Understanding Central Pain Syndrome

Central pain syndrome is a neurological condition that affects hundreds of people and yet remains a mystery for many.

A neurological condition is one that has an impact on the Central Nervous System consisting of brain, spine and the nerves that connect them. Damage to the Central Nervous System or its dysfunction results in Central Pain Syndrome.

Central Pain Syndrome causes mild to severe pain which can either be in a specific body part or may be spread all over the body.

While in some people the pain is mild, others may experience intense pain and discomfort. The pain can become intolerable and cause mental health issues such as depression as well. Constant pain makes it extremely challenging to perform day to day task and affects the quality of life of the person.

Signs

Some symptoms of Central Pain Syndrome are :

• Feeling a burning sensation

• Loss of sensation or numbness

• Bursts of sharp pain

Patients feel pain sensations that can be triggered by factors such as emotional changes, temperature variations, touch etc.

Pain specialist Dr Manisha Arora spoke to NewzHook about Central Pain Syndrome. She feels that apart from clinical help family support is a must.

Central pain syndrome is a nerve related disorder wherein patient experiences amplified response to a painful or even ordinary stimuli, means nerve become hyperactive. It is still unknown what causes this condition, but sometimes we can illicit some major event or stress which triggered CPS. There is no laboratory test which confirm this condition. Many times patient present at a stage where pain unbearable and hampers day to day life. Treatment lies in lifestyle modification as medicines are only adjuvant. Dr Manisha Arora Pain specialist

Causes and diagnoses

Central Pain Syndrome can occur due to several reasons such as accidents, major surgery, injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain tumors etc. These conditions can affect the proper working of the Central Nervous System causing the occurrence of pain sensations. In some cases the pain may start even years after an injury.

The diagnoses can be achieved by understanding the patients overall health and medical history along with clinical evaluations, tests MRI scans, CT/CAT scans, physical examination etc.

Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder, Chronic Pain India says, ”After I was diagnosed with Central pain syndrome, I realized that there is very less awareness about the condition in our country. Even the medical fraternity at times is not able to identify the cause and patients spend their lives in discomfort and pain. Not knowing what is the cause of pain is mentally painful as well. Patients are misunderstood as there is no visible reason for the pain and they are expected to live with it. “

“Through my struggle going through the same system, I wanted to help the patients even more and provide them with a better platform through ”Chronic Pain India” where they can get information, guidance and support about pain-causing conditions,” adds Anubha.

Treatment

Pain medications, therapies can provide relief but not completely. Some patients can also be prescribed antidepressants and/or anticonvulsants to manage stress and negative thoughts.
The aim of therapy or medications is not just to reduce the pain but also to improve physical functions, reducing stress and also improving the overall quality of life of the person.