Brits find cause of spontaneous pain

[Guest guest]

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In a finding that could alter pain

treatment, British scientists have found that undamaged nerve fibers, not

injured ones, cause ongoing spontaneous pain.

 

The unexpected finding that may help in the development of new treatments for

back problems and other conditions that involve chronic pain. Previous research

into chronic pain focused on nerve fibers damaged due to injury or illness, and

largely overlooked intact nerve fibers.

 

" The cause of this ongoing pain and why it arises spontaneously was not

understood before, " Sally Lawson, of the University of Bristol, said in a

prepared statement. " Now that we know the type of nerve fibers involved, and

especially that it is the undamaged nerve fibers that cause this pain, we can

examine them to find out what causes them to continually send impulses to the

brain. This should help in the search for new analgesics that are effective for

controlling ongoing pain. "

 

The findings appear in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

 

Lawson and her colleagues identified nerve cells called nociceptors (damage

detectors) that, when activated by disease or injury, send out electrical

impulses that are sent to the brain. The faster these undamaged nociceptors fire

electrical impulses, the stronger the ongoing pain.

 

The firing of these nociceptors seems to be caused by inflammation within the

nerves or tissues, caused by dying or degeneration of the injured nerve fibers

within the same nerve, the researchers said.

 

More information

 

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about chronic pain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Twyla

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Twyla Hoodah

Chinese Traditional Medicine ;

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Wednesday, January 25, 2006 2:04 PM

Brits find cause of spontaneous pain

 

 

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- In a finding that could alter pain

treatment, British scientists have found that undamaged nerve fibers, not

injured ones, cause ongoing spontaneous pain.

 

The unexpected finding that may help in the development of new treatments

for back problems and other conditions that involve chronic pain. Previous

research into chronic pain focused on nerve fibers damaged due to injury or

illness, and largely overlooked intact nerve fibers.

 

" The cause of this ongoing pain and why it arises spontaneously was not

understood before, " Sally Lawson, of the University of Bristol, said in a

prepared statement. " Now that we know the type of nerve fibers involved, and

especially that it is the undamaged nerve fibers that cause this pain, we can

examine them to find out what causes them to continually send impulses to the

brain. This should help in the search for new analgesics that are effective for

controlling ongoing pain. "

 

The findings appear in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

 

Lawson and her colleagues identified nerve cells called nociceptors (damage

detectors) that, when activated by disease or injury, send out electrical

impulses that are sent to the brain. The faster these undamaged nociceptors fire

electrical impulses, the stronger the ongoing pain.

 

The firing of these nociceptors seems to be caused by inflammation within

the nerves or tissues, caused by dying or degeneration of the injured nerve

fibers within the same nerve, the researchers said.

 

More information

 

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about chronic pain.