Chronic neuropathic pain of spinal cord injury: what is the effectiveness of psychocomportemental management?

OBJECTIVES

To determine the efficacy of treating neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients by psychological, cognitive or behavioral therapies and suggest recommendations for clinical practices.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The methodology used, proposed by the French Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SOFMER), includes a systematic review of the literature, the gathering of information regarding current clinical practices and a validation by a multidisciplinary panel of experts.

RESULTS

Due to the dearth of literature on the subject only one study is found, evaluating the efficacy of these therapies on neuropathic pain but not on the chronic neuropathic pain of SCI patients. The results show a greater efficacy on the associated symptoms: anxiety and depression level, sleep disorders, rather than the pain itself.

CONCLUSION

There is no scientific evidence for validating this type of pain management care. However, the high level of evidence of the articles studying the efficacy of these therapies in patients with chronic pain suggest that it could be applied to SCI patients. These techniques must be developed in France and further studies should be conducted on SCI patients affected by neuropathic pain.