No description available.

This thesis looks at the central processing of two unpleasant sensations, itch and pain, and how these sensations can be modulated using psychological tools. The initial section focuses on the induction and modulation of thermal noxious stimuli and the way in which this is represented in the brain. It is well known that pain can be modulated by distraction, and also which areas of the brain are frequently activated by noxious stimuli. The research reported here expands upon this knowledge. The first study found that when subjects were engaged in a cognitively demanding task (the Counting Stroop task) their attention was distracted away from thermal painful stimuli. They reported a significantly (p=0.006) lower pain intensity rating for stimuli during the interference (more cognitively demanding) task compared to the neutral (less cognitively demanding) task. The interference task was confirmed to be more difficult than the neutral task by significantly increased reaction times in the former compared to the latter. The reduced perception of painful thermal stimuli applied during the interference task compared with those felt in the neutral task was accompanied by a reduced activation in some key components of the pain matrix (insula, mid-cingulate, thalamus). Some key pain processing regions showed an increase in signal during the interference task compared with the neutral task (perigenual cingulate, orbitofrontal regions). [continued in main text ...]

Chronic pain sufferers are frequently misunderstood and stigmatised. The aim of this investigation was to provide a description of the lifewor1d of people with chronic low back pain, using the phenomenological method. Themes which emerged were that the persistent nature of chronic pain makes it particularly difficult to endure, arousing a profound fear of the future. It causes a disruption in the relationship between the person and the body, in which the person is forced to function within the constraints of pain. Sufferers are unable to fulfil social roles as expected and are forced to revise their goals and activities. The distress of their experience is mediated by the ability to make sense of their condition, finding meaning in the pain itself. The study highlights the value of the phenomenological method in health psychology. Recommendations are made which may be of benefit to people with chronic pain and their families. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)

Chronic pain sufferers are frequently misunderstood and stigmatised. The aim of this investigation was to provide a description of the lifewor1d of people with chronic low back pain, using the phenomenological method. Themes which emerged were that the persistent nature of chronic pain makes it particularly difficult to endure, arousing a profound fear of the future. It causes a disruption in the relationship between the person and the body, in which the person is forced to function within the constraints of pain. Sufferers are unable to fulfil social roles as expected and are forced to revise their goals and activities. The distress of their experience is mediated by the ability to make sense of their condition, finding meaning in the pain itself. The study highlights the value of the phenomenological method in health psychology. Recommendations are made which may be of benefit to people with chronic pain and their families. / Psychology / M. Sc. (Psychology)