BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Verbal investigation is a critical step of nursing neurological evaluation of neuropathic pain patients, due to its multidimensionality. There are few studies in the literature specifically dealing with this subject. In light of the above, this study aimed at evaluating medical records on clinical topographic characteristics of neuropathic pain reported by patients from a multidisciplinary management center.
METHODS:
This is a documental, crossover and quantitative study evaluating 50 medical records of patients with established neuropathic pain diagnosis who came for routine consultations between January and June 2014. Data collection form was based on McGill Pain Questionnaire and data regarding age, gender, pain topography and presence of verbal descriptors were analyzed. Data were submitted to statistical analysis and Chi-square test was applied to compare association among variables.
RESULTS:
There has been prevalence of females (64%), with mean age of 57 years. Most common pain descriptors were from the sensory dimension and were associated to cases where neuropathy affected lower limbs (p=0.006).
CONCLUSION:
There has been association between topography and pain dimension. Due to the subjectivity and complexity involving neuropathic pain evaluation, it is necessary to understand its clinical manifestations and to prepare the whole multidisciplinary team, especially Nursing, which plays a critical role in verbal investigation of painful patients.
Nervous system diseases; Neurological evaluation; Neuropathic pain; Nursing; Pain clinics; Pain measurement
