Pain in multiple sclerosis patients. A prospective study using the Mc Gill Pain Questionnaire

The frequency distribution of pain complaints and its relation with disability are determined in 83 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. According to their origin, these pain complaints were divided into tendinoskeletal, neurogenic and psychogenic pains. The Mc Gill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) was administered to these pain patients and appeared to be a good instrument to evaluate their pain. Furthermore, the descriptive value of the MPQ enables us to differentiate three different pain patterns in the neurogenic pain group: persistent pain, painful tonic spasms and paroxysmal pain.