Why acute pain sometimes resolves after a few weeks or months, but becomes chronic in other people, is not entirely understood, particularly at the molecular level. A study published yesterday (May 11) in Science Translational Medicine suggests that the initial inflammatory response may be key to avoiding lasting pain.
The study authors report that pain in the lower backs of patients with elevated inflammation was more likely to resolve after three months than that of patients with a more discreet reaction. Thousands of genes, many of them related to the inflammatory response and immune cell activation, changed expression in the blood samples of those who recovered, while none seem to be altered when pain persisted. Based on mouse experiments and a database analysis of drug use and medical conditions, the team found preliminary evidence that blocking the inflammatory response with medication can prolong musculoskeletal pain.
The results challenge two decades ...
