ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADAPTIVE REACTIONS AND CHRONIC MYOFASCIAL PAIN: THE POLYVAGAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Nowadays chronic pain (CP) is considered as an important, worldwide problem of public health. The most ordinary kind of CP is musculoskeletal pain, and for this group of conditions, myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is the most common cause of visits at health care centers. Unfortunately, there is a general lack of knowledge about this syndrome´s onset and treatment.  The Polyvagal Theory (PT) states the existence of different forms of neuronal-adaptive organization which reflects a phylogenetic arrangement upon which, each adaptive strategy is related with specific behaviors, cognitions and an autonomic physiological state, as well as with the development of different chronic pain syndromes. According with these statements the onset and permanence of MPS (including associated psychological symptoms) are strongly linked to the kind of autonomic activity that the patient shows, however there is not studies addressed to test these assumptions. The aim of this paper is to present scientific evidence about the existence of a neuro-behavioral re-arrangement underlying to development of MPS and so to contribute with scientific facts which supports future psychophysiological research aimed to test if PT assumptions can be adequate to explain, study and treat this suffering.  At the end, considerations about the implications that this speculative exercise has on psychological interventions for chronic pain will be made.