New Research Examines The Prevalence and Impact of Neuropathic and Non-Neuropathic Pain in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

August 05, 2021, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is common in car accidents, slip and falls, sporting accidents and swimming mishaps. It is serious and often debilitating and can also come with extreme intermittent or constant pain which can alter the life of the victim and their family.

What Are These Pain Types?

Neuropathic pain is caused by the damage or injury of the nerves that transmit the pain signals between the brain and the spine from skin, muscles and other body parts. It can be a burning pain sensation and can make body parts sensitive to touch. It can be intermittent or constant and can come and go without triggers.
Non-neuropathic back pain results from several pathological conditions ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to fibromyalgia.

Some patients have both while most have one or the other. Treatment for the pain often includes opioids, physical therapy, and behavioral therapy.

Results of the Study

In this recent paper "Prevalence and impact of neuropathic and non-neuropathic pain in chronic spinal cord injury" the researchers examined the prevalence and intensity ratings of neuropathic pain and non-neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury at six spinal cord treatment centres in America.

The study included almost 400 patients who were mostly male.
•    80% reported having at least one pain problem
•    58% reported two or more problems
•    Those with Neuropathic pain (Neu-P) reported a higher pain rating 6.9/10
•    Non-neuropathic pain (Non Neu-P) victims reported an average pain rating of 5.9/10
•    Neu-P patients reported higher rates of interference with activity (5.2 vs 3.7) mood (4.9 v 3.2) and sleep (5.4 v 3.6) than Non-Neu-P patients
•    Significantly more women suffered Neu-P pain than men
•    Patients with paraplegia had significantly greater rates of Neu-P than those with tetraplegia

Conclusions:

Independent assessment of the pain conditions experienced by an individual with SCI is useful in understanding the differential impact that pain type has on quality of life. This is particularly important with regard to sleep interference and should be kept in mind when determining treatment strategies for meeting patient-centred outcome goals.

What Should You Do If you Have an Accident that Causes SCI?

Have you been seriously injured in an accident caused by someone else’s careless or negligent behaviour? Call the experienced team at Deutschmann Personal Injury and Disability Law today for your free initial consultation. We are here to help secure your future.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.