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Chronic non-cancer pain, cognitive factors and cognitive impairment

Publication |
2017

Abstract

In this chapter, we seek to capture and describe the relationship between chronic pain and cognition. Cognitive factors play an important role both in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain.

Of the wide range of such factors, this chapter describes only those that can be identified as cognitive, including some cognitive theories related to the treatment of pain. Cognitive impairment is commonly associated with the experience of chronic pain; such an impairment may be an obstacle to the treatment of pain in everyday activities, psychotherapy and rehabilitation.

Therefore, we provide a summary of the cognitive problems related to chronic pain and some of the mechanisms involved in cognitive impairment related to chronic pain. Last, but not least, we try to provide therapeutic options for the individual phenomena.