23/10/2026
Why can pain continue even after an injury has healed?
Pain is more complicated than simply detecting damage to muscles, joints or other tissues.
Our nervous system constantly processes information from throughout the body. Sometimes, changes in this processing can contribute to persistent or amplified pain responses.
A new systematic review published in Scientific Reports examined 24 studies involving 3,494 people experiencing chronic pain.
Researchers found that people with higher scores on certain measures associated with altered pain processing generally experienced less favourable outcomes following invasive procedures targeting peripheral tissues.
What does this mean?
It highlights why treating a painful area doesn't always resolve someone's symptoms.
Persistent pain may involve several interacting factors, including tissue-related problems, nervous system processing, sleep and psychological wellbeing.
Importantly, the research had substantial limitations and cannot predict how an individual patient will respond to treatment.
The takeaway: Persistent pain deserves an individualised assessment that considers more than just the location of symptoms.
If you need help managing ongoing aches, get in touch!