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Abstract:
BackgroundChronic back pain (CBP) is a frequent debilitating and often
treatment-resistant disorder. The awareness of one's own body seems to
be essential in pain reduction through visual input. Visual feedback of
the back reduces experimental pain perception in CBP at this site and
watching the back during repeated lumbar spine movements reduces
movement-evoked pain. In this study, we tested whether visual feedback
alone can reduce habitual pain in CBP.
MethodsIn a within-subject design, 19 CBP patients participated in an
online visual feedback condition, watching one's own back. This was
compared to several control conditions, such as watching a neutral
object (book), a video of another person of the same sex, a picture of
the own back, and keeping one's eyes closed in randomized order on five
separate days. In each experimental session, participants rated habitual
pain intensity and unpleasantness before and after the experimental
manipulation.
ResultsWe present evidence that visual feedback by watching the site of
chronic pain on a video screen alone is sufficient to reduce habitual
chronic pain. No additional manipulation or movement was necessary.
ConclusionsThese results suggest that online video feedback may be
helpful in alleviating chronic pain.
