Central neuropathic pain: implications on quality of life of spinal cord injury patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is one consequence of spinal cord injury, added to micturition and intestinal disorders, changes in sexuality and reproduction, and social and family issues. Understanding pain and its interference with quality of life may help professionals assisting patients to find the most adequate way to control neuropathic pain. Investigators of the International Association for the Study of Pain have evaluated articles from 1975 to 2007 and have observed that the least studied subject was spinal cord pain. This study aimed at evaluating quality of life of patients with neuropathic pain induced by traumatic spinal cord injury. METHODS: This is a quantitative, transversal, exploratory and descriptive research. RESULTS: Seventy percent of patients with neuropathic pain classify it as severe to intense, with scores above five in the visual analog scale. Males, aged between 30 and 39 years, married, with injury by fall, paraplegic, with incomplete injury and injury time between one and five years are those most suffering with pain. Quality of life is better for patients with complete spinal cord injury and who were wounded by firearm. Patients with fecal incontinence have referred worse quality of life and also stated that pain impaired their lives. CONCLUSION: It was observed that patients referring more severe pain have worse quality of life and social relations, which address personal relations, sexual life and support from friends.