Central Pain Syndrome

Central pain syndrome is a neurological condition caused by damage specifically to the central nervous system (CNS) -- brain, brainstem, or spinal cord. The pain is steady and is usually described as a burning, aching, or cutting sensation. Occasionally there may be brief, intolerable bursts of sharp pain.

Central pain is characterized by a mixture of pain sensations, the most prominent being constant burning. Mingled with the burning are sensations of cold, "pins and needles" tingling, and nerve proximity (like that of a dental probe on an exposed nerve). The steady burning sensation is increased significantly by any light touch.

Patients are somewhat numb in the areas affected by this burning pain. The burning and loss of touch appreciation are usually most severe on the distant parts of the body, such as the feet or hands. Pain may be moderate to severe in intensity and is often exacerbated by movement and temperature changes, usually cold temperatures.

Central pain syndrome may develop months or even years after injury or damage to the CNS. The disorder occurs in patients who have, or have had, strokes, multiple sclerosis, limb amputations, or brain or spinal cord injuries.

Generally pain medications provide little or no relief for those affected by central pain syndrome. Patients should be sedated and the nervous system should be kept quiet and as free from stress as possible.

Central pain syndrome is not a fatal disorder. But for the majority of patients, the syndrome causes intractable pain.

Information provided by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke,
National Institutes of Health

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.