{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T14:22:02Z","timestamp":1789050122354,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,16]],"date-time":"2026-02-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771200000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":15,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,1]],"date-time":"2026-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769904000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["European Journal of Pain"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,2]]},"abstract":"ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n \n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Chronic pain is a significant and debilitating symptom observed in individuals with post\u2010COVID condition (PCC), yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether changes in psychophysical indicators of myofascial pain perception and modulation are present in individuals with PCC compared to symptom\u2010free healthy controls (HC), and whether these changes correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n The study involved 84 individuals with PCC and 50 HC, assessing pain detection and tolerance thresholds (PDT and PTT), spatial and temporal summation of pain (SSP and TSP), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) using phasic cuff pressure on the legs.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Results indicated that individuals with PCC exhibited lower PDT and PPT (PDT:\n d<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u2009\u22120.557,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.0022; PTT:\n d<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u2009\u22120.575,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.0016), increased TSP (\n d<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.424,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.02) and decreased SSP\n PTT<\/jats:sub>\n (\n d<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u2009\u22120.532,\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.0038) compared to HC CPM effects (CPM\n PDT<\/jats:sub>\n :\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.058; CPM\n PTT<\/jats:sub>\n :\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u2009=\u20090.43) did not differ significantly between groups but post hoc analysis revealed a significantly higher proportion of inhibitory responders among HC. Subgroup analyses highlighted that these effects were particularly pronounced in participants that reported chronic pain among their PCC symptoms, as well as those with more severe PCC symptomatology.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n The findings suggest that individuals with PCC demonstrate altered myofascial pain perception, indicative of central sensitization. These results underscore the need for further research into targeted therapeutic strategies for managing chronic pain in PCC.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Significance Statement<\/jats:title>\n Individuals with post\u2010COVID condition (PCC) often experience persistent pain. Using quantitative sensory testing of deep tissue pain, we found that individuals with PCC had lower pain detection and tolerance thresholds, stronger spatial and temporal summation, and a higher proportion of facilitatory conditioned pain modulation compared to healthy controls. This pattern is consistent with nociplastic pain, suggesting altered central pain processing in PCC. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for developing targeted treatments of chronic pain in this growing patient population.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/ejp.70203","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,17]],"date-time":"2026-02-17T06:47:45Z","timestamp":1771310865000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Altered Pain Perception and Modulation in Individuals With Post\u2010\n COVID<\/scp>\n \u2010Condition: Insights From Quantitative Sensory Testing"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"30","author":[{"given":"Hannah","family":"Lange","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julian","family":"Reichert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephanie","family":"Vock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"},{"name":"Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michelle","family":"Hermes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eva","family":"Beiner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wolfgang","family":"Eich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hans\u2010Christoph","family":"Friederich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"},{"name":"DZPG (German Centre for Mental Health\u2014Partner Site Heidelberg\/Mannheim\/Ulm) Mannheim, Ulm Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rolf\u2010Detlef","family":"Treede","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurophysiology MCTN, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University Mannheim Germany"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim Mannheim Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jonas","family":"Tesarz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany"},{"name":"Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany"},{"name":"DZPG (German Centre for Mental Health\u2014Partner Site Heidelberg\/Mannheim\/Ulm) Mannheim, Ulm Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000002186"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1532-2149.2012.00190.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpain.2009.02.002"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000000568"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/j.pain.0000000000003110"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11030771"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_8_1","unstructured":"Buchanan E. 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