The New Science of Pain

This is the New Science of Pain, The pain sensory (nociceptive) system is not just a system for the conduction of pain impulses from the periphery to the brain. We now know that plastic changes can take place in the periphery, the spinal cord and also in higher brain centers following injury, inflammation and other events. These changes may increase the magnitude of the perceived pain and may contribute to the development of chronic pain syndromes and increased pain sensitivity.

Repetition is the mother of all learning.

Our nervous system controls or has a part in every function of our body. Neuroplasticity is generally very good for us; we learn a trade or career, we develop balance, we learn math, we learn to play baseball or the piano, and thousands of other functions we do everyday and do not even think about it. There is also a bad side of Neuroplasticity that deals with bad habits, addictions, certain diseases and in many cases pain.

The good thing is that as Stephen Covey says, "between stimulus and response, one has the freedom to choose." It is also a good thing for us that we have a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex (but you'll learn more about that later).

Neuroplastic Pain: Refers to pain cause by or increased pain because of changes within the nervous system. These structural and functional changes can occur at every level of the nervous system.