At Pains to Explain Pain

“Scientists used to be mystified by persistent pain but now recognize that chronic pain is a disorder of the central nervous system. In some cases, pain signals just keep firing, driven by what researchers now think is a complex set of genetic, endocrinological and immunologic processes.” (Anyone who has experienced chronic pain knows about trying to break the cycle. We’re learning most about the science behind the feeling.) Jennifer Kahn in the NYT: 5 Things We Know About Chronic Pain. And a much deeper dive into the subject from the NYT Mag (Gift Article): Chronic Pain Is a Hidden Epidemic. It’s Time for a Revolution. (For those who deal with it, just having people acknowledge that it exists can feel like a revolution.)