Profile of Pain and Unpleasant Sensations in Patients With Referred Pain

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

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.

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.