neurologic disorders
Neuropathic Pain
Diagnosis of Neuropathic Pain
Clinical evaluation Neuropathic pain is suggested by its typical symptoms when nerve injury is known or suspected. The cause (eg, amputation, diabetes, compression) may be readily apparent. If not, the diagnosis is often assumed based on the description of the symptoms; however, those descriptors (eg, burning) are neither sensitive nor specific for neuropathic pain. Thus, additional evaluation, including neurologic examination and electrophysiologic studies, are useful to confirm the diagnosis and to identify the injured nerve. Pain that is ameliorated by sympathetic nerve block is sympathetically maintained pain. 