ReviewFrontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2024
The mutually reinforcing dynamics between pain and stress: mechanisms, impacts and management strategies.
Review in Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward pediatric pain assessment and management: a scoping systematic review from 2015 to 2025.Frontiers in health services · 2026Pooled it
- CSI and Musculoskeletal Pain: Clinical Validity and Neurophysiological Implications.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Pooled it
- Combined Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Face-to-Face Physiotherapy in Primary Health Care for Chronic Widespread Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Trial
- Brain dysconnectivity patterns associated with chronic back pain development.Brain informatics · 2026Article
- Cancer pain and its impact on quality of life, distress, and spiritual well-being in the war-torn Gaza Strip.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- From the Pain Matrix to Functional Networks: A Narrative Review of Chronic Pain Mechanisms Across Adult and Pediatric Populations with Emerging AI Perspectives.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Latent profiles of oral health-related quality of life in temporomandibular disorders: implications for nurse-led stratified care.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- Single prolonged stress in mice: interactions between alcohol drinking, negative affect, and fear learning.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Preoperative Surgical Fear and Association with Postoperative Pain and Quality of Recovery After Total Joint Arthroplasty.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Temporal Interference Stimulation of the Motor Cortex Produces Frequency-Dependent Analgesia.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- A positive feedback loop between sensory and octopaminergic neurons underlies nociceptive plasticity in Drosophila larvae.PLoS genetics · 2026Article
- Sympathetic Stress and Sleep Loss in Diabetic Retinopathy: Links to Retinal Blood-Flow Control.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- Review
- Central Sensitization as a Marker of Cognitive and Emotional Vulnerability in Chronic Low Back Pain.Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Social skills moderate pain sensitivity during acute psychosocial stress: an experimental study using the Trier Social Stress Test.Journal of physiological anthropology · 2026Article
- Pain and Suicide Behavior in Cancer Patients: Implications for Personalized Treatment-A Systematic Review.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Effects of Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy Using an E-TEET on Pain, Stress, and Satisfaction Among Patients and Healthcare Providers During Intravenous Catheterization: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Article
- Spinopelvic alignment and pubic symphysis widening are associated with postpartum low back pain: a retrospective case-control study.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Stress-related neuroplasticity and developmental vulnerability in functional neurological disorder: from adverse experience to maladaptive overlearning.Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2026Review
- Musculoskeletal pain in university students: lifestyle determinants of prevalence and burden.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
While distinct, pain and stress share complex biological and psychological mechanisms that-despite their protective functions-can lead to clinically maladaptive changes requiring therapeutic intervention when they recur or persist. Recognized as "worldwide epidemics" of modern life, both conditions significantly affect an individual's quality of life, functioning, and well-being; without timely intervention, they can become chronic, leading to substantial economic costs via healthcare expenses, lost wages, and reduced productivity. Evidence suggests that pain and stress not only feed into but exacerbate each other through a "vicious cycle," driven by overlapping physiological, cognitive, and social mechanisms, indicating mutually reinforcing dynamics between pain and stress. In this review, we highlight the importance of recognizing the overlapping mechanisms that promote the persistence of pain and stress: (1) key physiological processes like maladaptive neuroplasticity, neuroendocrine dysfunction, and chronic inflammation; (2) cognitive and behavioral patterns such as fear avoidance, hypervigilance, and catastrophizing; along with (3) social, lifestyle, and environmental influences, such as socioeconomic status, lack of social support, and lifestyle choices. Through a case study, we illustrate the real-world implications of this vicious cycle perpetuating both conditions. We call for a paradigm shift in pain and stress management, advocating for a holistic management strategy encompassing pharmacological, psychological, and lifestyle interventions that address the underlying biopsychosocial factors. By fostering greater awareness among primary care practitioners and healthcare professionals, it is possible to better support individuals in breaking the cycle of pain and stress, thereby enhancing their quality of life and overall well-being.
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