Treatments for Chronic Pain in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: A Survey Study

J Spinal Cord Med, 2006 · DOI: · Published: January 1, 2006

Simple Explanation

This study aimed to understand how well different pain treatments work for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who have ongoing pain. The researchers surveyed 117 individuals with SCI to find out which treatments they've tried, how much relief they got, and how long the relief lasted. The survey covered a wide range of treatments, including medications (like NSAIDs, acetaminophen, opioids, and gabapentin), standard therapies (like physical therapy and heat), and alternative treatments (like massage, marijuana, and acupuncture). The results showed that many patients don't get enough pain relief from commonly prescribed medications. Alternative therapies like massage and marijuana were often rated as providing greater relief, and their effects sometimes lasted longer than medications.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

117 individuals with traumatic SCI and chronic pain

Evidence Level

Level IV, Postal survey

Key Findings

1
Opioids provided the greatest degree of pain relief on average, but patients were unlikely to continue using them.
2
Massage and marijuana provided the most relief among alternative treatments, with pain relief sometimes lasting for days.
3
Many patients are not finding adequate pain relief from commonly prescribed medications.

Research Summary

This survey study investigated the effectiveness of various pain treatments in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and chronic pain. The study involved a postal survey of 117 individuals with traumatic SCI who reported chronic pain problems. The results indicated that commonly prescribed medications often failed to provide adequate pain relief. While opioids offered the most significant pain relief, their long-term use was limited. Alternative therapies like massage and marijuana were reported to provide substantial relief, with effects lasting longer than traditional medications in some cases. The authors concluded that alternative therapies should be considered as additional treatment options for chronic pain in the SCI population, as many patients are not finding sufficient relief from standard medications.

Practical Implications

Consider Alternative Therapies

Clinicians should consider alternative therapies like massage, marijuana, and acupuncture as potential treatment options for chronic pain in SCI patients, particularly when standard medications are ineffective.

Further Research on Exercise

Given the potential benefits of exercise, clinical trials of exercise treatments for chronic pain problems in persons with SCI are warranted.

Personalized Treatment Approach

Due to the variability in treatment response, a personalized, empirical approach to pain management is necessary to identify the most effective treatments for individual patients with SCI and chronic pain.

Study Limitations

1
Low response rate (49%) limits generalizability of the findings.
2
Type of pain (e.g., musculoskeletal vs. neuropathic) relieved by each treatment is unknown.
3
Exact doses of medications were not assessed.

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