Episode 54: The Neuroscience of Pain

Following up on our "re-introduction" to the nervous system from two episodes ago, we are going to take a deeper dive into the topic of pain. While most people think pain is an input ("that hurt me"), pain is really an output signal from our brains. The brain triggers pain in response to perceived threat, and that threat can be real or imagined, physical or non-physical. We review some real-world applications of these principles and how it can lead us to more effective treatment strategies. 

“Sports Medicine Said to Overuse MRI’s” https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/health/mris-often-overused-often-mislead-doctors-warn.html

Article on Back Pain and Imaging:  https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/372/bmj.n291.full.pdf