Neurol. praxi. 2009;10(3):153-159

Pain diagnosis and treatment in patients after spinal cord injury - our experience

MUDr. Veronika Hyšperská, MUDr. Jiří Kříž

Spinální jednotka při Klinice rehabilitace a tělovýchovného lékařství 2. LF UK a FN Motol, Praha

Spinal cord injury is often accompanied by pain. Prior to treatment it is always necessary to establish a correct diagnosis. In his classification,

Siddall distinguishes between nociceptive and neuropathic pain. Nociceptive pain can be further divided into musculoskeletal

and visceral subtypes. The pain originates most commonly from overloaded muscles and joints or from dysfunctional inner organs. If

the cause is correctly diagnosed, treatment is usually successful. Neuropathic pain originates directly from the spinal cord or its roots

above, at or below the lesion. It is often intractable and long-lasting and may in some cases lead to psychic derangement. Therapy is

long-term and results are often unsatisfactory.

In the following text we present an outline of the above mentioned types of pain, including their characteristics and treatment.

Keywords: spinal cord injury, pain, neuropathic pain, VAS, depression, antiepileptics.

Published: July 1, 2009  Show citation