In the first two parts of “The Pain the Brain” series the concept of descending inhibition has been mentioned. This refers to a very elegant part of the central nervous system that originates in the brain and travels down the spinal cord to actual inhibit pain signals that have yet to be transmitted up into the brain—hence its name of “descending inhibition.” It has colloquially been referred to as “pain inhibits pain,” and its complete medical name is diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC). 

Part 1 of this series described the pain process in the central nervous system, primarily the phenomenon called windup and how it is created. Windup is the beginning of an important change in the central nervous system called central sensitization which is at the heart of the pain felt by patients with FMS. It was mentioned in Part 1 of this series that there is some bad news for FMS patients regarding windup. Here it is.

The International Association for the Study of Pain has defined pain as both an "unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage." There has been an extensive medical literature published on the multitude of mechanisms responsible for the primary complaint of FMS patients — pain. 

Why a Pain Doctor Is The Best Person To Treat Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia derives from words from two languages: Latin (fibra –fiber) and Greek (myo – muscle and algos – pain), literally translating as “pain in the muscles.” Despite all the efforts of medical research and the strong support for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) within professional organizations, academic medical centers and by support groups, whose efforts have resulted in proclamations of “Fibromyalgia Awareness Day,” by at least 8 U.S. state legislatures, the syndrome is still misunderstood and maligned.