Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
09:41

Comprehensive Autopsy Program for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Published on: July 19, 2019

12.0K

The association between multiple sclerosis and pain medications

Sarah Burkill1,2, Scott Montgomery2,3,4, Ingrid Kockum5,6

  • 1Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Pain
|October 31, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) face a significantly higher risk of pain, particularly chronic neuropathic pain. This study highlights neuropathic pain as the primary driver of increased pain incidence in MS patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pain Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience a higher prevalence of pain compared to the general population.
  • The specific characteristics and prevalence of pain in MS patients remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of pain in a large cohort of multiple sclerosis patients.
  • To compare pain treatment patterns between MS patients and matched individuals without MS.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from three Swedish studies including 3877 MS patients and 4548 matched non-MS individuals.
  • Assessed pain treatment using the Prescribed Drugs Register, identifying chronic pain based on medication frequency.
  • Classified pain types (neuropathic, musculoskeletal, migraine) using Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) codes.
  • Employed Cox-proportional hazard models to analyze associations between MS and pain treatment.

Main Results:

  • MS patients exhibited a 2.52-fold increased risk of receiving pain treatment (HR 2.52).
  • Neuropathic pain showed the highest risk increase (HR 5.73), with 34.2% of MS patients receiving treatment compared to 7.15% of controls.
  • Chronic pain treatment risk was elevated (HR 3.55), with chronic neuropathic pain demonstrating the largest hazard ratio (HR 7.43).

Conclusions:

  • Neuropathic pain is the predominant factor contributing to the elevated risk of pain in multiple sclerosis patients.
  • The findings underscore the significant burden of neuropathic pain in the MS population, necessitating targeted management strategies.

More Related Videos

A Protocol for the Use of Remotely-Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS in Multiple Sclerosis MS08:18

A Protocol for the Use of Remotely-Supervised Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS in Multiple Sclerosis MS

Published on: December 26, 2015

18.1K
The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool11:35

The Multiple Sclerosis Performance Test MSPT: An iPad-Based Disability Assessment Tool

Published on: June 30, 2014

58.8K

Related Concept Videos

Inhaled Medications01:23

Inhaled Medications

Inhaled medications are crucial for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. They are essential for effective treatment and control, ensuring optimal respiratory health and well-being. Inhaled medication delivers drugs directly to the lungs, providing a rapid onset of action and reducing systemic side effects compared to oral or injectable medications. Three primary types of inhalation devices are used to administer these medications: nebulizers, metered-dose inhalers...
801
Pain01:20

Pain

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...
1.4K
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
9.4K
Associative Learning01:27

Associative Learning

Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
1.3K
Multiple Allele Traits01:49

Multiple Allele Traits

The Concept of Multiple Allelism
38.1K
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS01:11

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS

Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
15.7K