Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Apr 3;90(4):245-254.
doi: 10.3949/ccjm.90a.22019.

Central sensitization, chronic pain, and other symptoms: Better understanding, better management

Mary M Volcheck  1 , Stephanie M Graham  2 , Kevin C Fleming  3 , Arya B Mohabbat  3 , Connie A Luedtke  2
Affiliations
Review

Central sensitization, chronic pain, and other symptoms: Better understanding, better management

Mary M Volcheck et al. Cleve Clin J Med. .

Abstract

Central sensitization, a pathophysiologic process in which the central nervous system undergoes changes that alter its processing of pain and other sensory stimuli, may be the mechanism underlying various conditions in which patients have unexplained pain and fatigue. Patients frequently misunderstand the cause of their symptoms and pursue unnecessary evaluations and treatments. Clinicians have a pivotal role in decreasing this misunderstanding by providing patient education, which can affect perception, management, functional status, and quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in