifocal, and it can be out of proportion to any associated physical cause.[3]

The concept and term were formally added to the taxonomy of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) following the recommendation of a task force in 2017.[6] The root terms are Latin nocēre, meaning to hurt, and Greek πλαστός, meaning development or formation in a medical context.

This type of pain typically arises in some chronic pain conditions, with the archetypal condition being fibromyalgia. Exercise, psychotherapy, and medical therapies are commonly prescribed for such conditions.[7] Nociplastic pain has also been hypothesized to play a role in the persistence of medically unexplained symptoms.[8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference PT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wahlen2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference L was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Noe2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Narale K (8 February 2024). "Nociplastic Pain". Physio-Pedia. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference IASP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference EJP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference JPR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.