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Pain drawing and myelography in sciatic pain
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|March 1, 1987
Summary
Pain drawings accurately predict lumbar disc herniation. Specific pain locations on body charts helped identify herniated discs, distinguishing them from other sciatica causes with high statistical significance.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Pain Medicine
Background:
- Sciatica is a common symptom with various underlying causes.
- Accurate diagnosis of lumbar disc herniation is crucial for effective treatment.
- Pain drawings are a subjective patient-reported outcome measure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the predictive value of pain drawings in diagnosing lumbar disc herniation.
- To determine if specific pain distribution patterns on drawings correlate with herniated discs.
Main Methods:
- 81 patients with sciatica symptoms underwent myelography.
- Patients completed body pain drawings before myelography.
- Pain drawing features were analyzed for correlation with myelography results.
Main Results:
- Pain drawing features predicted herniated discs with high statistical significance (p < 0.001).
- Patients with herniated discs rarely reported pain in the upper trunk or arms.
- Pain in the groin or iliac crest, and absence of pain below the knee, were associated with non-discogenic sciatica.
Conclusions:
- Pain drawings are a valuable, non-invasive tool for predicting lumbar disc herniation.
- Specific patterns of pain distribution on drawings can aid in differential diagnosis of sciatica.