Nociplastic pain

Nociplastic pain is a type of pain that arises from altered processing of pain signals in the central nervous system, without clear evidence of ongoing tissue damage or nerve injury.

It is seen in conditions like fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and some forms of chronic low back pain. Patients may experience widespread pain, fatigue and hypersensitivity to stimuli. Nociplastic pain highlights the role of central sensitization and neuroplasticity in chronic pain, showing that not all pain can be explained by structural findings on imaging. Effective treatment often requires a multidisciplinary approach combining exercise, psychological strategies and medications that modulate central pain processing.