Management of Pain After Spinal Cord Injury

Chronic pain affects most people with spinal cord injury (SCI). It often impedes performance of activities of daily living and negatively impacts quality of life. Pain after SCI can be classified into subtypes through use of the International SCI Pain Classification with key attributes of the pain necessary for effective monitoring and treatment collected within the International SCI Pain Basic Data Set. Many nociceptive causes of pain seen after SCI are potentially treatable and preventable through the implementation of strategies for preventing overuse injuries. Neuropathic pain, in contrast, has been historically difficult to treat. Options for the treatment of neuropathic pain types which have demonstrated some effectiveness include various adjuvant pharmacological agents, neuromodulatory techniques, and psychological approaches. © 2015, Springer Science + Business Media New York.