Central Sensitization Theory

Central Sensitization Theory explains how the nervous system can become overly responsive to pain stimuli. Instead of pain signals being proportional to actual tissue damage, the brain and spinal cord amplify these signals, making normal sensations feel painful or more intense than they should. This heightened sensitivity can persist even after an injury has healed, leading to chronic pain conditions. Essentially, the nervous system develops a "false alarm," where it overreacts to stimuli, causing ongoing pain without clear tissue damage.