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Tactile acuity (dys)function in acute nociceptive low back pain: a double-blind experiment
Wacław M Adamczyk1,2, Oskar Saulicz3, Edward Saulicz1
1Department of Kinesiotherapy and Special Methods in Physiotherapy, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland.
Pain
|November 16, 2017
Summary
Acute nociceptive pain, contrary to hypotheses, impairs tactile acuity. This deterioration in tactile sensitivity is linked to pain intensity, suggesting a complex relationship between pain and sensory perception.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Physiology
Background:
- Chronic pain is associated with cortical changes affecting tactile acuity.
- The impact of acute pain on tactile acuity remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether acute nociceptive pain influences tactile acuity.
- To test the hypothesis that acute pain improves tactile acuity, correlating with pain intensity and distribution.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, double-blind, controlled experiment involving healthy participants.
- Induction of acute nociceptive low back pain via saline injection versus a sham injection or no intervention.
- Measurement of tactile acuity using two-point discrimination threshold (TPD) and other tests before, during, and after pain induction.
Main Results:
- Tactile acuity, specifically TPD, significantly deteriorated during acute pain induction compared to controls (P < 0.001).
- TPD worsened from baseline (56.94 mm) to during pain (64.22 mm).
- Maximum reported pain intensity was a significant predictor of TPD changes, accounting for 26% of the variance (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Acute nociceptive pain does not improve but linearly deteriorates tactile acuity.
- The biological significance of this pain-induced sensory impairment requires further investigation.
