A Survey of Patients with Neuropathic Pain at Siriraj Pain Clinic
Pongparadee Chaudakshetrin MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
Objective : To examine the profile and treatment pattern of patients with neuropathic pain attending Siriraj
Pain Clinic.
Materials and Methods : A 2-year retrospective study of the prevalence of neuropathic pain, characteristics of
the patients and the use of medical treatment. Records of all the patients that attended Siriraj Pain Clinic from
September 1, 2002 until September 30, 2004 were reviewed.
Results : One thousand three hundred and thirty patients’ records were reviewed. Five hundred and three
patients were diagnosed as having neuropathic pain. The prevalence of neuropathic pain at Siriraj Pain
Clinic during the survey period was 37.8%. The average age of neuropathic pain patients was 54 years. The
most common type of neuropathic pain was peripheral type, nerve compression in particular. The most com-
mon concomitant illness was malignant tumor. The majority of patients (71.8%) had one pain location and the
most common site was the lower extremity. The main descriptions of neuropathic pain were radiating, electric
shock-like, burning, numbing and shooting. Oral medication was the most common method (79%) of pain-
relief treatment. Almost all of the patients (93%) had received more than one type of oral medication. The most
commonly used medicine was TCA (77.1%), followed by gabapentin (35%), carbamazepine (34%) and
tramadol (24.3%). Most of the pain-relief medicines prescribed at this clinic were under the recommended
doses for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Conclusion : Characteristics and treatment patterns of neuropathic pain at Siriraj Pain Clinic are similar to
those seen in other pain clinics elsewhere in the world. The high prevalence of neuropathic pain in the clinic
indicates that this type of pain syndrome is increasingly critical to our clinical practice. More educational
programs on neuropathic pain and management are needed for Thai healthcare professionals.
Keywords : Neuropathic pain, Medical treatment, Siriraj Pain Clinic
