Treatments perceived to be helpful for neuropathic pain after traumatic spinal cord injury: A multicenter cross-sectional survey study

Model System:

SCI

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J90152

Journal:

Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine - JSCM (formerly Journal of the American Paraplegia Society)

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

2022 , , ,

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study evaluated the perceived helpfulness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and their combinations for neuropathic pain (NeuP) and subcategories of NeuP after spinal cord injury (SCI). Three hundred ninety-one individuals at least one year post traumatic SCI were recruited from six SCI Model System centers. A telephone survey was conducted to determine the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments used in the last 12 months for each participant’s three worst pains, whether these treatments were “helpful”, and if currently used, each treatments’ effectiveness. Two hundred twenty participants (56 percent) reported 354 distinct NeuPs. Pharmacological treatments rated helpful for NeuP were non-tramadol opioids (opioids were helpful for 86 percent of opioid treated NeuPs), cannabinoids (83 percent), and anti-epileptics (79 percent). Non-pharmacological treatments rated helpful for NeuP were massage (76 percent), body position adjustment (74 percent), and relaxation therapy (70 percent). Those who used both opioids and exercise reported greater NeuP treatment helpfulness compared to participants using opioids without exercise. Opioids, cannabinoids, and massage were reported more commonly as helpful than treatments recommended as first-line therapies by current clinical practice guidelines for NeuP after SCI (antiepileptics and antidepressants). Individuals with SCI likely value the modulating effects of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments on the affective components of pain in addition to the sensory components of pain when appraising treatment helpfulness.

Author(s):