What are the most common neuropathic pain conditions?
The most common peripheral neuropathic pain conditions are distal symmetric painful polyneuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), posttraumatic neuralgia (PTN), and trigeminal neuralgia. Neuropathic pain can also follow central nervous system insults, most commonly poststroke pain and spinal cord injury pain; the latter can occur in the context of myelopathy due to trauma, as well as multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammatory myelopathies. Finally, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and phantom pain are unique states that arguably have neuropathic components.
Overviews of the most common neuropathic pain states are provided below. Their diagnosis and management are described in greater detail in subsequent chapters.
