Pain Medicine

by David Wild

anesthesiologynews.com

cluster excerpt: (w/ breakdown) which are you? I've added some links to help decode what they are saying to us. I did NOT spend a ton of time on link research, just quick definitions for the reader in case it was needed.

1. One way of grouping CRPS patients is by looking at their distinct somatosensory dysfunctions, Dr. Baron said. Individuals with deficits in temperature detection but no allodynia, and with loss of small nerve fibers, innervation and nerve degeneration, can be classified as having a neuropathic disorder.

2. A second cluster of patients can be seen as having central sensitization, with normal temperature sensitivity but severe mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia.

3. A third patient cluster may have inflammatory CRPS, with deep hyperalgesia and heat hyperalgesia but no hyperalgesia to prick testing, Dr. Baron explained.


There is MUCH, MUCH more in this research article. Like this excerpt:

Not a Perfect Fit

Ralf Baron, MD, vice chair of the Department of Neurology and head of the Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel, Germany, told attendees that until recently, CRPS was understood to be clearly a neuropathic pain disorder. However, CRPS does not fit with the 2008 redefinition of neuropathic pain, defined as “pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system” (Neurology 2008;70:1630-1635).

“CRPS is neuropathic in that there are characteristic neuropathic sensory abnormalities, but it also shows signs of central sensitization, inflammation, and autonomic and motor abnormalities,” Dr. Baron said.


Other topics:

An Autoimmune Disease?

An ‘Ultralocal’ Inflammatory Response?

If I am duplicating a previous post, please forgive me, but I don't remember seeing this... buy ya know... that's not my strong suit anymore. I have a good memory but it is SHORT! ha! Now if I can figure this poll thing out again..