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Pain is prevalent in MS, yet there is uncertainty about the nature of MS-related pain, how pain fluctuates over time in the short and long term, and how it relates to other symptoms of MS.  Â
While pain has a substantial impact on people with MS, only a few studies have categorised the different types of pain that people with MS experience. Pain is commonly treated in MS, but low levels of relief have been reported.  Â
This program of work will focus on understanding pain in MS by examining specific types of pain, in terms of prevalence, severity, predictability and its chronic nature. Pain management experiences will be examined by identifying which pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are most frequently used, and which have the highest perceived effectiveness.  Â
This work will focus on how pain relates to other symptoms of MS and how it fluctuates in the short-term (during the day) and long-term (multiple years).  Â
This project is designed to improve the understanding of individual types of pain in people with MS, to develop advice on pain management for people with MS and health practitioners, and to design treatment intervention studies for specific types of pain. Â
Dr Alice Saul and her team have completed essential groundwork to focus on understanding pain in MS. This includes examining the daily impact of overall pain, characterising specific types of pain and understanding pain management experiences. This knowledge contributes to the understanding of pain experiences among people with MS, providing guidance on pain management for both individuals and healthcare providers, and informing the design of treatment intervention studies for specific pain types.Â
The next stage of the project will be to conduct an observational study examining pain and other MS symptoms in real time in 500 people living with MS. A specifically designed symptom tracking App will be used to examine daily variation and the inter-relationships between pain and other symptoms over a one-month period. Data generated during this part of the project will be used to generate treatment guidelines for participants to take to their healthcare provider and measure the response of implementation. Â
Five manuscripts relating to this work are currently in preparation. The work has also been presented at three national conferences.Â
Updated 31 March 2024
$225,000
2023
3 years
Current project
