Nerd Out on Pain Science

The Pain of Scientific Research

What does science look like from the trenches of laboratories, where experiments are designed and executed, papers are submitted and defended, and knowledge is furthered?

Jayson is mid-way through a PhD program. He has transitioned from spending most time in the classroom to now spending more time in the laboratory.

Research takes much time, and some studies end with apparent dead ends (though knowledge & benefits to those involved can always be gleaned). He enjoys the process, and conducts as much research as possible to learn as much as possible.

Nerding Out On Pain Science

Jayson & his colleagues focus their research on rats. Rats enables some methods & interventions that are not possible with humans, but how much can be gleaned from experimenting with rats is always an issue.

Rats love exercise. Put a running wheel in a container with a rat, and you will get high compliance. Put a treadmill in someone’s house, and the same result does not follow.

Pain and exercise research focuses on mechanisms, not interventions. Psychosocial interventions best serve humans (at least for now).

Biological interventions (e.g. pain killers) come with serious side effects. Psychosocial interventions such as not catastrophizing  help people deal with pain and recover from injuries.