Glossary

Term · Postpartum: Your Body

central sensitization

Also: central sensitisation, sensitized nervous system

A state in which the spinal cord and brain amplify pain signals, so pain can persist or spread beyond the original injury. It is one reason some pain lasts.

In plain words

Central sensitization is a change in how the nervous system handles pain. Nerves in the spinal cord and brain can become more sensitive over time. Signals that would normally feel mild can start to feel sharp, and pain can spread to areas that were not injured. This can happen after a long period of pain, injury, or stress. Pain in the pelvis, back, or nipples after birth can be part of this process in some people. Most people with postpartum pain do not develop lasting central sensitization, and most pain settles as tissues heal. Clinicians may consider it when pain lasts longer than expected or spreads. It helps explain why some pain persists after the original cause has healed.

The deeper version

Central sensitization is increased responsiveness of central nociceptive neurons, shown clinically as temporal summation, expanded receptive fields, reduced inhibition, and allodynia. Woolf (Pain, 2011) describes it as a key mechanism in persistent pain states. In postpartum musculoskeletal pain, central sensitization and fear-avoidance behavior are thought to contribute to the persistent minority of cases, consistent with findings in other chronic musculoskeletal pain. Clinical assessment relies on the pattern of pain, including widespread tenderness and symptoms out of proportion to tissue findings, rather than on a single test. It is a mechanism rather than a diagnosis, and its presence is inferred. Management approaches include education and graded activity, though evidence in postpartum populations is limited.

Where it comes up

What mothers here say about central sensitization

No one has posted under this term yet.

Share your experience, or ask

Sign in with Google to post under this topic. Your first name and photo come from Google; you can change what shows later. No membership needed.

Sources

  • Woolf CJ — Central sensitization: implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Pain, 2011

The Mothership Topic Wiki is general information for mothers and the people who care for them. It is not medical, legal, or mental-health advice and does not create a provider relationship. Experiences posted by members are their own. In an emergency call 911. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988.