Researchers discovered individuals with knee osteoarthritis and insomnia are more likely to experience a nervous system disorder called “central sensitization," which makes them more sensitive to pain and lowers their threshold for tolerating discomfort, according to Fox News.
Here are five notes on the study.
1. Researchers compared pain in four groups — 118 patients with insomnia and knee osteoarthritis, 31 people with the joint disorder and normal sleep patterns, 30 healthy people with insomnia and 29 healthy individuals with no trouble sleeping.
2. Participants underwent one-night sleep studies in a laboratory to verify the quality of rest they got and took pain threshold tests using heat. They also kept sleep diaries to document their sleep experiences.
3. The study found patients with insomnia who also had knee osteoarthritis reported more sleep interruptions and less sleep efficiency. Sleep efficiency is measured by time spent asleep after going to bed and turning the lights off.
4. Past studies have confirmed a link between sleep patterns and pain perception. This study goes one step further by showing how insomnia transforms pain perception through central sensitization in people who have knee osteoarthritis.
5. The study does not prove insomnia causes pain. Researchers state it is difficult to determine which problem developed first.
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