Kashish Sharma
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Written By: Kashish Sharma | Published : January 25, 2023 11:16 PM IST
Episodic pains like headaches and back pain have been observed to be fluctuating throughout the course of the day.
If some of your body pains worsen at night or fluctuate during the day, you are not overthinking or your judgement is not faulty. Growing evidence is showing that the concept of pain might not be that simple. It doesn't end with one having pain or not having it. Studies are showing that pain might also have a cycle and is affected by the body's circadian rhythm.
Any pain that lasts more than two to three months as an aftermath of some accident or illness, is termed chronic pain. Many times, this pain is permanent and can exist over a period. Chronic pain usually affects certain parts such as joints or muscles of limbs, neck or back. Pain can be more complex for those with chronic conditions. Episodic pains like headaches and back pain have been observed to be fluctuating throughout the course of the day.
Growing research is showing that pain might also follow a cycle like the body's circadian or natural waking-sleep cycle. As per some experts, hormones could also play an important role. These factors together might explain why some pain levels fluctuate throughout the day and might worsen during the night. The cyclical nature of headaches has given much clinical insight. As per the study, the Circadian rhythmicity of pain sensitivity in humans, the pain has two interconnected components- factors such as location and anxiety and an emotional component (the psychological discomfort caused by pain). Pain has been recognized as a multidimensional response that involves the activation of many brain areas that are further regulated by the circadian cycle of the body. Hence, experts have suggested that these chronic pains are likely to be regulated by the body's biological clock.
It has also been observed that during the night, the production of the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol is at its lowest which might also explain the rise in pain during late hours.
As per some studies, not all pain are similar. Neuropathic pains have been observed to be caused by excitation problems (in nerves) and can be triggered by non-painful stimuli like wearing socks. As per experts, heat, cold and mechanical pain might follow the same rhythm throughout the day.
