A Systematic Review of the Interventions for Management of Pain in Patients After Spinal Cord Injury

Chronic pain is a common issue for individuals with spinal cord injuries, affecting a large percentage and reducing their quality of life. Current treatments provide advantages but often lack a complete cure or sufficient pain relief. This systematic review examines various interventions for managing pain post-spinal cord injury, drawing data from PubMed, PEDro, and Cochrane Library databases across several decades. The review includes studies on oral medications, minimally invasive methods, physiotherapy, alternative treatments, and brain stimulation techniques for pain management in spinal cord injury patients.

• 1
  Gabapentin and pregabalin are effective for managing chronic neuropathic pain post-SCI, with pregabalin also potentially reducing anxiety and sleep disturbances. Lamotrigine, valproate, and carbamazepine were found ineffective.
• 2
  tDCS and rTMS showed pain reduction effects. Botulinum toxin type A, lidocaine, ketamine, and intrathecal baclofen significantly reduced pain intensity in studies with small samples.
• 3
  Physiotherapy and alternative treatments appear to relieve pain, with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation showing the greatest pain intensity reduction.