Pain that has persisted over a long period of time is debilitating because it eventually affects almost every aspect of a person’s functioning: their health, emotions, relationships, self-image and their jobs.
Chronic pain is defined as pain that has lasted longer than three to six months. It has also been defined as pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing. Persistent pain may lower one’s pain threshold and result in feeling pain even though the original reason for the pain may no longer be present, or the injury may have healed.
Chronic pain due to different causes has been shown to affect brain structure and function. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) studies have shown abnormal brain activity that involves areas related to the processing of pain such as the parietal lobe. Persistent pain has also been shown to cause grey matter loss. However, this is reversible once the pain has resolved.
Using EEG recordings, brain activity in individuals suffering from chronic pain has been shown to be altered.
Neurofeedback:
The emergence of studies relating chronic pain to neuroplasticity also suggest the use of Neurofeedback to resolve maladaptive brain changes and patterns. The goal of Neurofeedback is to abolish maladaptive changes made as a result of chronic pain (as measured by EEG) and thereby relieve the individual’s pain.
Brain wave activity is unusually fast in the parietal and occipital lobes of an individual who experiences chronic pain. The parietal lobe is the primary pain perception area of the brain and fast activity suggests over-activity of this area of the brain.
The fast pattern of pain in the brain is easily seen on the brain evaluation. Neurofeedback training to reduce fast activity – especially over the parietal lobe – and restore a more normal alpha brain wave pattern is effective in reducing or eliminating chronic pain.
