explain
pain
section
4
page
88
The immune system
The new kid on the block in the pain story
T
he immune system is a powerful system that also looks after you,
especially when things turn bad. It’s a key player in pain too,
although this is quite a recent discovery. It has close links with the
cortisol and adrenaline based systems. Your immune system knows
who you are andwill react when you are not you – either from an
injury or infection or from psychological distress when you aren’t
quite yourself.
There are immunemolecules called cytokines, which are form a
mobile protective system floating inside the body. Many cells and
organs (such as the spleen) canmake them. Some cytokines promote
inflammation and some try to stop it. It’s good to have them in
balance. When you have the flu there will bemore of the
pro-inflammatory cytokines around. If you remember your last flu
attack, youmay recall that as well as fever and lethargy, loss of
appetite etc, yourmovements weremore sensitive and occasionally,
old painsmay have come back to revisit. This is due in part to an
increase in the pro-inflammatory cytokines.
The neurones and the immune system talk to each other all the time
and keep up a lively chat with the endocrine, sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems. For example, cortisol and adrenaline can
activate the immune systemwhich can signal neurones in the brain,
the brain activates the cortisol system etc etc. It’s quite a cycle!
adrenal gland
immune organ
eg., bone marrow,
T-cells
acth
cortisol
cytokines
to the tissues
to the brain
to the brain
