The Clinical journal of pain
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A mixture of sensory loss and gain is a hallmark of neuropathic pain. But hypesthesia and hyperalgesia also occur with experimentally induced acute pain. Here, we assessed sensory profiles in chronic non-neuropathic pain (osteoarthritis, OA) using the quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain (DFNS). ⋯ These results suggest that chronic non-neuropathic pain may induce slight sensory impairment for large fiber function (bilateral) and small fiber function (ipsilateral). However, all changes are within the normal range, in contrast to patients with neuropathy. Inhibition of central pathways by nociceptive input and altered sensory processing due to disuse of the hand are possible mechanisms. These functional sensory alterations do not interfere with the diagnosis of neuropathy.
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To determine the differences in widespread pressure pain and thermal hypersensitivity in women with minimal, moderate, and severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and healthy controls. ⋯ The similar widespread pressure and thermal hypersensitivity in patients with minimal, moderate, or severe CTS and pain intensity suggests that increased pain sensitivity is not related to electrodiagnostic findings.