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Sensitization: A mechanism for somatization and subjective health complaints?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 1997

Holger Ursin
Holger Ursin
Affiliation:
Institute of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, N 5009 Bergen, [email protected]
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Abstract

The brain seems to be able to generate and uphold sensitization by itself, based on previous experience, or genetic disposition. This seems to be particularly important for muscle pain. There seem to be positive feedback loops where pain produces more pain, and more sensitization. Musculoskeletal pain is the most common pain state. It amounts to almost 50% of all long term sickness absence. But other subjective complaints are also common, and may depend on sensitization. Sensitization has been introduced as an explanation for subjective complaints from the gastrointestinal tract and the brain, like fatigue, tiredness, dizziness, and vertigo. [coderre & katz]

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 469
Copyright
© 1997 Cambridge University Press

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