Multiple Sclerosis and Pain: A Medical Focus

Abstract

About 65% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience a broad range of both acute and subacute painful syndromes. Acute conditions (eg, trigeminal neuralgia and Lhermitte's syndrome) cause intense, unrelenting pain that may worsen with age and disease progression. Chronic pain (eg, joint pain) is also a component of MS. Pain syndromes, including optic neuritis, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and other less well-known syndromes, may respond to a variety of pharmacologic, surgical, or alternative interventions. MS patients may also experience iatrogenic pain. Some successful drug treatments for pain that are used in combination or alone include anticonvulsants, tricyclics, methylprednisolone, and narcotics. Surgical interventions, percutaneous compression-balloons, and radiofrequency ablation are other viable options for some pain syndromes.