Article

The present purpose was to explore patients' and involved physicians'
needs and requests for improving their management of neuropathic pain following
spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Sixteen patients with SCI and neuropathic
pain, and nine physicians, were interviewed in focus-groups or individual
interviews. An emergent design was used and the interviews and analyses were
carried out in parallel, making it possible to use and deepen new emerging
knowledge. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and processed according to
content analysis. RESULTS: A final model with four themes described the results.
Three themes covered the current situation: limitations in structure, lack of
knowledge and competence, and frustrations. A fourth theme, needs and requests,
described suggestions by patients and physicians for future improvements.
Suggestions included increased participation, increased patient involvement in
the pain rehabilitation process, support in the process of learning to live with
pain, implementation of multi-modal pain rehabilitation, and the use of
complementary treatments for neuropathic pain.
CONCLUSION: Neuropathic pain
following SCI needs to be assessed and treated using a structured,
inter-disciplinary, multi-modal rehabilitation approach involving patients in
planning and decision-making. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: For improving SCI
neuropathic pain management, there is a great need for individually-tailored
management, planned in a dialogue on equal terms between health care and the
patient. Patients desire continuity and regularity and the possibility of
receiving complementary treatments for SCI neuropathic pain. Access to structured
pain rehabilitation is needed. Support and tools need to be provided in the
learning-to-live with pain process.

Langue : ANGLAIS