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Unveiling Chronic Pain: Understanding Prevalence, Management, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Inflammatory Mechanisms

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Health Sciences, University West, 46186 Trollhättan, Sweden
Interests: ADHD; culture; holistic psychiatry; integrated care; neurobiology; pain; personality; substance use; trauma; yoga
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bordeaux, CNRS, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
Interests: chronic pain; emotional/cognitive comorbidity; anxiety/depression; attention; ADHD; neuroinflammation; neuropeptides; cingulate cortex; spinal cord

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Health Science and Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM), University Jaume I, 12071 Castellon, Spain
Interests: neuroinflammation; psychiatric disorders; insulin resistance; chitosan nanoparticles; AAV particles; non-coding RNA; animal models; cell culture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the world's population, thus posing both a prevalent and a daunting healthcare challenge. This Special Issue critically synthesizes the current knowledge on the global burden of chronic pain, elucidating its intricate association with psychiatric disorders and the emergent insights into the role of inflammation, as well as investigating how biological, behavioral, psychosocial, and environmental factors profoundly affect individuals suffering from chronic pain, ultimately impacting their quality of life.

This Special Issue is dedicated to comprehensively exploring the prevalence of chronic pain and its intricate links to psychiatric disorders, with a special emphasis on the pivotal role of inflammation. Moreover, it aims to offer fresh perspectives on effective pain management. This compilation ranges from foundational biological insights to behavioral studies that shed light on psychosocial aspects of chronic pain to an investigation of its contributing environmental factors. Leveraging rigorous study designs, solid theoretical frameworks, and methodological precision, we hope the contributions within this Special Issue could unravel the intricate relationship between chronic pain and psychiatric disorders, offering an exhaustive, evidence-based exploration of these interconnected phenomena while also illuminating the pervasive role of inflammation and proposing strategies to enhance the quality of life of those affected. We underscore the effectiveness of multidisciplinary research, leading clinicians and researchers toward a more profound understanding of chronic pain, as well as endeavor to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and clinical practice, emphasizing innovative approaches to management and care.

By encapsulating diverse perspectives and fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue, this Special Issue is devoted to addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by chronic pain. It seeks to advance the healthcare field by integrating various research strands into a coherent framework that enriches our comprehension of this complex condition.

In conclusion, this Special Issue is intended to stand as a compendium of cutting-edge interdisciplinary works, at the crossroads of scientific progress and advances in medical practice , with the aim of improving patient outcomes through a synergistic exploration of the biological, psychosocial, and environmental dimensions of chronic pain. It underscores the necessity for high-quality research that is not only methodologically rigorous but also innovative and aligned with the practical imperatives of improving the quality of life for millions of affected patients.

Prof. Dr. Nóra Kerekes
Prof. Dr. Marc Landry
Prof. Dr. Ana María Sánchez-Pérez
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • chronic pain
  • psychiatric disorders
  • inflammation
  • quality of life
  • evidence-based investigations
  • innovative pain management
  • interdisciplinary evidence
  • healthcare challenges

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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16 pages, 2485 KiB  
Article
Gastrointestinal Conditions Affect Chronic Pain and Quality of Life in Women
by Ilenia Casini, Lauretta Massai, Erminia Solomita, Kathleen Ortenzi, Stefano Pieretti and Anna Maria Aloisi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(11), 1435; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111435 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 936
Abstract
Pain is a chronic condition in many women; drugs used for its treatment are often accompanied by detrimental effects on many organs, including the gut. Once inflamed, the gut can affect pain processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the general [...] Read more.
Pain is a chronic condition in many women; drugs used for its treatment are often accompanied by detrimental effects on many organs, including the gut. Once inflamed, the gut can affect pain processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the general health of women suffering chronic pain, with particular attention to gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. The possibility to improve pain and quality of life through personalized nutritional advice was also tested. Forty women suffering from chronic pain were contacted for the administration of questionnaires to define their pain features and gastrointestinal conditions. Their psychological, clinical and reproductive states were also recorded. Pain scores were correlated with GI, psychological and clinical scores. Diet suggestions were given, and evaluation was repeated after 4 weeks. Thirty-eight women were included in the study: 32 suffered chronic widespread pain and had 6 pelvic pain. Pain had been present in all women for years; more than 80% of women reported various types of disorders related to the gut. Pain scores were worse in the women intolerant to milk and dairy products. The GI score was positively correlated with the pain score. The Dietary Inflammatory Index was very high in all subjects. Personalized nutritional advice followed by 26 subjects for 4 weeks resulted in a significant improvement of pain and quality of life parameters. We describe women with chronic pain as being particularly affected by GI alterations. The change in feeding habits had a beneficial effect on pain and other quality of life parameters. Full article
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