The relationship between pain and clinical features in multiple sclerosis

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune-neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. The prevalence of pain is between 29% and 86% and besides neuropathic pain, somatic pain types may also emerge together or separately. In this study we aimed to analyze the relationship between pain and other clinical features in MS. Materials and Methods: One-hundred cases who were followed in MS clinic and who have complaints of pain, were included in this study. We evaluated pain type and localization during patients were filling in the forms. We applied Visual Pain Scale (VPS), Ashworth Spasticity Scale (ASS) and Beck Depression Scale (BDS). Results: When female and male patients were compared, there were no statistical differences between age, disease duration and EDDS scores. Seventy seven percent of cases complained of neuropathic pain, 21% of cases had Lhermitte symptoms. Trigeminal neuralgia has been observed in 1% of cases and 55% of neuropathic extremity pain. In 60% of the cases nociceptive pains, in 12% of the cases joint-extremity-muscle pain, in 47% headache and in 1% painful tonic spasms were present. Pain depending on the treatment was observed only in 2% of the cases. The pain score was high in patients with spasticity and depression. Although there was reasonable positive correlation between age, EDDS score and VPS, poor correlation was obtained between disease period and number of attacks. Conclusion: These findings indicate that MS pain is related with spasticity, disability and depression and these clinical findings should be taken into account during pain treatment.