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Summary Envenomation due to a Loxosceles spider bite is a rare event in France and no case concerning the breast has yet been reported. We report the case of a 48-year-old woman who presented at Saint-Etienne University Hospital with a pulsatile pain in her left breast two days after feeling a fleeting bite. An abscess was diagnosed and antibiotics were prescribed. A few days later, a necrotic zone appeared around the areola and 75 percent of the surrounding skin was inflamed. The patient reported a persistent fever and a burning pain in her breast. Loxoscelism was finally concluded and surgical debridement was undertaken, followed by supervised wound therapy and local skin care. Complete healing was achieved after 4 weeks of treatment. The diagnosis of loxoscelism is generally presumptive, as the bite is usually painless and the spider rarely captured. Its diagnosis should be considered when an abscess responds poorly to antibiotics.

Objectives Application of spatially interlaced innocuous warm and cool stimuli to the skin elicits illusory pain, known as the thermal grill illusion (TGI). This study aimed to discriminate the underlying mechanisms of central and peripheral neuropathic pain focusing on pain quality, which is considered to indicate the underlying mechanism(s) of pain. We compared pain qualities in central and peripheral neuropathic pain with reference to pain qualities of TGI-induced pain. Methods Experiment 1:137 healthy participants placed their hand on eight custom-built copper bars for 60 s and their pain quality was assessed by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Experiment 2: Pain quality was evaluated in patients suffering from central and peripheral neuropathic pain (42 patients with spinal cord injury, 31 patients with stroke, 83 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and 131 patients with postherpetic neuralgia). Results Experiment 1: Two components of TGI-induced pain were found using principal component analysis: component 1 included aching, throbbing, heavy and burning pain, component 2 included itching, electrical-shock, numbness, and cold-freezing. Experiment 2: Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and cross tabulation analysis revealed specific pain qualities including aching, hot-burning, heavy, cold-freezing, numbness, and electrical-shock pain were associated with central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. Conclusions We found similar qualities between TGI-induced pain in healthy participants and central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. The mechanism of TGI is more similar to the mechanism of central neuropathic pain than that of neuropathic pain.

We examined cross-sectional associations between arm lymphedema symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle (HEAL) Study. 499 women diagnosed with localized or regional breast cancer at ages 35–64 years completed a survey, on average 40 months after diagnosis, querying presence of lymphedema, nine lymphedema-related symptoms, e.g., tension, burning pain, mobility loss, and warmth/redness, and HRQoL. Analysis of covariance models were used to assess HRQoL scores in relation to presence of lymphedema and lymphedema-related symptoms. Lymphedema was self-reported by 137 women, of whom 98 were experiencing lymphedema at the time of the assessment. The most common symptoms were heaviness (52%), numbness (47%), and tightness (45%). Perceived physical health was worse for women reporting past or current lymphedema than those reporting no lymphedema (P-value P-value = 0.31). Perceived physical health, stress, and lymphedema-specific HRQoL scores worsened as number of symptoms increased (P-values ≤ 0.01). Women reporting tension in the arm had lower physical health (P-value = 0.01), and those experiencing burning pain, tension, heaviness, or warmth/redness in the arm had lower lymphedema-specific HRQoL (P-values

Introduction: Persistent post-surgical pain (PPSP) is significant issue following breast cancer treatment that leads to disability and psychological distress and is often difficult to manage. Objectives: Primary objective of this study was to determine the frequency of persistent pain in patients after breast cancer surgery while the secondary objective was to see the distribution and characteristics of pain in these patients. Methods: In this prospective observational single cohort study all adult female patients with biopsy proven carcinoma of breast who were scheduled for elective definitive breast cancer surgery from 1st August 2016 to 31st January 2017 were enrolled. Total 120 patients were followed for up to three months after surgery and those who had persistent pain were followed up for six months after operation. Results: Out of the 120 patients, twenty six (21.7%) patients developed persistent post-surgical pain for up to three months while in seventeen (14.2%) patients pain continued for up to six months after operation. Of twenty six patients with PPSP, eleven (42.3%) had burning pain, ten (38.5%) had throbbing pain, three (11.5%) patients had numbness while two patients had mixed character of pain. Eleven patients developed pain at more than one site. Pain was distributed in axilla, chest wall, upper arm and surgical scar area. Fifteen out of twenty six patients (57.7%), had pain in axilla. Continuous...

The aim was to validate the SYM VEIN consensus 3D scoring tool in chronic venous disease (CVD).This was a prospective cohort study with a total of 35 consecutive patients with CVD. Patients with CVD undergoing saphenectomy were assessed with the revised Venous Clinical Severity Score (r-VCSS), the CIVIQ-20 quality of life score questionnaire, and the SYM VEIN consensus statement 3D system, pre-operatively and four weeks post-operatively. The total 3D score was tested for reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness.The total 3D score demonstrated good reliability and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.85). Principal component analysis identified three groups of symptoms (paraesthesia, burning pain, and pruritus, vs. heaviness, sensation of swelling and aching/pain, vs. restless leg and throbbing pain) demonstrating a high intragroup correlation and likely to share similar pathophysiology, indicative of adequate construct validity. The total 3D score showed a significant correlation with r-VCSS and CIVIQ-20 score (rho .46, p = .005 and rho .65, p .001, respectively) indicative of adequate convergent validity. After saphenectomy, significant reductions (p .001) of the total 3D, and 3D scores for all but two individual venous symptoms were observed, indicative of excellent responsiveness. Median total 3D score was reduced from 31 to 6 (83.8% decrease, p .001), median r-VCSS was reduced from 6 to 0 (100% decrease, p .001), and median CIVIQ-20 score was reduced from 24 to 14 (40% decrease, p .001). The difference of median percentage change between r-VCSS and CIVIQ-20 score vs. total 3D score was significant (p = .005 and p .001, respectively).The total SYM VEIN 3D score has good reliability, construct validity and excellent responsiveness, although less prone to change after saphenectomy compared with r-VCSS.

Background: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic pain disorder affecting the oral cavity. Previous work has shown promising analgesic results of bodily illusions in other chronic pain conditions. The aim of this proof‐of‐concept, pilot study was to investigate whether bodily illusions reduce pain in BMS patients. Methods: Nine participants diagnosed with BMS underwent bodily illusions using a MIRAGE‐mediated reality system. All participants completed 4 conditions and performed standardised movements of the tongue. First, a baseline condition was performed while the tongue was viewed at normal size and colour. Then, three conditions were performed in random order: resizing shrink, colour‐based (blue tongue), and incongruent movement illusions. During each condition, participants rated overall pain intensity as well as the intensity of burning pain/sensation on the tongue. Results: There was no difference in overall pain intensity ratings between conditions. However, a significant effect of condition was found for burning pain/sensation of the tongue. The colour illusion significantly reduced burning pain compared with baseline (MD = ‐12.8, 95% CI ‐20.7 to ‐4.8), corresponding to an average pain reduction of 32%. Exploratory analyses showed the colour illusion also significantly reduced pain compared with the shrink illusion (MD = ‐11.7, 95% CI ‐22.2 to ‐1.1). Conclusion: Using visual illusions to change tongue colour to blue resulted in significant reductions in burning pain/sensations in BMS patients for the duration of the illusion. This proof‐of‐concept study suggests that BMS patients may benefit from bodily illusions, and supports additional research using larger samples and more comprehensive control conditions. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Background Central post-stroke pain (CPSP) can arise after lesions anywhere in the central somatosensory pathways, essentially within the spinothalamic system (STS). Although the STS can be selectively injured in the mesencephalon, CPSP has not been described in pure midbrain infarcts. Methods Of more than 300 CPSP consecutive cases, we describe five patients who developed definite neuropathic pain following lesions circumscribed to the postero-lateral mesencephalon. Results The mesencephalic lesion responsible for pain was always haemorrhagic and always involved the spinothalamic tract (STT), as demonstrated by suppressed laser-evoked potentials in every case, with or without preserved lemniscal function. In three cases the midbrain injury could be ascribed to trauma, presumably from the cerebellar tentorium. As a result of the paucity of sensory symptoms, the pain was considered as 'psychogenic' in two of the patients until electrophysiological testing confirmed STT involvement. Conclusion Postero-lateral midbrain lesions should be added to potential causes of CPSP. Because pain and spinothalamic deficits may be the only clinical sign, and because small lateral midbrain lesions may be difficult to trail with MRI, mesencephalic CPSP can be misdiagnosed as malingering or psychogenic pain for years. Significance Selective spinothalamic injury caused by small lateral midbrain lesions is a very rare cause of central post-stroke pain that can remain undiagnosed for years. It appears to obey to haemorrhagic, sometimes post-traumatic lesions. Sudden development of contralateral burning pain with isolated spinothalamic deficits may be the only localizing sign, which can be easily objectively detected with electrophysiological testing.

Background To describe the clinical phenotype of paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, an autosomal dominant condition in four members in one family with the mutation NM_002977.3:c.3892G > T (p.Val1298Phe) in the SCN9A gene. Clinical examinations and details from members of one Polish family were collected, including age at onset, features of attacks, problems between attacks, investigational results, treatments tried, and evolution over time. Case presentation Twenty two individuals from this family with paroxysmal extreme pain disorder were identified. Seven of them presented clinical manifestation of paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, of which and in four were identified missens mutations in the SCN9A gene (NM_002977.3:c.3892G > T). The onset of the disorder took place in the neonatal period or infancy and persists throughout life. Autonomic manifestations predominate with extreme pain, skin flushing and harlequin colour change were observed in all. Attacks of excruciating deep burning pain often appear in the rectal, or jaw areas, but also diffuse in the body. Attacks are triggered by factors such as: defecation, eating, pressure and emotion. Carbamazepine and other antiepileptic drugs were only partly effective in almost all, but the response was incomplete. Conclusions Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder is a hereditary sodium channelopathy with pain and an autonomic nervous system dysfunction. Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder is rare, so far only 500 cases of both women and men have been described in world literature.

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy has limited treatment options, and conventional medications used to treat neuropathic pain often do not provide adequate pain relief for patients with a history of cancer. Neuromodulation such as dorsal root ganglion stimulation remains a treatment that has been studied for chronic painful conditions such as low back pain, pelvic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, and phantom limb pain. Dorsal root ganglion stimulation has been presented for treatment of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, but with limited duration of follow-up. We present a case of pain resolution after placement of a dorsal root ganglion stimulation for persistent chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Our patient developed burning pain and allodynia in both feet 3 mos into her chemotherapy regimen, with worsened symptoms after cessation of chemotherapy. After failure of conservative pharmacotherapies, a 7-day dorsal root ganglion stimulation trial was implanted, resulting in 100% pain relief. A dorsal root ganglion stimulation was then implanted permanently, and our patient reported continued resolution of symptoms at evaluation 3 yrs after placement. To the author's knowledge, this is the first case of sustained relief with dorsal root ganglion stimulation placement for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and presents a treatment option that warrants further investigation.

Erythermalgia is a rare cutaneous disease characterized by episodic attacks of burning pain, erythema, and increased temperature. It primarily involves the extremities, with possible extensions to the ears, face, neck, and scrotum; in rare instances, it may afflict the ears, face, or the scrotum alone. Although various medications alone or in different combinations have been tried with significant variations in response, no recommended therapeutics have been established until very recently. This report presents two case histories of a 20-year-old and a 46-year-old woman, respectively, who displayed intermittent facial erythema associated with warmth and pain during the episodes and who presented normal between episodes. Both had good response to combinative treatments of systemic medication and topical lidocaine compounds. The younger was disease-free after more than 4 years of follow-up, and the older had recurrence after stopping the treatment. Conclusion: Erythermalgia may involve the face alone, and combinative approaches may be of choice for its treatment. Topical lidocaine compounds are considered to be a good option for palliative treatment.

The endogenous metabolite methylglyoxal (MG) accumulates in diabetic patients with neuropathic pain. Methylglyoxal could be a mediator of diabetes-induced neuropathic pain through TRPA1 activation and sensitization of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype 1.8. In this study, we tested the algogenic and sensitizing effect of MG in healthy human subjects using intracutaneous microinjections. The involvement of C fibers was assessed through selective A-fiber nerve block, axon-reflex-erythema, and through single nerve fiber recordings in humans (microneurography). Involvement of the transduction channels TRPA1 and TRPV1 in MG-induced pain sensation was investigated with specific ion channel blockers. We showed for the first time in healthy humans that MG induces pain, axon-reflex-erythema, and long-lasting hyperalgesia through the activation of C nociceptors. Predominantly, the subclass of mechano-insensitive C fibers is activated by MG. A fibers contribute only negligibly to the burning pain sensation. Selective pharmacological blockade of TRPA1 or TRPV1 showed that TRPA1 is crucially involved in MG-induced chemical pain sensation and heat hyperalgesia. In conclusion, the actions of MG through TRPA1 activation on predominantly mechano-insensitive C fibers might be involved in spontaneously perceived pain in diabetic neuropathy and hyperalgesia as well as allodynia.

A 61-year-old man with no significant medical history developed fever, headache and mild shortness of breath. He tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and self-isolated at home, not requiring hospital admission. One week after testing positive, he developed acute severe burning pain affecting his whole body, subsequently localised distally in the limbs. There was no ataxia or autonomic failure. Neurological examination was unremarkable. Electrophysiological tests were unremarkable. Skin biopsy, lumbar puncture, enhanced MRI of the brachial plexus and MRI of the neuroaxis were normal. His pain was inadequately controlled with pregabalin but improved while on a weaning regimen of steroids. This case highlights the variety of possible symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

What you need to know A first time mother developed left nipple pain 24 hours after the birth. This persisted despite trying nipple shields and topical lanolin. On day 7 she developed mastitis in her left breast and was prescribed flucloxacillin, but the nipple and breast pain continued. Her friend suggested oral probiotics, to no effect. At the breastfeeding clinic (6 weeks postpartum) the left breast pain was excruciating and a burning pain had started in her right breast. She was also concerned about her baby’s slow weight gain. On examination, her nipples were sensitive to light touch and examination of the baby indicated torticollis. When observing a feed, good positioning and attachment was seen on the right but the infant’s torticollis made it difficult for him to attach on the left side and the mother quickly took him off her breast because it was too painful. The left nipple was flattened after the feed . More than 70% of first time mothers report nipple and/or breast pain in the first week post partum.1 This is frequently nipple pain resulting from inadequate latching; however, multiple diagnoses should be considered.2 This article helps clinicians promptly identify and resolve the underlying cause(s) of pain so that premature cessation of breastfeeding can be avoided and the breastfeeding relationship becomes enjoyable for mother and baby. We explain the three elements of assessment—the mother’s health, the infant’s …

A 49-year-old woman with no relevant medical history presented to an external neurology clinic with progressive hand and foot paresthesia and gait instability for over 6 months. Initially, she reported tingling and shooting electrical-type sensations involving her feet. Within several weeks of the onset of paresthesia, she noted a burning pain sensation involving the left hand. Sensory symptoms continued to worsen and she felt pressure-like sensation around the neck and scalp region. This was shortly followed by right hand numbness and loss of dexterity. Over the next month, she developed progressive gait imbalance and transitioned to a cane for ambulation.

Erythromelalgia is a recurrent and paroxysmal syndrome characterized by the clinical triad of bilateral redness, heat, and paroxysmal burning pain, mostly localized on the feet. This disorder can be primary, as a consequence of mutations in the genes encoding the voltage gated sodium channels. It can also be secondary to an underlying disease or drugs. Its pathophysiology involves either an abnormal microvascular arteriovenous shunting together with a decreased nutritional blood flow responsible for the pain , and/or a state of increase blood viscosity.

The slipping rib syndrome is characterized by burning pain in the lower thorax and upper abdomen, often disabling, caused by hypermobility of the costal cartilage with entrapment of the intercostal nerve. The syndrome is often underdiagnosed. The diagnosis is clinical and the definitive treatment is surgical, with an excellent result for pain relief. Based on the observation of 4 cases undergoing rib resection for SRS, we noticed a new possible sign of the disease. Our patients showed less thickness of the ipsilateral rectus abdominis muscle on ultrasound of the abdomen. The aim of this study is to demonstrate this sign in the diagnosis of SRS, to make this disease more recognizable and treatable., The slipping rib syndrome (SRS) is characterized by intense pain in the lower rib arch radiating to the side and the upper abdomen, or by chest pain.

A 66-year-old man presents with bulging and persistent burning pain in the right abdominal side for 4 days.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a painful, long-lasting condition as a consequence of nerve damage resulting from a herpes zoster infection. Although there are many different treatments available to reduce pain duration and severity, PHN is often refractory to them and no single therapy shows an effective cure for all cases of PHN, especially for those involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a minimally invasive procedure for pain treatment that has been practiced over the past decade. However, its clinical efficacy and safety for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve have not been evaluated. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRF for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal ganglion. Study Design. An observational study. Setting. All patients received PRF of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, pain intensity was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS), and complications before and after PRF stimulation were noted. Methods. Thirty-two patients with PHN of the ophthalmic branch were treated by PRF of the ophthalmic branch with controlled temperature at 42°C for 8 min. Pain relief, corneal reflex, sleep quality, and satisfaction were assessed for all patients. Results. Thirty out of 32 patients (93.75%) reported significant pain reduction after PRF treatment. Twenty-eight of them (87.5%) were satisfied with their sleep and obtained a pain score lower than 3 following the procedure. Only two patients had a recurrence of the severe burning pain and returned to the hospital for other medical therapies 2 weeks after the PRF procedure. No patient lost the corneal reflex. Limitations. This study is an observational study and a nonprospective trial with a short-term follow-up period. Conclusion. PRF of the trigeminal ganglion of the ophthalmic branch can significantly reduce pain sensation and improve sleep quality and satisfaction for PHN of the ophthalmic branch.

A 23-year-old woman diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus in 2011 came to our outpatient office because of an inability to walk correctly. She was under a basal bolus insulin regimen. In the summer of 2016, she experienced a rapid improvement in her glycaemic control. A few weeks later, she started to complain of a severe burning pain in the soles of her feet (pain score 10/10). Neither macrovascular nor microvascular complications were detected. The patient was forced to walk barefoot due to an intense pain using shoes or socks and used to soak her feet in water for several hours daily. She also developed severe intolerance to environmental heat, both indoors and outdoors. A diagnosis of treatment-induced diabetic neuropathy was made. The patient was admitted to a general ward to start pain therapy. After a 6-month course of different neuropathic pain drugs, the patient was able to walk autonomously again.

A 19-year-old-woman experienced severe burning pain in the lower extremities with erythema and swelling. She was diagnosed with primary erythromelalgia (PE). The pain was unresponsive to medications but relieved by immersing her feet in cold water. We performed a multilevel lumbar sympathetic ganglion block (LSGB) with 5% phenol at second lumbar vertebra (L2) and third lumbar vertebra (L3), and additional fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) levels. An epidural block was intermittently combined. The pain and skin lesions dramatically improved after the procedures, and she no longer needed medications or to soak her feet in cold water. This case demonstrated that extensive LSGB may be a therapeutic option for intractable PE.

Neuropathic pain (NP) can have either central nervous system causes or ones from the peripheral nervous system. This article will focus on the epidemiology, classifications, pathology, non-invasive treatments and invasive treatments as a general review of NP involving the peripheral nervous system. NP has characteristic symptomatology such as burning and electrical sensations. It occurs in up to 10% of the general population. Its frequency can be attributed to its occurrence in neck and back pain, diabetes and patients receiving chemotherapy. There are a wide range of pharmacologic options to control this type of pain and when such measures fail, numerous interventional methods can be employed such as nerve blocks and implanted stimulators. NP has a cost to the patient and society in terms of emotional consequences, quality of life, lost wages and the cost of assistance from the medical system and thus deserves serious consideration for prevention, treatment and control.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)-an extremely painful primary pain disorder related to trauma-is rare in the orofacial region. The authors describe a case of orofacial CRPS with a clinical phenotype that fits the Budapest diagnostic criteria. A 39-year-old female patient presented with left-side facial pain that had been untreated for 10 months. Symptoms included burning pain and allodynia accompanied by swelling and redness on exposure to cold or stress. The diagnosis was confirmed after stellate ganglion anesthetic block resulted in substantial improvement.

Herpes zoster infection, commonly known as Shingles, is caused by reactivation of the Varicella-Zoster virus which may have remained latent in the dorsal root ganglia. It is characterized by prodromal symptoms of unilateral deep aching, burning pain followed by a maculopapular rash, vesicular eruptions, ulcers, and scab formations over the affected nerve distribution. The ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve is more commonly involved in herpes zoster infection than maxillary and mandibular branches; in particular, the maxillary involvement is rare. This is a case report of herpes zoster infection in a 65-years-old male patient involving the maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve. This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and prompt use of antivirals in managing orofacial infection in dental practice.

Zebra Bodies in the Kidney A 21-year-old man with intermittent burning pain in his arms and legs was found to have proteinuria; renal biopsy was performed. Electron microscopy revealed so-called ze...

Background: Irukandji syndrome definition is still widely misunderstood. Irukandji-like syndrome is more unclear than Irukandji syndrome. This study aimed to describe Irukandji-like syndrome in cases involving stinging by single-tentacle box jellyfish species in Thailand. Materials and methods: Surveillance system and networks of toxic jellyfish incidents were established to enable case detection. In the period 2007 to 2019, all cases of stinging by single - tentacle box jellyfish resulting in collapse, hospital attendance or death were investigated. Results: The majority of the 19 Irukandji-like syndrome cases were male (68.2%), median age 35.0 years (range 6.0–60.0), and Thai nationality (52.3%). Clinical manifestations of Irukandji - like syndrome were categorised as severe wound pain with immediate systemic reaction (66.7%), moderate wound pain with gradual systemic reaction (16.7%), and moderate wound pain with the immediate systemic reaction after a physical/chemical trigger (16.7%). The pain occurring when being stung differed from the pain occurring during the systemic reaction. The five most common symptoms were pain (100.0%), high blood pressure (100.0%), palpitations (86.7%), respiratory distress (52.6%), and near collapse/collapse (31.6%). The pain occurs when being stung was excruciating or burning pain at the wounds, felt like an electric shock, and rapidly expanded to heart pain. While the pain occurring during the systemic reaction was back pain, muscle pain, joint pain, abdominal pain, and body aches. The marks from the tentacles appeared similar in appearance to the caterpillar tracks of tanks. In 6 cases the species could be identified and all of them involving the Morbakka spp. Conclusions: This was the largest study of Irukandji-like syndrome cases involving stings by single - tentacle box jellyfish in Thailand and the different clinical manifestations might be caused by different species of single - tentacle box jellyfish.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is one of the most frequently seen idiopathic pain conditions in a dental setting. Peri- and postmenopausal women are most frequently affected, and patients who experience BMS complain of persistent burning pain mainly at the tip and the bilateral border of the tongue. Recent studies have assessed whether BMS is a neuropathic pain condition, based on morphologic changes in biopsied tongue specimens, and whether there are abnormal pain responses in patients with this disease. Somatosensory studies have reported some abnormal findings in sensory and pain detection thresholds with inconsistency; however, the most distinct finding was exaggerated responses to painful stimuli. Imaging and electrophysiologic studies have suggested the possibility of dysregulation of the pain-modulating system in the central nervous system, which may explain the enhanced pain responses despite the lack of typical responses toward quantitative sensory tests. Basic studies have suggested the possible involvement of neuroprotective steroids, although the underlying mechanisms of this condition have not been elucidated. Experimental studies are looking for preferable supportive therapies for BMS patients despite the obscure pathogenesis.

Objectives: To present the characteristics of neuropathic pain in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: We recruited all individuals with chronic SCI referred to the Brain and Spine Injury Research center with a diagnosis of neuropathic pain from April 2013 to September 2015 into this historical cohort study. Results: Forty individuals with chronic SCI-induced neuropathic pain entered this study with a mean age of 43.67±13.12 years and a majority of who were male (n=30, 75%). Motor vehicle collision (n=25, 62.5%) and fall (n=7, 17.5%) were the most common causes of SCI in our participants. There were 13 (32.5%) cervical, twenty (50%) thoracic, and 7 (17.5%) lumbosacral SCI. The mean ‘maximal pain intensity’, ‘overall pain intensity during the past week’, and ‘the pain intensity at the initial consultation in pain clinic’ measured by numerical rating scale (NRS) in this cohort were 8.71±1.73, 6.32±1.60, and 6.11±2.48, respectively. Burning pain was the most frequently used description of pain reported by our participants. Pain intensity significantly decreased after six months of treatment for all three above categories. Conclusion: This study provides characteristics of neuropathic pain in a group of individuals with chronic SCI. Further large prospective studies are needed to determine the association between lesion level, completeness of injury, and region of pain.

Pain is a frequent and debilitating non-motor symptom of Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD). The present study investigated the prevalence of pain and specifically peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) in IPD, and ascertained any impact of PNP on quality of life (QoL).Patients with IPD and age- and gender-matched controls were screened for overall pain using the King's Parkinson's Pain Scale (KPPS). PNP was assessed using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). QoL was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36).Fifty-one patients and 51 age and gender matched controls were recruited. The prevalence of overall pain was similar in the two groups (88.2% versus 94.1%, p = 0.487). However, patients with IPD had higher KPPS scores in fluctuation-related (4.9 ± 6.9 vs 1.1 ± 2.6, p 0.001), nocturnal (6.6 ± 7.5 vs 1.7 ± 4.2, p 0.001) and oro-facial (0.6 ± 2.0 vs 0.0 ± 0.0, p = 0.040) domains compared to controls. Patients with IPD experienced more PNP compared to healthy control subjects (35.3% versus 13.7%, p = 0.011). After adjusting for age, gender, disease duration and overall KPSS score, PNP correlated negatively with physical functioning score (beta -0.290, p = 0.036), emotional role limitations score (beta -0.319, p = 0.032) and general health perception score (beta -0.342, p = 0.014) domains of SF-36.Peripheral neuropathic pain is prevalent in IPD and has a significant impact on QoL. The presence of burning pain is suggestive of small fibre neuropathy, but this symptom is not featured in KPSS and, therefore, a revision of the KPSS should be considered.

We have applied bipolar dual-lead spinal cord stimulation (SCS) between two cylinder-type electrodes placed on the ventral and dorsal sides of the spinal cord (dual-VD-SCS). A 36-year-old man suffered from burning pain from his right elbow down to his hand after brachial plexus avulsion. The areas with paresthesia induced by conventional SCS did not include the painful hand area. However, dual-VD-SCS completely induced paresthesia in the painful hand area. We speculate that dual-VD-SCS can be applied to stimulate deeper sites of the dorsal column and dorsal horn than conventional SCS and is useful for pain reduction.

Provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is an idiopathic vulvar pain condition characterized by burning pain at the vaginal opening in response to contact or pressure. Previous research has established some of the psychosocial difficulties experienced by these patients, but direct comparisons with other pain conditions are needed. The purpose of this study was to compare women with PVD to those with postherpetic neuralgia and pain-free control participants.Participants were invited to complete an anonymous online survey consisting of sociodemographic questions and a range of validated measures.Women with PVD and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) did not differ in terms of pain catastrophizing or pain anxiety, but women with PHN reported greater pain disability than those with PVD. Participants in both pain groups reported significantly more symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances than pain-free controls; women with PHN reported more symptoms of depression than those with PVD, with no other differences between pain groups. Groups did not differ on relationship adjustment, but participants with PVD reported poorer sexual functioning than the other groups.These results indicate that women with PVD and PHN experience similar mental health difficulties, but women with PHN experience more severe impact on their day-to-day functioning and mood. These results support the classification of PVD as a chronic pain condition, as both the pain groups differed from pain-free control participants on a range of measures. Finally, the presence of mental health difficulties and poorer sexual functioning highlights the importance of conducting biopsychosocial pain assessments.

Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) toxicity is a well-known cause of primary sensory, length-dependent, axonal polyneuropathy. Although sensory symptoms predominate, autonomic symptoms have also been reported in some cases. To date, there is no objective evidence of autonomic dysfunction reported in the literature. We present the case of a 41-year-old woman with 2 years of progressive burning pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in a stocking-glove distribution who was found to have severe pyridoxine toxicity. Concurrent presence of large and small fiber nerve dysfunction was noted in the form of abnormal electromyography/nerve conduction study demonstrating a chronic sensory polyneuropathy and autonomic testing demonstrating abnormal responses to quantitative sweat testing and cardiovagal function testing. This case highlights the need for consideration of small fiber nerve damage by obtaining autonomic testing in cases of pyridoxine toxicity.

Objective: Successful treatment of chronic low back pain (LBP) is difficult in clinical practice and hard to measure in trials. One reason might be the use of insufficient outcome parameters. The aim was to investigate the importance of typical clinical characteristics of chronic LBP on QoL and functionality. Methods: A total of 51 patients with chronic LBP (19 with, 32 without radiculopathy) were investigated with different questionnaires. Results: Burdening symptoms differed in frequency, intensity and impairment of QoL and functionality between patients with and without radiculopathy and between the area of pain within the same patient, i.e. between back and leg. Symptoms of nerve affection such as prickling pain and numbness were rated higher in the area of radiating pain than on the back in radiculopathy, and typical neuropathic pain symptoms such as burning pain, prickling, spontaneous pain, and feeling of deep pressure and pain at the beginning of movement were rated with a higher impairment of QoL and functionality in patients with compared to those without radiculopathy. Furthermore, intensity, impairment of QoL, and functionality were not necessarily reported in association with one another: some patients were highly impaired in QoL or functionality, despite a moderate-to-low pain intensity, whereas others suffered from severe pain, but were less impaired in QoL or functionality. Conclusion: Results suggest the consideration of impairment of QoL and functionality in addition to symptom intensity for treatment evaluation of chronic LBP. This can help to improve overall well-being of the patients and enhance efficacy in clinical pain trials and patient-centered treatment.

Objective There is no consensus on the essential diagnostic criteria for diagnosing a trigger point (TrP). In fact, a variety of diagnostic criteria are currently being used. Our aim was to conduct a Delphi panel to achieve an international consensus on the cluster of criteria needed for the TrP diagnosis to reach a consensus on the definition of active and latent TrPs and to clarify different clinical considerations about TrPs. Methods Following international guidelines, an international three-round Delphi survey was conducted. Questions were created based on a systematic literature search of the diagnostic criteria for TrPs. Results Sixty experts from 12 countries completed all rounds of the survey. A cluster of three diagnostic criteria was proposed as essential for the TrP diagnosis: a taut band, a hypersensitive spot, and referred pain. Eighty percent of the experts agreed that the referred pain elicited by a TrP can include different sensory sensations and not just pain, that is, pain spreading to a distant area, deep pain, dull ache, tingling, or burning pain. Eighty-four percent of the international experts consistently answered that the main clinical differences between active and latent TrPs are the reproduction of any of the symptoms experienced by a patient and the recognition of pain. No specific location of the pain referral area and TrP location should be expected. Conclusions This Delphi panel has produced an expert-based standardized definition of a TrP with a discussion of the clinical components, including the definition of referred pain and the difference between active and latent TrPs, thereby providing a foundation for future research in MPS.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is one of the most challenging chronic pain conditions and is characterized by burning pain, allodynia, hyperalgesia, autonomic changes, trophic changes, edema, and functional loss involving mainly the extremities. Until recently, very few reports have been published concerning CRPS involving the orofacial area. We report on a 50-year-old female patient who presented with unbearable pain in all of her teeth and hypersensitivity of the facial skin. She also reported intractable pain in both extremities accompanied by temperature changes and orofacial pain that increased when the other pains were aggravated. In the case of CRPS with trigeminal neuropathic pain, protocols for proper diagnosis and prompt treatment have yet to be established in academia or in the clinical field. We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging for a thorough analysis of the cortical representation of the affected orofacial area immediately before and immediately after isolated light stimulus of the affected hand and foot and concluded that CRPS can be correlated with trigeminal neuropathy in the orofacial area. Furthermore, the patient was treated with carbamazepine administration and stellate ganglion block, which can result in a rapid improvement of pain in the trigeminal region.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) develops in 30% of type 2 diabetes patients, increases the risk for foot ulcers and amputation, and is a significant source of disability and medical costs. Treatment remains challenging, propelling research to focus on therapeutic methods that aim to improve blood circulation or ameliorate oxidative stress that drives development of DPN. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for DPN symptoms and lower extremity arterial circulation in people with type 2 diabetes. Twenty-five patients seen at a Southern California Tribal Health Center who reported a threshold level of diabetic neuropathy symptoms in the lower extremities during the previous 4 weeks received acupuncture treatment once per week over a 10-week period between 2011 and 2013. The Neuropathy Total Symptom Scale (NTSS-6), Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS), and laser Doppler fluxmetry (LDF) were used for assessment at baseline and 10 weeks. A total of 19 of 25 study participants completed the study and reported a significant reduction in the NTSS symptoms of aching pain, burning pain, prickling sensation, numbness, and allodynia. Lancinating pain did not decrease significantly. LDF measures improved but not significantly. Acupuncture may effectively ameliorate selected DPN symptoms in these American Indian patients.

A woman in her forties with asthma and COPD was admitted to a general medical floor with respiratory symptoms, body aches, and anosmia. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction detected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Admission labs, including biomarkers of the systemic immunological dysfunction seen in many cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), were within normal ranges. On the second day of admission, she developed neck and back pain that was constant, burning in quality, and exacerbated by light touch and heat. Wearing clothing caused pain and interfered with her sleep. The area was tender to light finger stroke. The patient was given acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and opioids with no relief of pain. However, gabapentin was effective. At follow-up 1 month later, her symptoms were improved and still relieved by gabapentin. Neuropathic pain was seen in over 2% of COVID-19 patients in one observational study. The pain seen in our case was bilateral, involved an area innervated by multiple levels of spinal nerves, and was limited to the back. While it is rare, a significant number of COVID-19 patients are afflicted by neuropathic pain, and our case illustrates that gabapentin may be effective.

BACKGROUND We aimed at evaluating the differential involvement of large myelinated Aβ-, small myelinated Aδ-, and unmyelinated C-fibers in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy and how they contribute to neuropathic pain. METHODS We collected clinical and diagnostic test variables in 133 consecutive patients with diabetic polyneuropathy. All patients underwent Aβ-fiber mediated nerve conduction study, Aδ-fiber mediated laser-evoked potentials and skin biopsy mainly assessing unmyelinated C-fibers. RESULTS Pure large-fiber and small-fiber polyneuropathy were relatively uncommon; conversely mixed-fiber polyneuropathy was the most common type of diabetic polyneuropathy (74%). The frequency of neuropathic pain was similar in the three different polyneuropathies. Ongoing burning pain and dynamic mechanical allodynia were similarly associated with specific small-fiber related variables. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic polyneuropathy mainly manifests as a mixed-fiber polyneuropathy, simultaneously involving Aβ-, Aδ-, and C-fibers. In most patients, neuropathic pain is distinctly associated with small-fiber damage. The evidence that the frequency of neuropathic pain does not differ across pure large-, pure small-, and mixed-fiber polyneuropathy, raises the possibility that in patients with pure large-fiber polyneuropathy nociceptive nerve terminal involvement might be undetected by standard diagnostic techniques.

Erythromelalgia (EM) is a rare autosomal dominant neuropathy characterized by the combination of severe burning pain and erythematous warm extremities. Chronic pain control is most often unsuccessful and a completely effective therapy is yet to be identified. Recent studies have reported significant improvements in pain management using a combination of amitriptyline and ketamine in a topical formulation. We describe a 1-year follow-up pain control success case of a male patient with EM, proposed for topical use of a 2% Amitriptyline and 0.5% Ketamine gel.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a potentially debilitating form of neuropathic pain that may manifest following a traumatic injury or surgery. CRPS is also known as algodystrophy, causalgia, or reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). Patients describe unbearable burning pain from nonnociceptive stimuli, such as when taking a shower or brushing against another object. Regular tactile stimuli encountered during routine dental procedures may not be well-tolerated by a patient with CRPS. Ketamine infusions have been reported to help alleviate acute exacerbations or “flare-ups” of CRPS symptoms. This case report provides a brief overview of CRPS pathophysiology and treatment including data supporting the use of ketamine infusions and a discussion regarding the anesthetic management of a patient with CRPS presenting for dental care under deep sedation utilizing high-dose intravenous ketamine.

Patient: Female, 71 Final Diagnosis: Brachial plexus injury Symptoms: Arm pain Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Syptoms released Specialty: Urology Objective: Unusual or unexpected effect of treatment Background: The complication rate of central venous catheterization ranges from 4% to 35%. Brachial plexus injury can occur, mostly on the same side as the catheterization, without affecting the contralateral brachial plexus. Case Report: A 71-year-old woman received placement of a vein hemodialysis catheter via right internal jugular vein. Five days after the cannulation, she complained of contralateral burning pain and numbness at the ulnar side of her left forearm. On the next day, the pain increased and extended to her left shoulder girdle and whole left arm, despite use of analgesics. When she passively tilted her head to the right side, ear to shoulder, the pain increased in the left arm. We found the patient had a tight suture with which the jugular catheter was fixed. The patient persistently turned her head to the right and slightly flexed her neck to loosen the suture to avoid discomfort. We removed the suture and the central venous catheter. Her pain in the left shoulder and arm was diminished the next day. Three days later, the symptoms had all disappeared completely. Conclusions: Central venous catheterization may cause contralateral brachial plexus injury, which may result from a tight suture with which the jugular catheter is fixed.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of pain modulation from orofacial somatosensory stimuli with different valence (pleasant-unpleasant) is limited.OBJECTIVES: To investigate: (1) The modulatory effects of painful, pleasant and unpleasant somatosensory stimuli on 2 models of experimental facial pain, (2) If modulation could be changed by blocking peripheral nerves via application of a local anesthetic: EMLA, or blocking endogenous opioid receptors via naltrexone, (3) If pain ratings were significantly correlated with participant psychological profiles.METHODS: 38 healthy women received experimental facial skin burning pain or jaw myalgia for four randomised sessions on different days. The painful region was stimulated with mechanical or thermal painful, pleasant, unpleasant and control stimuli, with ratings recorded before and during stimulation. Sessions differed in pre-treatment: EMLA/naltrexone/placebo tablet/cream.RESULTS: Significant effects of thermal or mechanical stimuli (P0.102), were found on pain ratings for both models. In myalgia, painful cold resulted in a greater reduction in pain ratings than unpleasant cold, pleasant cold, control and pleasant warmth (PCONCLUSION: Valence targeted thermal and mechanical stimuli modulated experimental myalgia and skin burning pain (P

A66-year-old man presented with burning pain and erythema over the left axilla, and pustules that had ruptured and crusted over. The rash also involved the right axilla, trunk, abdomen, and face. He said the symptoms had developed 3 days after starting to use ciprofloxacin eye drops for eye redness

Background: Opioid refractory pain is a common problem in pain management. Dexmedetomidine is suggested to have opioid-sparing effects, with well-described use in surgical and intensive care unit settings. Some authors advocate its benefit in reducing delirium. Its effects are thought to be exhibited through agonism of pre- and postsynpatic α2-receptors in the central nervous system. It is more selective on α2-receptors than clonidine, accounting for its relatively lower incidence of hypotension. Its use in sedation is favored because it does not depress the respiratory system. The main side effects reported include bradycardia. Case Description: Twenty-eight-year-old woman with triple negative left breast cancer and a locally destructive tumor was admitted to hospice after exhausting her disease-directed therapy options. Her chief complaint was a throbbing, burning pain to the left chest wall, lower back, and bilateral lower extremities, rated 8/10 on a 10-point verbal scale. Multiple pharmacologic agents for pain, including patient-controlled analgesia infusions with adjuvant methadone and steroids, had failed to provide consistent pain management. Symptoms were difficult to control in the home setting, and she required multiple admissions to our inpatient hospice unit for pain management. She also developed episodes of delirium shortly after hospice admission. We attributed her symptoms to rapid disease progression. After failed pain control with opioids, ketamine, and lidocaine, we trialed a dexmedetomidine infusion. While on the infusion, her pain rating decreased to 0/10 and she had no delirium. Pain recurred soon after cessation of the infusion, initially rated 6/10. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is safe for opioid refractory pain in the hospice inpatient setting. However, its effects may not be sustained. There is potential for use in end-of-life care, with added benefit for possible control of delirium.

A previously healthy 74-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a 2-day history of abdominal wall protrusion in the lower left side of her abdomen. Nine days earlier, she had experienced a burning pain at the same location. After being prescribed an oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for suspected left-side ureteral stone, she had applied an NSAID patch to the area. This did not alleviate the sensation. Physical examination revealed asymmetric abdominal swelling that became more prominent when standing (figure 1). No pulse …

Purpose Brief, high-intensity cycling is popular because physiological benefits accrue with a short workout time, but burning pain in the quadriceps is a potential barrier to engaging in this type of exercise. Virtual reality (VR) can temporarily decrease pain, but its effect on muscle pain during high-intensity exercise is unknown. The primary purpose of this experiment was to test whether adding interactive VR (I-VR) to high-intensity cycling could reduce quadriceps pain or improve performance. Methods Ninety-four adults who were physically active in their leisure time and age 18 to 29 yr completed three 30-s sprint interval cycling trials at a high resistance (0.085- and 0.075-kg resistance to the flywheel per kilogram body weight for men and women, respectively). In this randomized between-subject experiment, participants cycled while wearing a head-mounted display and viewing either (i) a dynamically changing cityscape perceived as interactively cycling through a virtual city (I-VR group) or (ii) a static picture of the cityscape with instructions to mentally imagine cycling through that city (static VR/motor imagery control group). Results Sphericity-adjusted 2 × 3 (group-time) ANOVA revealed a significant group-time interaction (F = 4.568; df = 1.499, 133.301; ηp = 0.047, P = 0.021) for pain intensity. With I-VR, pain intensities were 13.3% (mean, 4.60 vs 5.31; d = 0.28) and 11.8% (mean, 5.68 vs 6.44; d = 0.27) lower at sprint trials 2 and 3, respectively. The group-time interaction (P = 0.412) was not significant for total work. Conclusion Compared with a static VR/motor imagery control condition, I-VR during brief, high-intensity, fatigue-inducing leg cycling attenuates quadriceps pain intensity without reducing performance.

A 7-year-old boy presented with a 24-hour history of severe burning pain affecting both hands that had started within minutes of playing outdoors. His mother reported that he had been running his hands under cold water and shaking his hands and head to try and relieve the pain. On examination, there was swelling of his hands, eyelids and cheeks. His parents mentioned that his hands and face had ‘swollen in the sun’ every summer from the age of 2 years.A 3-year-old girl presented with a 2-day history of left upper limb swelling following a day of prolonged sun exposure. Examination revealed non-pitting oedema extending from her left shoulder to hand with no associated tenderness, erythema or rash. Her mother reported six previous episodes of irritability following sun exposure during which she would cry and flap her hands ‘for hours’.Oral steroids and antihistamines were prescribed in both cases with little effect. Findings of routine baseline investigations were normal in both cases. A radiograph of the upper limb in the second patient disclosed nothing abnormal.QuestionsWhat is the most likely diagnosis for both patients?Venomous insect bites/stingsErythropoietic protoporphyriaIgE-mediated reactionMixed connective tissue diseaseComplement deficiencyWhich investigative approach will be most helpful?Complement function evaluationPhysical urticarial evaluationPorphyria work-upAutoantibody screenImmunodeficiency work-upHow would you manage these patients?Answers can be found on page 02.

We describe a 65-year-old man who during his service in the military developed an acute onset of burning pain in his feet and hands shortly after an acute, severe exposure to the fumes of chemical agent resistant coating (CARC). This chemical is used in the military to paint vehicles and equipment to create metal surfaces resistant to corrosion and penetration by chemical agents. Extensive laboratory workup for peripheral neuropathies was unremarkable. Nerve conduction studies showed axonal-loss polyneuropathy. Skin biopsy confirmed a small-fibre polyneuropathy (SFP). His burning pain persisted over three decades and was partially controlled with tramadol. This is the first case of SFP caused by acute CARC exposure with long-term surveillance.

Background To date, there have been no satisfactory treatments to cure vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS). 5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) has been introduced in the treatment of vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS), but no dermoscopic assessment has been conducted. Methods The included patients received six ALA-PDT sessions at 2-week intervals. After the third and sixth treatment, all patients were evaluated for clinical and dermoscopic variables with numeric scores assigned to each parameter. Results Twenty-four VLS patiens were included in this study. Both primary objective signs (lesion size and depigmentation) and subjective symptoms (itching and burning pain) were improved remarkably after the third treatment, and further improvements were obtained after the sixth treatment. Among the dermoscopic variables, the early changes were the decreased score of bright white or white-yellowish structureless areas and the increased score of vessels, and further changes of these two dermoscopic features were observed after the sixth treatment. There were no changes in pink structureless areas, white shiny streaks, follicular plugs, brown structureless areas, purple dots, and erosions after the third treatment, but after the sixth treatment, the scores of these dermoscopic features decreased significantly except that the score of brown structureless areas increased siginificantly. There was no change in the score of peppering blue-gray dots. Both pain and erosions during the treatment could be tolerated. Conclusions ALA-PDT is effective for VLS. In addition, dermoscopic assessment may be more precise for indicating minute changes invisible to unaided eyes which are useful to monitor the response to treatments.

Small fiber neuropathy is a painful sensory nervous system disorder characterized by damage to unmyelinated C-and thinly myelinated A delta-nerve fibers, clinically manifested by burning pain in the distal extremities and dysautonomia. The clinical onset in adulthood suggests a time-dependent process. The mechanisms that underlie nerve fiber injury in small fiber neuropathy are incompletely understood, although roles for energetic stress have been suggested. In the present study, we report time-dependent degeneration of neurites from dorsal root ganglia neurons in culture expressing small fiber neuropathy-associated G856D mutant Nav1.7 channels and demonstrate a time-dependent increase in intracellular calcium levels [Ca2+](i) and reactive oxygen species, together with a decrease in ATP levels. Together with a previous clinical report of burning pain in the feet and hands associated with reduced levels of Na+/ K+-ATPase in humans with high altitude sickness, the present results link energetic stress and reactive oxygen species production with the development of a painful neuropathy that preferentially affects small-diameter axons.

Objective The objective of this study was to identify the differences in medication effect according to pain characteristics in spinal cord-injured patients. Methods This study is a prospective, randomized, crossover study. Fifty-five patients and 66 locations of neuropathic pain were included. Pain was classified into four spontaneous characteristics and three evoked pain characteristics. Oxcarbazepine (Na channel blocker) and pregabalin (calcium channel α2-δ ligand medication) were tried. Patients were divided into two groups: evoked pain present and evoked pain absent. Overall average visual analog scale was obtained. Results Oxcarbazepine was significantly more effective for patients without evoked pain than in those with it for electrical, burning, and pricking pain. The effect of pregabalin was not different regarding the presence or absence of evoked pain for all pain categories, except burning pain. In patients with evoked pain, pregabalin was shown to be significantly more effective for electrical pain, allodynia, and heat hyperalgesia than oxcarbazepine. In the evoked pain absent group, oxcarbazepine showed greater improvement than pregabalin but was not significant. Conclusions In summary, the phenotype of neuropathic pain was associated with the efficacy of different pharmacologic treatments. Symptom-based treatment, therefore, can lead to more efficient analgesia.