The Korean Journal of Pain

The Korean Pain Society (대한통증학회)
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Not just sensitization: sympathetic mechanisms contribute to expand experimental referred pain

  • Domenech-Garcia, Victor (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gallego (Zaragoza)) ;
  • Peiroten, Alberto Rubio (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gallego (Zaragoza)) ;
  • Imaz, Miren Lecea (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gallego (Zaragoza)) ;
  • Palsson, Thorvaldur Skuli (Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University) ;
  • Herrero, Pablo (Department of Physiatry and Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, IIS Aragon, University of Zaragoza) ;
  • Bellosta-Lopez, Pablo (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad San Jorge, Villanueva de Gallego (Zaragoza))
  • Received : 2022.01.01
  • Accepted : 2022.03.22
  • Published : 2022.07.01
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Abstract

Background: Widespread pain partially depends upon sensitization of central pain mechanisms. However, mechanisms controlling pain distribution are not completely known. The present study sought to assess skin temperature variations in the area of experimentally-induced pain and potential sex differences. Methods: Pressure-pain thresholds (PPTs) were measured on the right infraspinatus muscle. At the end of Day 0, all participants performed an eccentric exercise of the shoulder external rotators to induce muscle soreness 24 hours after. On Day 1, participants indicated on a body chart the area of pain induced by 60 seconds of suprathreshold pressure stimulation (STPS; PPT + 20%) on the right infraspinatus muscle. Skin temperature variations in the area of referred pain were recorded with an infrared thermography camera, immediately before and after the STPS. Results: Twenty healthy, pain-free individuals (10 females) participated. On Day 0, the pre-STPS temperature was higher than the post-STPS temperature on the arm (P = 0.001) and forearm (P = 0.003). On Day 1, the pre-STPS temperature was higher than the post-STPS temperature on the shoulder (P = 0.015), arm (P = 0.001), and forearm (P = 0.010). On Day 0, the temperature decrease after STPS in females was greater than in males on the forearm (P = 0.039). On Day 1, a greater temperature decrease was found amongst females compared with males at the shoulder (P = 0.018), arm (P = 0.046), and forearm (P = 0.005). Conclusions: These findings indicate that sympathetic vasomotor responses contribute to expand pressure-induced referred pain, especially among females.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We thank Carlos Valero del Campo for his technical assistance and support with thermographic assessments.

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