Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
06:44
Demonstration of Cutaneous Allodynia in Association with Chronic Pelvic Pain
Published on: June 23, 2009
Persistent pain and uncomfortable sensations in persons with multiple sclerosis.
Olympia Hadjimichael1, Robert D Kerns, Marco A Rizzo
1Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Olympia.Hadjimichael@yale.edu
Pain
|September 5, 2006
Summary
Persistent pain is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting nearly half of patients. Severe pain significantly impacts quality of life and satisfaction with pain management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pain Management
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pain is a frequent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Previous studies on MS pain prevalence were limited by small sample sizes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of persistent pain and uncomfortable sensations in a large cohort of MS patients.
- To identify factors associated with increased pain intensity and its impact on quality of life.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 10,176 registrants of the North American Research Committee on MS (NARCOMS) Patient Registry.
- A questionnaire assessed pain experience, intensity, number of pain sites, and impact on daily life.
Main Results:
- Nearly half (49%) of 7,579 pain reporting respondents experienced mild to severe pain, with 49% of these reporting severe pain.
- Severe pain was associated with female gender, multiple pain sites, MS-related disability, relapsing-worsening MS, and depression.
- Patients with severe pain utilized healthcare services more but reported lower satisfaction with pain management and less frequent consultations.
Conclusions:
- High prevalence of severe MS-related pain necessitates improved management strategies.
- Healthcare providers need to address pain and uncomfortable sensations more effectively in the MS population.
- Pain significantly interferes with daily life, work, mood, and overall quality of life for MS patients.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
01:20Pain
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
01:21Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Clinical manifestationsPeripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) manifests through a range of symptoms, from the characteristic intermittent claudication to atypical presentations and severe complications in advanced stages. Intermittent claudication, a hallmark symptom of PAD, presents as exercise-induced muscle pain that typically resolves within minutes of rest. This pain is reproducible and stems from inadequate blood flow, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid produced during anaerobic...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
01:44Nociception
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
01:23Degenerative Disc Disease ll: Pathophysiology
The symptoms of degenerative disc disease arise from a combination of mechanical compression, vascular compromise, and biochemical inflammation, which together disrupt nerve function and produce pain.Mechanical CompressionDisc degeneration reduces height and elasticity, predisposing to herniation of the nucleus pulposus, a major cause of radicular pain. Herniations may be protrusion (bulging with intact annulus), extrusion (nucleus extends beyond disc but remains connected), or sequestration...