For people living with chronic low back pain, a flare can feel like more than a physical ache. New brain imaging from UC San Diego suggests a reason. When 114 patients triggered a back pain flare through movement, a brain network tied to a person's sense of self became more active. That is the opposite of what usually happens during sudden pain.
The findings were published October 5 in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, according to UC San Diego. The study is early and did not test any treatment. But it may help explain why standard pain treatments, including opioids, often fail people whose back pain has lasted for months.
