52 Chronic Pain Studies Link Cortisol, Heart Rate, HRV
A 2026 review of 52 studies found that chronic primary pain is linked to several physiological stress markers, especially cortisol, heart rate, heart-rate recovery, and mean arterial pressure. The pattern is real enough to study, but not clean enough to use as a simple biomarker panel for pain severity.1 Research Highlights 52 studies were reviewed: …