Research of neuropathic pain in patients with cervical discopathy

This study was aimed to determine the frequency of neuropathic pain in patients with neck and arm pain, to investigate whether or not KSP examination was used to determine this, and to explore efficacy of pregabalin therapy (which was has been proved to be effective and reliable in the treatment of other neuropathic pains) in individuals diagnosed with neuropathic pain due to servical discopathy.Patients complaining from neck and arm pain were evaluated in the University of Afyon Kocatepe, Faculty of Medicine, Neurology Department.MRG and electromyelography were performed for patients with servical discopathy prediagnosis. Other than routine EMG procedures patients were also examined with cutaneous silent period (CSP) that shows the function of pain pathways and its organization in Medulla Spinalis. Besides cutaneous silent period examination, LANNS pain scala (Leeds Assesment of Neuropathic Sympotms and Signs) was administered to all patients to identify the characterestics of their pain.Patients with complaints due to servical radicular compression were included in the study.Among patients who have been showed to have servical radiculopathy in EMG and servical MRG examinations, Pregabalin therapy was given to the patient group with neuropathic pain. Results among patients with servical radiculopathy were compared between the patient group with no neuropathic pain characteristics and the control group with no complaints.Mean age of patient group fulfilling the neuropathic pain criteria was 45.73.In our study; in 54% of patients that had been diagnosed as cervical radiculopathy, there was neuropathic pain. We think; this occurs as a result of cronical compressio to the radiculas at the cervical zone.Pain scores of patients in the neuropathic pain group were higher than the patients in the nociceptive pain group.In our study; both nociceptive pain group and neuropathic pain group?s CSP latency was significantly longer and CSP durability was significantly shorter than the control group.In addition; there was no significant difference in CSP latency and durability in nociceptive pain group and in neuropathic pain group.It has been seen that CSP can not be used as an electrophisiological method in the differentiation of nociceptive or neuropathic pain originating from radiculopathy as yet.Twice a day stable dose of pregabalin therapy led to statistically significant decrease in mean pain scores.Pregabalin was also effective in the patients that had neuropathic pain originating from cervical radiculopathy. Side effects of pregabalin in our study did not differ from the side affects detected in the literature.