Perception of fault in patients with chronic pain.

The beliefs and expectancies of chronic pain patients have been shown to be critical cognitive facilitators or impediments to the recovery process. In the present study patients presenting to an outpatient pain center were classified according to their response to the questionnaire item "Who do you think is at fault for your pain?". Patients were then grouped according to the responses 'employer', 'other', or 'no one'.

Hypnotic analgesia reduces R-III nociceptive reflex: further evidence concerning the multifactorial nature of hypnotic analgesia.

Mechanisms of hypnotic analgesia were investigated by examining changes in the R-III, a nociceptive spinal reflex, during hypnotic reduction of pain sensation and unpleasantness. The R-III was measured in 15 healthy volunteers who gave VAS-sensory and VAS-affective ratings of an electrical stimulus during conditions of resting wakefulness, suggestions for hypnotic analgesia, and attempted suppression of the reflex during non-hypnotic conditions. The H-reflex was also measured to monitor and control for general changes in alpha-motoneuron excitability.