Pain is not just a response to a physical injury. There are many contributions to our feelings of pain, most of which come from our brain. This is because pain is a brain response, rather than a response to an injury. Our experience of pain is shaped by social and cultural contexts, and by our psychological state; our emotions and thoughts. As Lila Landowski explains, this understanding of pain means that biological solutions, such as pharmaceuticals, are often only part of the answer when it comes to pain.
Guest Lila Landowski Researcher in NeuroscienceDepartment of Medicine University 0f TasmaniaHobart Tasmania
Presenter Robyn Williams
Producer David Fisher