Pain syndromes

Abstract

The twentieth century was characterized by great discoveries in medical sciences, which enhanced our knowledge of mechanisms of disease and allowed for the development of pharmacological therapies to treat a large number of pathologies. During the same period, striking advances were accomplished in the pain field, particularly after the introduction of the concept of pain as a complex phenomenon rather than a simple sensation or a mere symptom. Moreover, at least part of the brain mechanisms related to such a complex experience has been revealed over the last decades with the advance of the neuroimaging field. Nonetheless, adequate pain control, especially in chronic pain patients, is still considered a challenge for clinicians worldwide. In this context, tDCS emerges as a promising mode to provide noninvasive modulation of dysfunctional neural networks present in chronic pain. Indeed, the results of several studies suggest that tDCS can produce long-lasting pain relief in different chronic pain syndromes, including migraine, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to establish the most suitable protocols for each chronic pain disorder. Moreover, it is imperative to reveal the neuromechanisms related to tDCS-induced analgesia.