Profile of Pain and Unpleasant Sensations in Patients With Referred Pain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This feasibility study primarily aimed to assess the technology acceptance and usability of a pain tracking software in patients with spinally referred chronic pain. The secondary aim was to assess the fluctuations in pain intensity and distribution, using the pain tracking software during a 3-month period. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the patients' behavior when self-reporting pain when given the opportunity to use a variety of pain quality descriptors, such as tingling, burning and stabbing. Patients with spinally referred chronic pain will be recruited to participate. Participants will be asked to use a pain tracking software to create weekly pain reports for a 3-month period. These pain reports consist of pain drawings and intensity scales. Additionally, patients will complete baseline disability and pain catastrophizing online questionnaires. The project does not affect treatment or does not offer any intervention.

Official Title
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Spatiotemporal Profile of Pain and Unpleasant Sensations in Referred Pain: a Feasibility Study

Conditions
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Referred Pain, Somatic Pain, Neuropathic Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Patients with referred pain


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Suffer from pain in the neck or lumbar spine referring to a limb for a more than 7 consecutive days Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study. Exclusion Criteria: Pregnancy or breastfeeding, severe infections, cancer. Epilepsy, Multiple sclerosis, history of stroke, diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury resulting in permanent functions loss Lack of ability to cooperate due to language barrier, cognition or inability to use technology.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Patients<br>Referred pain | Other: Patients with referred pain<br>* The project does not affect treatment or does not offer any intervention.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in pain extent for 3 months | Changes in pain extent as measured by the number of pixels drawn in digital pain drawings, at weekly intervals. | 3 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in pain intensity for 3 months | Changes in usual and current pain intensity as measured by a Numerical Rating Scale, at a weekly interval. | 3 months | 
| Changes in pain location for 3 months | Changes of the location of pain measured by appearance and disappearance of pain in different body regions. | 3 months | 
| Disability levels at baseline | Description of disability levels as assessed by the Oswestry (if pain located in back) or the Neck Disability Index (if pain located in neck) online questionnaires. | Baseline | 
| Pain Catastrophizing score | Scores obtained from an online Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) at baseline | Baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Pain drawings, referred pain, somatic pain, neuropathic pain, e-health, pain location, biopsychosocial factors, back pain, neck pain, pain extent, function