Pain catastrophizing: How far have we come

Authors

Katarina Simic, Advocate Health - Midwest
Boris Savic, Advocate Health - Midwest
Nebojsa Nick Knezevic, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow

Recommended Citation

Simic K, Savic B, Knezevic NN. Pain Catastrophizing: How Far Have We Come. Neurol Int. 2024;16(3):483-501. Published 2024 Apr 26. doi:10.3390/neurolint16030036

Affiliations

Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

Abstract

The perception of pain is strongly influenced by various social, emotional, and cognitive factors. A psychological variable which has consistently been shown to exert its influence on pain is a cognitive process referred to as pain catastrophizing. Numerous studies have found it to be a strong predictor of pain intensity and disability across different clinical populations. It signifies a maladaptive response to pain marked by an exaggerated negative assessment, magnification of symptoms related to pain, and, in general, a tendency to experience marked pain-related worry, as well as experiencing feelings of helplessness when it comes to dealing with pain. Pain catastrophizing has been correlated to many adverse pain-related outcomes, including poor treatment response, unsatisfactory quality of life, and high disability related to both acute and chronic pain. Furthermore, there has been consistent evidence in support of a correlation between pain catastrophizing and mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding pain catastrophizing, with special emphasis on its clinical significance, and emerging treatment modalities which target it.

Type

Article

PubMed ID

38804476