What is the role of perception in pain?

The role of perception in pain, particularly chronic pain, is significant. Louisa Nicola discusses how the biopsychosocial model influences our experience with pain, noting that pain is not simply a direct result of physical damage like a cut, but is also shaped by our social structure, psychology, and perception. This understanding is crucial in chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, where the perceived pain may not always correspond to an obvious physical injury.

In neuroscience and neurology, there is a subspecialty dedicated to explaining pain to patients. This is because in some cases, patients might reinforce their pain through their beliefs—believing they are in pain intensifies their perception of pain. By altering their understanding of pain through education, patients can downregulate their response to pain, interpreting it as less dangerous and thereby reducing the sensation of pain itself 1.