Pain dreams and dream emotions in patients with chronic back pain and healthy controls

Abstract

Conclusion: In patients, pain dreams might be instigated by actual pain whereas for healthy persons pain dreams might be pain memories (selfexperienced pain and/or seeing persons in pain). Future research should clarify how pain is processed during sleep. As patients with chronic pain experience negatively toned dreams, it will be beneficial to ask chronic pain patients about their dreams and, if necessary, offer specific treatment options like imagery rehearsal treatment.