Negative affect and sensitization to pain

Abstract

Pain usually has a strong negative affective component, which is believed to modulate pain perception. After reviewing theories on the link between negative affect and pain, mechanisms are discussed by which negative affect may either increase or inhibit pain. Possible pain-inhibiting mechanisms are endogenous opioid release, blood pressure reactivity, and distraction of attention; possible pain-increasing mechanisms are autonomic and muscular reactivity, misattribution of arousal, hypervigilance to pain, worrying, and avoidance behavior. It is emphasized that each of these mechanisms can be very adaptive in acute pain situations to prevent injury and promote recovery. In chronic pain, however, ongoing physiological arousal and hypervigilance to pain, induced or magnified by negative affect, may cause sensitization to pain. Furthermore, worrying about pain and avoidance of pain-inducing activities may increase negative affect, ypervigilance, and functional disability. It is argued that, in the long run, pain-related negative affect has sensitizing and disabling effects.