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The Neuroscience of Pain

presented by Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD

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Disclosure Statement:

Financial: Adriaan Louw publishes books on pain and receive an honorarium for the sales. He co-owns and teaches for a seminar company offering continuing education for healthcare providers. Adriaan is a technical consultant for a pain science virtual reality company from which he receives royalties. He also receives compensation from MedBridge for this course. There is no financial interest beyond the production of this course. Nonfinancial: Adriaan Louw has no competing nonfinancial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.

Satisfactory completion requirements: All disciplines must complete learning assessments to be awarded credit, no minimum score required unless otherwise specified within the course.

MedBridge is committed to accessibility for all of our subscribers. If you are in need of a disability-related accommodation, please contact [email protected]. We will process requests for reasonable accommodation and will provide reasonable accommodations where appropriate, in a prompt and efficient manner.

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Video Runtime: 68 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 34 Minutes

In the last 20 to 30 years, there has been a significant increase in the biological and physiological understanding of a human pain experience. It is now well understood that many biological and physiological processes are key elements in pain, especially persistent pain. This is an introductory course for athletic trainers, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, and other licensed medical providers in inpatient, outpatient, home health, and school settings. Clinicians completing this course will develop an understanding of the latest neuroscience view of a human pain experience, allowing them to recognize various key elements of several types of persistent pain, including ongoing pain, spreading pain, allodynia, and hyperalgesia.

Meet Your Instructor

Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD

Adriaan earned his undergraduate degree, master's degree, and PhD in physiotherapy from Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, South Africa. He is an adjunct faculty member at St. Ambrose University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, teaching pain science. Adriaan has taught throughout the US and internationally for 25 years at numerous national and international…

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Chapters & Learning Objectives

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1. Pain: Input Mechanisms

This chapter will discuss the role of the peripheral and central nervous systems in the pain experience. Students will learn about nociception, pain versus injury, and ion channel expression and development.

2. Pain Processing Mechanisms

This chapter will cover central sensitization, including nociplastic changes seen in the brain in patients who have persistent pain. It will also discuss the clinical presentation of central sensitization, including the influence of the environment on the pain experience.

3. Clinician Perspective: Pain Neuromatrix

This chapter will discuss the pain neuromatrix in very practical terms: the evolution of the pain neuromatrix, the limitations of the pain neuromatrix, and, most importantly, implications for the clinician. Personal examples will be shared to enable learners to apply concepts immediately to their clinical practice.

4. Pain: Output Mechanisms

This chapter will discuss the mechanisms of stress biology and pain. Endogenous analgesia inhibition and facilitation, as well as the implications of the placebo effect, will be covered.

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