Chronic pain

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Understanding how the brain is involved in chronic pain

WHAT WE KNOW

One in five Australians experience chronic pain that is serious enough to disable them, costing the country approximately $35 billion a year. People who experience chronic pain (pain that continues for more than three months) often struggle to find effective treatment, and can experience disability and even depression.

We are conducting research into the nature of chronic pain, looking at the role of our brain in the experience of persistent pain, and changes in the central nervous system that may also occur.

We are also investigating why some people develop excessive pain in response to injury, developing a disorder called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

More information

OUR LATEST RESEARCH

SLEEPAIN


DR JAMES MCAULEY, EDEL O’HAGAN, DR MARKUS HUEBSCHER, DR SYLVIA GUSTIN

For people with back pain who are having trouble with their sleep. We are testing whether a simple sleep tablet will help people reduce their pain and sleep better.

RESOLVE


DR JAMES MCAULEY, PROF LORIMER MOSELEY, MATTHEW BAGG, EDEL O’HAGAN, DR MARTIN RABEY, DR MARKUS HUEBSCHER

For people with long term back pain that is not getting better. We are testing two pain treatment programs that target the brain, for people with chronic low back pain.

PREVENT


DR JAMES MCAULEY, PROF LORIMER MOSELEY, DR MARKUS HUEBSCHER, ADRIAN TRAEGER, HOPIN LEE, IAN SKINNER

For people with a new low back pain episode. We are testing early intervention to reduce the risk of developing chronic low back pain.

Identifying cortical and subcortical sites responsible for the divergent sympathetic responses to long-lasting muscle pain


PROF VAUGHAN MACEFIELD

We are trying to identify how a constant sensory input (muscle pain) causes two divergent patterns of sympathetic response: an increase in MSNA and blood pressure in some individuals and a decrease in others.

The effects of tonic muscle pain on the sympathetic and somatic motor systems


DR INGVARS BIRZNIEKS

Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting for >3 months, typically develops from injuries to deep tissues such as muscle, yet little is known about how long-lasting pain affects a person’s blood pressure or capacity to control their muscles. This project assesses the effects of tonic muscle pain on sympathetic nerve activity and stretch sensitivity of muscle spindles.

TEAM LEADERS IN CHRONIC PAIN

DR JAMES MCAULEY Research Fellow and Group Leader, NeuRA Conjoint Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Honorary Research Fellow, The George Institute for Global Health

PROF LORIMER MOSELEY Senior Principal Research Fellow, NeuRA NHMRC Principal Research Fellow Professor of Clinical Neurosciences & Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy, University of South Australia

What else is happening in Chronic pain research at NeuRA?

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For people with back pain who are having trouble with their sleep. We are testing whether a simple sleep tablet will help people reduce their pain and sleep better.
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