Abstract
The progression of acute to chronic pain, also known as pain chronification, remains
incompletely understood. Biologic factors involved in this transition include central
sensitization, neuroplastic changes, altered pain modulation, and changes to the “neuromatrix.”
Chronic pain may involve irreversible pathophysiologic changes, so interrupting the
cascade of events that allows acute pain to advance to chronic pain is of crucial
importance. This involves recognition and prompt treatment of acute pain, better awareness
and application of evidence-based guidelines on pain management by all clinicians
(not just pain specialists), and patient education. By interrupting nociceptive input
in acute pain conditions, it might be possible to prevent transition to chronic pain
syndromes.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 27, 2012
Accepted:
July 4,
2012
Received in revised form:
March 13,
2012
Received:
August 23,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
