ABSTRACT
In the past two decades our understanding of the mechanisms of chronic pain have advanced tremendously. In particular, there is clear evidence for the role of the spinal cord and spinal cord structures in both initiation and maintenance of chronic pain. They not only give good explanations for clinically puzzling scenarios, such as complex spinal pain, but also provide a better scientific foundation for therapy of such conditions. A short introduction to the clinically relevant neurobiology of chronic pain will be followed by a section outlining the diagnosis and treatment of spinal pain.
