Figure 3.

Illustrations highlighting selected aspects contributing to the complexity of an individual’s cLBP condition when current pain is one of three types. Temporal changes are not illustrated. (A) Nociceptive pain: The three concentric groupings depict dynamically networked (entangled) features within brain, spine, and lower back. All other features are grouped into one of four categories, represented by colored triangles—two internal (left: green and red) and two external (right: blue and brown). (B) Nociplastic pain emerges from altered nociception despite no clear evidence of actual or threatened tissue damage. (C) Neuropathic pain can be caused by an abnormality or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. The top speech balloon depicts the same clinical assessment question being posed. Each subjective response is based on the individual’s current or recalled pain experience, illustrated by the different-colored thought balloons. All three responses can be identical even though an individual’s experience is unique and dependent on pain type. An individual’s current cLBP condition might (or might not) involve a combination of pain types.