Fear and anxiety in the transition from acute to chronic pain: there is evidence for endurance besides avoidance

Abstract

SUMMARY  Substantial evidence reveals that the fear of pain and pain anxiety play a significant role in the development of chronic pain and disability, although underlying mechanisms remain widely unknown. Recent studies indicate that endurance pain responses are important besides avoidance. The purpose of this brief narrative review is to provide an overview of research that argues for the integration of the mechanisms of associative learning, motivation and emotion regulation in order to understand the questions of how and why individuals respond with pain responses, which lead to long-term suffering. By using the avoidance–endurance model of pain, we provide a concept that elucidates a range of responses to pain, fear and anxiety that mediate the transition from acute to chronic pain.