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Pain location and functioning in persons with spinal cord injury
Jordi Miró1, Kevin J Gertz2, Gregory T Carter3
1Unit for the Study and Treatment of Pain - ALGOS, Centre de Recerca en Avaluació i Mesura del Comportament, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Carretera de Valls, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain(∗).
PM & R : the Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation
|January 23, 2014
Summary
Assessing pain intensity and location in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients is crucial for effective chronic pain management. Addressing pain at multiple sites improves patient functioning and psychological well-being.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pain Management
Background:
- Chronic pain is prevalent in spinal cord injury (SCI) populations.
- The impact of pain location and extent on SCI patient functioning remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine correlations between pain location, extent, and functioning in SCI patients.
- To identify key pain domains for assessment and targeted treatment in SCI chronic pain.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, observational study involving 259 individuals with SCI and chronic pain.
- Data collected via postal mail questionnaires assessing pain sites, intensity, interference, and functioning.
- Key outcome measures included pain extent, intensity in specific locations, pain interference, and physical/psychological functioning.
Main Results:
- Greater pain extent and intensity correlated with increased pain interference and decreased psychological functioning.
- Pain intensity in the lower back and legs showed strong associations with patient functioning.
- Ambulatory status had minimal impact on the relationship between pain intensity and functioning.
Conclusions:
- Assessing pain intensity at specific locations is vital for comprehensive chronic pain evaluation in SCI.
- Addressing pain affecting multiple body sites is essential for managing chronic pain in SCI populations.
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