Nociception vs Pain: Why Semantics Matter in Chronic Pain (Part 1)

Chronic pain care is stuck—and definitions may be the reason.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we reset how clinicians talk about nociception and pain.

This episode is arecording of a live interviewwith pain researcher and clinicianAsaf Weissman, whose work explores the relationship between nociception and pain—and why confusion in the field creates real-world harm for patients.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “just semantics” becomes a patient trust problem
• How mixed messages (“all in your head” vs “tissue damage”) derail care
• Why “nothing is wrong with your body” is an overreach
• Where neuroimmune processes may fit in chronic pain biology
• Why psychological interventions tend to show only modest effects on pain intensity
• How clearer definitions could move research and practice forward

This isPart 1of a two-part conversation. Here, we focus on the foundations—definitions, clinical frustration, and the biological plausibility behind what patients feel. Part 2 will go deeper into implications for treatment and the direction pain care needs next.

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