Suffering from chronic back pain? Researchers say a brain-based treatment could be effective in reducing its severity.
People experience pain for various reasons, but there are instances wherein some experience physical pain without any definite cause. In such cases, managing one’s perspective about the brain’s role in chronic pain could help them deal with it better.
A new study, published in JAMA Network Open, showed that people with chronic back pain who underwent a treatment called pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) started seeing their pain as stemming from their mind (thoughts) or brain (body). The participants felt a reduction in the intensity of the pain after the therapy session.
All pain originates from neural circuits in the brain. Therefore, having a better understanding of this intricate mind-body connection can be vital in effectively managing and reducing its intensity.
In the latest study, researchers examined the critical link between the brain and pain. Their focus was specifically on pain attributions, which represent people’s beliefs about the root causes of their pain. Using PRT, the team tried to make people understand that the cause of their chronic pain is often in the brain or mind.
A total of 150 adults with moderately severe chronic back pain participated in the study. They were randomly assigned into three groups that received PRT, an inactive placebo injection or usual care.
Participants reported a significant reduction in the intensity of their back pain after receiving PRT. Two-thirds of the participants who underwent PRT were nearly or completely pain-free after just four weeks, compared to fewer than one-fifth of those who received a placebo or standard care.
At the beginning of the study, only 10% of participants across all three groups attributed the causes of their pain to the mind or brain. This figure rose to 51% in people who underwent PRT by the end of the treatment period, while only 8% of participants in the placebo and usual care…
Read the full article here
