{"id":5255,"date":"2025-10-23T17:09:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T17:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/integrativa.pt\/?p=5255"},"modified":"2026-02-01T13:42:51","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T13:42:51","slug":"pain-mechanisms-influences-and-the-integrative-approach-to-its-rehabilitation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integrativa.pt\/en\/dor-mecanismos-influencias-e-a-abordagem-integrativa-na-sua-reabilitacao\/","title":{"rendered":"Pain: a complex and multifactorial experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pain: a complex and multifactorial experience<\/h4>\n

Pain goes beyond a simple symptom. It is a complex experience involving the interaction of physical, emotional, and cognitive factors, activating not only the nervous system and the body's tissues but also the individual's mental state, thus reflecting its multifactorial nature (Melzack & Wall, 1965).<\/p>\n

In the integrative approach, pain is understood as a form of communication from the body. Each painful sensation conveys a message that needs to be interpreted, not simply silenced. The goal is not just to alleviate symptoms, but to perceive what the body is trying to express and restore functional balance in all its dimensions.<\/p>\n

Pain as a protective mechanism<\/h4>\n

Pain is a natural defence mechanism. When the body detects a stimulus that could cause damage, such as inflammation, trauma, or improper movement, specialised receptors are activated and send signals to the nervous system. These signals are processed by the brain, which interprets them as pain, triggering a protective response (Woolf, 2010).<\/p>\n

Under normal circumstances, this response is beneficial and adaptive, helping to prevent further damage and promoting tissue healing. However, when pain persists for weeks or months, even after tissue recovery, the nervous system can remain \u201con high alert,\u201d leading to chronic pain (Kosek et al., 2016).<\/p>\n

In the integrative approach, the assessment is not limited to the physical origin of the pain, but also to its neurological, autonomic and emotional components. This global understanding allows for the construction of a more effective and personalised therapeutic plan.<\/p>\n

When the nervous system becomes overactive: central sensitisation<\/h4>\n

In some cases, the nervous system can react in an exaggerated way to stimuli that would not normally cause pain. This phenomenon is known as central sensitisation, an alteration in the way the brain and spinal cord process pain information (Latremoliere & Woolf, 2009).<\/p>\n

At this stage, the body can:<\/p>\n