Case reports – reversal of sensory deficit associated with pain relief after treatment with gabapentin

Abstract

Many patients with neuropathic pain have coexistent sensory deficits. Neuropathic pain may be alleviated by a variety of drugs but sensory deficits are assumed to be permanent. In an audit of the effects of gabapentin therapy on patients with neuropathic pain, monthly detailed sensory examinations were performed during the first three months of treatment. Of five patients with sensory deficits who tolerated gabapentin therapy, three showed marked improvement of their sensory deficits associated with pain alleviation. The cases are presented and possible explanations for the observed sensory improvements are discussed. These findings raised exciting neurophysiological questions in addition to being of potential importance to the clinical problem of neurotrophic tissue injury.