[Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in pain therapy : Potentials, mechanisms and clinical...

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is also increasingly being used in pain therapy. The use of EMDR can offer a promising therapeutic approach, particularly for patients with previous traumatic experiences.

This article aims to elucidate the link between chronic pain and traumatic experiences as well as to present the underlying mechanisms, opportunities and limitations of EMDR in this specific context.

Based on a selective literature search, the article summarizes the central concepts of EMDR treatment, such as the dual attention focus and bilateral stimulation, and reviews relevant studies on pain reduction.

Studies show that EMDR not only reduces psychological stress, which contributes to the chronification of pain but can also reduces the intensity of pain itself. Possible mechanisms of action discussed include the stimulation of the working memory and the modulation of neuronal networks.

The integration of EMDR into multimodal pain management programs offers a promising perspective for improving the quality of life in patients with complex pain disorders. Nevertheless, the results emphasize that further research is needed to validate the long-term effectiveness of EMDR and to integrate its use into clinical guidelines; however, the underlying mechanism of action of EMDR is still not conclusively clarified and represents a central goal of future research.