Chronic Pain and fMRI Scans
Chronic pain is commonly defined as pain which persists for twelve weeks or longer, usually in a specific part of the body, and some types of chronic pain include arthritic pain, headaches, cancer pain, lower back pain, and neurogenic pain (pertaining to the nervous system). Although no tests can pinpoint or measure the cause and location of pain with absolute precision, personal injury attorneys are increasingly turning to neuroscience to support legal claims involving chronic pain.
While acute pain is often sudden and sharp, chronic pain can persist for significant lengths of time, especially when caused by serious accidents or particular diseases such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis. Because even chronic pain is ultimately subjective and often must be legally proven with unorthodox techniques, the rise of brain-scanning technology has been of great help in these cases, such as the relatively-new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
We’re all familiar with traditional MRIs, which are capable of mapping the brain’s structure, but fMRIs are actually able to map its activity and function. “Blood flow to an area of the brain is remarkably sensitive to changes in neural activity,” claims the UC San Diego School of Medicine, “which makes it possible to map changes in activity associated with a wide range of motor, sensory, and cognitive tasks.” This, of course, is highly beneficial in the evaluation and potential diagnosis of chronic pain.
In one case discussed in the ABA Journal, a neuroscientist analyzed a patient’s blood-flow in the brain while the patient squeezed a ball in his right hand. The neuroscientist was able to identify increased blood-flow in the brain’s bilateral cingulate gyrus, bilateral superior frontal gyrun, and primary motor areas, all of which comprise a “well-known pain-mediating neural circuit.”
Although the opposing side was of course able to argue against these findings, the case was settled in favor of the victim for $800,000. Brain-scanning research holds great promise as it continues to expand and find its way into courtrooms in service of justice, but it’s also important to remember that there is still much research to be done for this impressive technology.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact 844 See Mike for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.
Lastly, 844 See Mike is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.
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