During a spinal cord injury rehabilitation program, why does chronic neuropathic pain often persist despite reduced nociceptor activation from peripheral stimuli?

💡 Explanation

Chronic neuropathic pain persists because central sensitization alters spinal cord processing of nociceptive signals, leading to amplified pain perception even with reduced peripheral input; therefore, the pain signals originate centrally rather than directly from peripheral nerve endings, rather than opioid resistance being the primary driver.

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