Aging Independently of the Hormonal Status Changes Pain Responses in Young Postmenopausal Women

Both aging and hormonal status have an effect on pain perception. The goal of this study was to isolate as much as possible the effect of aging in postmenopausal women. Thirty-two women with regular menstrual cycles (RMW) and 18 postmenopausal women (PMW) underwent a 2-minute cold pressor test (CPT) to activate DNIC with a series of tonic heat pain stimulations with a contact thermode to assess ascending pain pathways. We found that this procedure induced much less pain during the first 15 seconds of stimulation the PMW group (P=0.03), while the mean thermode pain ratings, pain tolerance, pain threshold, and DNIC analgesia were similar for both groups (P>0.05). The absence of the peak pain in the PMW was probably due to reduced function of the myelinated Aδ fibers that naturally occurs with age.

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Swearing as a response to pain: Assessing hypoalgesic effects of novel “swear” words

10.31234/osf.io/cdvyf ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Stephens ◽

Olly May Robertson

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Neutral Word ◽

Pain Threshold ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Mediation Effects ◽

Independent Variable ◽

Cold Pressor Pain

Background: This pre-registered study extends previous findings that swearing alleviates pain tolerance by assessing the effects of a conventional swear word (“fuck”) and two new “swear” words, “fouch” and “twizpipe”.Method: A mixed sex group of participants (N = 92) completed a repeated measures experimental design augmented by mediation analysis. The independent variable was Word with the levels, “fuck” v. “fouch” v. “twizpipe” v. a neutral word. The dependent variables were emotion rating, humour rating, distraction rating, cold pressor pain threshold, cold pressor pain tolerance, pain perception score and change from resting heart rate. Possible mediation effects were assessed for emotion, humour and distraction ratings. Results: For conventional swearing (“fuck”), confirmatory analyses found a 32% increase in pain threshold and a 33% increase in pain tolerance, accompanied by increased ratings for emotion, humour and distraction, relative to the neutral word condition. The new “swear” words, “fouch” and “twizpipe” were rated higher than the neutral word for emotion and humour although these words did not affect pain threshold or tolerance. Changes in heart rate, pain perception and were absent, as were mediation effects.Conclusions: Our data replicate previous findings that repeating a swear word at a steady pace and volume benefits pain tolerance, extending this finding to pain threshold. Our data cannot explain how such effects are manifest, although distraction appears to be of little importance, and emotion is worthy of future study. The new “swear” words did not alleviate pain even though participants rated them as emotion evoking and humorous.

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Personality traits and sensitivity to pain in male chronic opioid addicts

Journal of Opioid Management ◽

10.5055/jom.2007.0008 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 225 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Elon Eisenberg, MD ◽

Doron Cohen, MA ◽

Eli Lawental, PhD ◽

Dorit Pud, PhD

Keyword(s):

Personality Traits ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Significant Negative Correlation ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Population ◽

Novelty Seeking ◽

Pain Mechanisms

Objective: Previous evidences concerning pain mechanisms, long-term opioids use, and personality traits evolve the possibility that pain perception and opioid abuse are two related phenomena and there is a need to take into account the specific personality traits as well, in examining the relationships among them. Opioid addicts (OAs) have been shown to exhibit different personality traits and pain perception as compared with healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between personality traits and pain perception among in-treatment OAs in comparison with controls.Design: Participants (54 OAs, 59 controls), all males, were exposed to the cold pressor test and were evaluated for latency of pain onset (seconds); pain intensity (0-100 visual analogue scale [VAS)]); and pain tolerance (time for hand withdrawal). Personality traits were evaluated using Cloninger’s Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, TPQ; harm avoidance, HA; reward dependence, RD; novelty seeking, NS.Results: In comparison with controls, OAs exhibited longer latencies, lower VAS scores, and shorter tolerance, and significantly higher NS, higher HA, and lower RD. Control group, but not OAs, showed a significant positive correlation between HA and VAS (r = 0.31, p = 0.02) and significant negative correlation between HA and tolerance (r = −0.29, p = 0.03).Conclusions: It is concluded that in contrast to healthy population, personality traits, as measured by the TPQ, do not predict pain perception in OAs.

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The Relationship between Personality Characteristics and Acute Pain Response in Postadolescent Males

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.1.2.111 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 111-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Barton P. Buxton ◽

David H. Perrin

Keyword(s):

Acute Pain ◽

Pain Threshold ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Personality Characteristic ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Personality Characteristics ◽

Pain Response ◽

Myers Briggs Type Indicator ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between personality characteristics, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (form G), and an acute pain response in 107 postadolescent men. Subjects included 107 military school cadets. Each subject performed a cold pressor test (CPT) and was evaluated for pain threshold and pain tolerance times. Each was then evaluated for preference on eight personality characteristics: extraversion, introversion, sensing, intuition, thinking, feeling, judging, and perception. The personality characteristics were measured by the MBT1 (form G). Pearson product-moment correlations between the pain threshold and tolerance times and the eight personality characteristic scores were nonsignificant. The results indicated there was no relationship between the eight personality characteristics, as measured by the MBTI (form G), and pain threshold or pain tolerance, as measured by the CPT, The findings also indicated a low correlation between pain threshold and pain tolerance (r=.25).

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Pain Perception in Contact Sport Athletes: A Scoping Review

10.31234/osf.io/8myj3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amanda O'Farrell ◽

William Sauvé ◽

Maxime Bergevin ◽

Giuseppe Cimadoro ◽

Arvisais D. ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Physical Pain ◽

Contact Sport ◽

Contact Sports ◽

Pain Testing

Contact sports athletes are regularly facing acute physical pain in part of their practice. However, the literature investigating pain perception in these athletes remains scarce. This scoping review aimed to explore the literature surrounding pain perception in contact sport athletes and to compile and understand how it is studied. The search strategy consisted of using index terms and keywords in Medline, EMBASE, Sport-Discus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global search engines. Results revealed that a mix of team contact sports and combat sports are studied and included under the umbrella of contact sports. These athletes are being compared to non-athletes as well as athletes from non-contact sports. The cold pressor test and the pain pressure test are the two predominant methods used to investigate physical pain. This review highlights the need to clearly define sports based on contact levels expected in play to better define the types of pain athletes are facing in their practice. Athlete’s level of play as well as years of experience should also be more rigorously reported. While contact sport athletes seem to have a higher level of pain tolerance than both active controls and non-contact athletes, the methods of pain testing are not always justified and appropriate in relation to the pain induced during contact sports. Future experimental studies should use pain testing methods relevant to the pain experienced during contact sports and better justify the rationale for the choice of these methods.

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Pain and Ethnicity in Athletes

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2.1.13 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 13-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Barton P. Buxton ◽

David H. Perrin ◽

Ronald K. Hetzler ◽

Kwok W. Ho ◽

Joe H. Gieck

Keyword(s):

Ethnic Groups ◽

Acute Pain ◽

Pain Threshold ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Collegiate Athletes ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Pain Response ◽

Male Athletes ◽

The Relationship

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between ethnicity and acute pain response in male athletes. Subjects included 93 male athletes (age = 18.65 ± .58 years) of differing ethnicity. Each subject performed a Cold Pressor Test (CPT) and was evaluated for pain threshold and pain tolerance times. Two one-way analyses of variance were performed to analyze the data. The results indicated that significant differences existed in pain tolerance times between ethnic groups (p<.05). However, no differences were observed in pain threshold times. These findings support the existence of a difference in pain tolerance between ethnic groups in collegiate athletes.

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The Role of Musical Attributes in Music-induced Analgesia: A Preliminary Brief Report

10.31234/osf.io/3n7kp ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Krzysztof Basiński ◽

Agata Zdun-Ryżewska ◽

Mikołaj Majkowicz

Keyword(s):

Pain Perception ◽

Experimental Pain ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Pain Modulation ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Cold Pressor Task ◽

Novel Approach ◽

Pain Ratings ◽

Musical Characteristics ◽

Average Pain

Music-induced analgesia (MIA) is the ability of music to influence pain perception. Although this phenomenon has been extensively studied in recent years, only a few studies have addressed what musical characteristics are optimal for MIA. Here, we present a novel approach to this topic, using a recently proposed model of music attribute preferences. The model addresses three musical dimensions: arousal, valence, and depth. Thirty participants (fifteen women and fifteen men, M age = 37.1 years, standard deviation = 15.7) were subjected to experimental pain stimulation (cold-pressor task) while listening to music characteristic of the three attribute dimensions. There was also a control condition, where participants listened to white noise. Results showed that average pain ratings were significantly lower in arousal (p = .002) and depth (p = .01) conditions in comparison to the control condition. Furthermore, participants showed increased pain tolerance in musical conditions in comparison to the control condition (p = .04). The results contribute to better understanding of the mechanisms of pain modulation, and to the development of novel evidence-based therapies of chronic pain. In the advent of on-line music streaming services, this research opens new possibilities for music-based pain interventions.

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Increased Pain Sensitivity in Low Blood Pressure

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.22.1.20 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 20-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

S. Duschek ◽

W. Schwarzkopf ◽

R. Schandry

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Pain Sensitivity ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Physiological Mechanism ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Mean Blood Pressure ◽

Total Blood ◽

Pressor Test

There is broad evidence for a functional interaction between the cardiovascular and pain regulatory systems. One result of this interaction is the reduced sensitivity to acute pain in individuals with elevated blood pressure, which has been established in numerous studies. In contrast to this, possible alterations in pain perception related to the lower range of blood pressure have not yet been investigated. In the present study pain sensitivity was assessed in 30 hypotensive women (mean blood pressure 95/56 mmHg) and 30 normotensive control persons (mean blood pressure 119/77 mmHg) based on a cold pressor test. Possible effects on pain perception of hypotension-related impairment of subjective state were controlled for by including a mood-scale. The hypotensive as compared to the normotensive group displayed lower pain threshold and pain tolerance levels, as well as increased sensory and affective experiences of pain. Moreover, a slight negative correlation was found, both in hypotensive and control persons, between pain sensitivity and the degree of blood pressure increase during the execution of the cold pressor test. In accordance with the previous findings on hypertension-related hypoalgesia, the present results suggest an inverse relationship between blood pressure and pain sensitivity across the total blood pressure spectrum. Different degrees of pain attenuation through afferent input from the arterial baroreceptor system are discussed as a physiological mechanism mediating this relationship.

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Sexism-Related Stigma Affects Pain Perception

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2021/6612456 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Ming Zhang ◽

Yuqi Zhang ◽

Zhihui Li ◽

Li Hu ◽

Yazhuo Kong

Keyword(s):

Pain Threshold ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Frequency Component ◽

Physical Pain ◽

Laser Evoked Potentials ◽

Negative Experiences ◽

Related Stigma

People with stigmatized characteristics tend to be devalued by others in a given society. The negative experiences related to stigma cause individuals to struggle as they would if they were in physical pain and bring various negative outcomes in the way that physical pain does. However, it is unclear whether stigma related to one’s identity would affect their perception of physical pain. To address this issue, using sexism-related paradigms, we found that females had reduced pain threshold/tolerance in the Cold Pressor Test (Experiment 1) and an increased rating for nociceptive laser stimuli with fixed intensity (Experiment 2). Additionally, we observed that there was a larger laser-evoked N1, an early laser-evoked P2, and a larger magnitude of low-frequency component in laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) in the stigma condition than in the control condition (Experiment 3). Our study provides behavioral and electrophysiological evidence that sexism-related stigma affects the pain perception of females.

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Pain perception in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1111/j.1601-5215.2007.00193.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 284-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Levent Atik ◽

Numan Konuk ◽

Omer Akay ◽

Devrim Ozturk ◽

Ayten Erdogan

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Bipolar Disorders ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Study Groups ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Lower Pain ◽

Healthy Control

Objective:Pain perception is reported to be altered in patients with depression and schizophrenia. However, few studies have investigated the pain perception in patients with bipolar disorders. We therefore aimed to compare pain sensitivity between patients with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and controls.Methods:Study groups consisted of 30 patients with bipolar disorder, and control groups consisted of 27 patients with schizophrenia and 59 healthy subjects. Pain perception was assessed with cold pressor test (CPT) by exposure to ice-water.Results:Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher pain thresholds (PTh) than patients with bipolar disorder. There were no differences between the PTh of patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects. However, patients with bipolar disorder had significantly lower pain tolerance (PT) in the CPT than patients with schizophrenia and corresponding healthy control subjects.Conclusions:The higher PTh in the schizophrenia group compared with the bipolar group found in this study supports further investigation of a potential difference in the pain perception between patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Theoretical implications of these findings and possible relevant behavioural and neurochemical mechanisms are discussed.

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A low dose of lysergic acid diethylamide decreases pain perception in healthy volunteers

Journal of Psychopharmacology ◽

10.1177/0269881120940937 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 026988112094093 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Johannes G Ramaekers ◽

Nadia Hutten ◽

Natasha L Mason ◽

Patrick Dolder ◽

Eef L Theunissen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Lysergic Acid ◽

Pain Tolerance ◽

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide ◽

Analgesic Effects ◽

1960S And 1970S

Background: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is an ergot alkaloid derivative with psychedelic properties that has been implicated in the management of persistent pain. Clinical studies in the 1960s and 1970s have demonstrated profound analgesic effects of full doses of LSD in terminally ill patients, but this line of research evaporated after LSD was scheduled worldwide. Aim: The present clinical study is the first to revisit the potential of LSD as an analgesic, and at dose levels which are not expected to produce profound mind-altering effects. Methods: Twenty-four healthy volunteers received single doses of 5, 10 and 20 µg LSD as well as placebo on separate occasions. A Cold Pressor Test was administered at 1.5 and 5 h after treatment administration to assess pain tolerance to experimentally evoked pain. Ratings of dissociation and psychiatric symptoms as well as assessments of vital signs were included to monitor mental status as well as safety during treatments. Results: LSD 20 µg significantly increased the time that participants were able to tolerate exposure to cold (3°C) water and decreased their subjective levels of experienced pain and unpleasantness. LSD elevated mean blood pressure within the normal range and slightly increased ratings of dissociation, anxiety and somatization. Conclusion: The present study provides evidence of a protracted analgesic effect of LSD at a dose that is low enough to avoid a psychedelic experience. The present data warrant further research into the analgesic effects of low doses of LSD in patient populations.

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