Understanding Pain

Back pain, headaches, and stomach aches are familiar to most people - and usually they pass. But for about one in five Danish adults, pain becomes chronic and takes hold of daily life, quality of life, and mental wellbeing.

In this conversation, pain science professor Thomas Graven-Nielsen from Aalborg University and host Christian Cherry explore the biology of pain. They examine why pain is both a vital alarm system and a deeply personal experience that varies greatly from person to person - and why the alarm keeps ringing for some, long after the danger should have passed.

Along the way, they discuss what happens in the nervous system during pain, how new technology can help us measure and understand it better, and what treatment options exist today - including whether brain stimulation can relieve chronic pain. There will also be simple demonstrations of how pain can be measured.

The event is part of Folkeuniversitetet's knowledge festival Hearts & Minds and takes place in the Main Hall.