The overall impression is that of devastating tissue damage. The steady state burning is upgraded significantly by any light touch. Signifying the nerve injury, patients are somewhat numb in the areas which burn. The normal pain from sharp objects is delayed in central pain, and then overshoots wildly into unbearable agony when the stimulus can finally be felt. This means that a newspaper laid on the skin will cause no increased pain for a minute or so, but then, upgraded burning comes on rapidly and brutally when sufficient time has elapsed.
Sleep is very difficult because of bedclothing contact on the skin.
The burning and loss of touch appreciation are usually most severe on the distant parts of the body, such as the feet or hands. Paradoxically, such patients may have increased pleasure from certain sensations, especially deep pressure. Pain medicines are of no value in Central Pain. Patients must be sedated and the nervous system kept quiet and as free from stress as possible. The sensation of Central Pain can be largely duplicated by injecting capsaicin, the ingredient of pepper spray, under the skin.