Interaction of the Brain and Nervous System in Chronic Pain Conditions, The

Pain is felt by all humans, however only a portion of the population develops a chronic pain syndrome (Rodriquez-Raecke, et. al, 2013). Though the reason for this is unclear, the effects of chronic pain on the brain are becoming more evident. In the sections to follow there are a few examples of the many different types of chronic pain syndromes. Each of these examples seek to determine whether grey matter atrophy can be found in the brains of chronic pain patients. It is clear, chronic pain patients experience some type of neurological alteration in their grey matter. Chronic pain is difficult to manage, and can be detrimental to the quality of life of affected patients. As such, research and understanding of this topic is essential for nurses in clinical practice.