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Chapter 1 - History and physical examination

from Section 1 - The Clinical Presentation of Neuropathic Pain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2013

Cory Toth
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, University of Calgary
Dwight E. Moulin
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario
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Summary

This chapter summarizes a standard approach to identifying neuropathic pain for the clinician. For neuropathic pain, and for the condition of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) especially, the six Ss should be queried when obtaining details regarding the affected region. A useful tool to rapidly and accurately localize sources of chronic pain and assist in the diagnosis of causes of neuropathic pain is a pain diagram. The examination of a chronic pain patient should start with an appropriate and directed general examination including a neurological examination. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) provides indirect information used to evaluate underlying sensory function abnormalities using only small, portable tools and with less time requirement than protocols developed by the German Neuropathic Research Network. In the future, bedside QST is expected to continue to play a role in determining potential pain mechanisms to help direct further evaluation and treatment.
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Chapter
Information
Neuropathic Pain
Causes, Management and Understanding
, pp. 1 - 12
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2013

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