Effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education on Chronic Pain in Diabetic Neuropathy

Abstract

Background: Diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes mellitus, often leads to chronic pain, significantly impacting the quality of life. Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) has emerged as a potential intervention to address the bio-psychosocial aspects of chronic pain. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PNE in combination with conventional therapy in reducing pain and improving the quality of life in individuals with diabetic neuropathy. Objective: The primary objective was to assess the impact of Pain Neuroscience Education combined with conventional therapy on pain levels and quality of life in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 30 participants, divided into two groups: 15 in the treatment group and 15 in the control group. Participants were recruited from neurology and physical therapy outpatient departments and selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The treatment group received PNE and conventional therapy (TENS, stretching, and strengthening exercises), while the control group received only conventional therapy. Pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention. Results: The pre-treatment VAS scores showed no significant difference between the groups (Treatment: Mean = 57.00, SD = 16.77583; Control: Mean = 56.2667, SD = 15.91705, P = 0.903). Post-treatment, the treatment group exhibited a significant reduction in pain (Mean = 19.6667, SD = 6.39940) compared to the control group (Mean = 45.3333, SD = 14.81634), with a mean difference of 25.66 and a P-value of 0.000. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that Pain Neuroscience Education, when combined with conventional therapy, significantly reduces pain and improves the quality of life in patients with diabetic neuropathy. This suggests that PNE could be an effective component of a multi-modal approach to managing diabetic neuropathy pain.