Lesions or diseases of the somatosensory nervous system cause neuropathic pain. Instead of being used to sense touch, pressure, temperature, position, movement, and vibration, the patient perceives chronic or intermittent paresthesia and locally altered autonomic function.
Neuropathic pain can severely affect quality of life and is estimated to affect between 7% and 10% of the population. Neuropathic pain is caused by many conditions and is most commonly associated with nerve injury due to spinal radiculopathy, diabetes, surgery, HIV, herpes zoster, trigeminal neuralgia, or trauma. The global incidence of chronic neuropathic pain, which more frequently affects those older than 50 years, is likely to continue to rise. This emphasizes the importance of clinician understanding and utilization of effective treatment strategies.
How much do you know about neuropathic pain therapies? Test your knowledge with this short quiz.
Different classes of antidepressants have varying levels of efficacy in neuropathic pain and include tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
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Cite this: Dianna Quan. Fast Five Quiz: Neuropathic Pain Management - Medscape - Mar 27, 2020.
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