Let’s talk about sex!   December 4th, 2023
Let’s talk about sex, baby (1). Or maybe not? Let’s talk about gender! To talk about gender, I will start with some definitions so we speak the same language.
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​Exploring the link between chronic tinnitus and central sensitization.   October 9th, 2023
Do you sometimes hear a ringing in your ears after a night out or a loud concert? If so, you're not alone. This phenomenon is called tinnitus, and it affects a significant number of people worldwide. In fact, about 10% of the population experiences chronic tinnitus (present for more than 3 months) (1). However, despite the high prevalence of tinnitus, we still have a lot to learn about its causes and effective treatments.
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A new chronic pain pandemic on the horizon? Long COVID affects millions of people   August 20th, 2023
​In 2020, the world was battling COVID-19 and many countries introduced lockdowns or restrictive measures. Three years later, such lockdowns and restrictive measures are luckily not required anymore to protect us from COVID-19, but did you know that millions of people (65 – 144 million) are still living in lockdown or under restrictive measures as a result of their COVID-19 infection? These people suffer from long COVID.
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The role of systemic inflammation in chronic musculoskeletal conditions   August 17th, 2023
Several chronic musculoskeletal conditions are characterized by pain and changes in connective tissue. Treatment has traditionally focused on regional processes. Frequently, it is thought the injuries arise from a local origin. Herein, local inflammation initiates mechanisms to drive adaptation and repair.
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​Words matter! Language to use versus to avoid in the context of acute pain management in children   June 8th, 2023
Acute pain is “a normal, predicted physiological response and experience to a noxious chemical, thermal or mechanical stimulus associated with acute illness, trauma or surgery”.1,2 Acute pain is usually sudden in onset, limited in time, and motivates behavioral responses to avoid actual or potential tissue damage.
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​Individualized care in chronic pain research   June 7th, 2023
Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for more than three months and currently affects over 20% of people worldwide, making it the leading cause of disability and disease. Despite its prevalence, optimal treatment for chronic pain is still lacking.
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​Cracking the Code of Chronic Cancer Pain: The Immune System and Your Inner Clock   June 6th, 2023
Although there are more cancer survivors due to better treatment options, cancer survivors still face many challenges including chronic pain1,2. According to recent studies, approximately 40% of cancer survivors suffer from chronic pain which significantly impacts their quality of life1,3,4. Nowadays, scientists are investigating the underlying mechanisms so they can better understand the causes of chronic pain in order to improve pain management.
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Culture matters!!!   March 31st, 2023
Chronic pain is a common, difficult, and distressing problem that significantly impacts society and individuals. The cause of chronic pain is a complex interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors. Understanding chronic pain in the context of a bio-psycho-social model will help to develop treatment plans and prevention strategies.
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Have you ever felt your stomach growl? Your head pound? Your heart race? Your palms sweat?   March 30th, 2023
If so, do you know how you are able to feel these feels? To notice these feelings you need the help of an important sense called interoception. The word interoception might not sound very sexy, but this sense is really important. It has a huge influence on many areas of our lives like self-regulation, mental health and social connection1.
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Breaking the Cycle of Misinformation: Health Literacy's Role in Managing Chronic Pain   March 28th, 2023
Health literacy refers to a person's ability to access, understand, and use information related to health(care). This includes the ability to read and understand health information, to navigate healthcare systems, to communicate effectively with healthcare providers, and to apply the information to make decisions about one's own health.
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An Interdisciplinary Multimodal Integrative Healthcare Program For Somatic Symptom Disorder With Predominant Spinal Pain   March 27th, 2023
Somatic symptom disorders (SSD) are characterized by an excessive focus on somatic symptoms that causes significant emotional distress and a disruption of daily life. In addition, individuals suffering from a SSD often have excessive thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors related to these somatic symptoms and associated health concerns [1].
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Sleep and pain, a vicious cycle   March 24th, 2023
Are you experiencing pain? If yes, consider asking the next question: how well did you sleep last night?
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Don’t forget the practical context and the people involved in the target culture during the cultural adaptation of pain neuroscience education   March 23rd, 2023
Around six years ago, I went to Kisumu, Kenya for an International Aid and Development program (IAD). My landlord there shared an educational story in the field of IAD. “Once upon a time”, she said, “an American engineer found out that women in Kisumu needed to walk for hours to get fresh water and carry that water back home.
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Renaming pain catastrophizing: 
what do patients think about this?   March 22nd, 2023
Pain catastrophizing: as a clinician and/or researcher in the field of pain, this term may sound familiar to you. Pain catastrophizing is often broadly conceived as an exaggerated mental mindset during painful experiences (1). It has been identified as an important and consistent psychosocial predictor of almost every significant pain-related outcome.
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