INFLAMMATION!

Pain researchers propose that Fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes should be reclassified and treated based on their unique inflammatory profiles. Pain researchers are wanting it to be made known that the origin of all pain is inflammation and the inflammatory response. The biochemical mediators of inflammation include cytokines, neuropeptides, growth factors and neurotransmitters.

They all agree that whether the pain is acute pain, chronic pain, peripheral pain, central pain, or neuropathic pain, it is all coming from the same origin – inflammatory responses. (Biochemical Origin of Pain)

We hereby describe the inflammatory profile for several pain syndromes including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, migraine, neuropathic pain, complex regional pain syndrome / reflex sympathetic dystrophy (CRPS/RSD), bursitis, shoulder pain and vulvodynia. These profiles are derived from basic science and clinical research performed in the past by numerous investigators and will be updated in the future by new technologies such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Our unifying theory or law of pain states: The origin of all pain is inflammation and the inflammatory response. The biochemical mediators of inflammation include cytokines, neuropeptides, growth factors and neurotransmitters. Irrespective of the type of pain whether it is acute or chronic pain, peripheral or central pain, nociceptive or neuropathic pain, the underlying origin is inflammation and the inflammatory response.

Activation of pain receptors, transmission and modulation of pain signals, neuro plasticity and central sensitization are all one continuum of inflammation and the inflammatory response. Irrespective of the characteristic of the pain, whether it is sharp, dull, aching, burning, stabbing, numbing or tingling, all pain arise from inflammation and the inflammatory response. We are proposing a re-classification and treatment of pain syndromes based upon their inflammatory profile. (National Library of Medicine)