Attitude of outpatients with neuromuscular diseases in Japan to pain and use of analgesics

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 267; no. 1; pp. 22 - 27
• Main Authors: Abe, Yoshiki, Miyashita, Mitsunori, Ito, Naomi, Shirai, Yuki, Momose, Yoshio, Ichikawa, Yaeko, Tsuji, Shoji, Kazuma, Keiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 15-04-2008; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living - psychology; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Analgesics - adverse effects; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Anxiety - epidemiology; Attitude to Health; Attitude to pain; Attitude to use of analgesics; Biological and medical sciences; Comorbidity; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Female; Humans; Interference with activities by pain; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Massage - statistics & numerical data; Medical sciences; Neurodegenerative Diseases - epidemiology; Neurology; Neuromuscular disease; Neuromuscular Diseases - epidemiology; Outpatients - psychology; Outpatients - statistics & numerical data; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - epidemiology; Pain - psychology; Pain intensity; Pain Measurement - methods; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Patient Education as Topic - statistics & numerical data; Physician-Patient Relations; Posture - physiology; Prevalence; Prevalence of pain; Surveys and Questionnaires; Asia; Japan; Neuromuscular disease; Interference with activities by pain; Prevalence of pain; Attitude to pain; Attitude to use of analgesics; Pain intensity; Nervous system diseases; Neuromuscular diseases; Prevalence; Attitude; Interference; Analgesic; Pain; Ambulatory
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2007.09.027

Abstract The prevalence of pain and its impact on outpatients with neuromuscular disease, and their attitude towards the use of analgesics were studied. Seventy-eight outpatients at the university hospital, Tokyo, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, spinocerebellar degeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or multiple sclerosis were asked whether they had experienced pain in the preceding week. The Brief Pain Inventory, Japanese version was used to interview participants reporting pain, about its intensity and interference with activities, the way they dealt with it, attitudes to pain and use of analgesics, and desire for treatment. Forty-six participants experienced pain in the preceding week (59%). The mean pain intensity was 4.1 out of 10, and 20% of participants reported that the degree of interference with mobility was at least 6 out of 10. Most participants dealt with their pain without medication, by changing posture frequently or massage. Approximately 80% of participants regarded pain as something they should endure. Half of the participants wanted more information on methods for pain relief. Approximately 80% of participants were anxious about adverse reactions of analgesics. These findings suggest that medical staffs should provide appropriate information and educate their patients.