Neuropathic pain: aetiology, symptoms, mechanisms, and management

We highlight current theories about peripheral neuropathic pain and show th at progress in management is contingent on targeting treatment not at the a etiological factors or the symptoms but at the mechanisms that operate to p roduce the symptoms. This approach will require substantial progress in our understanding of the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain, the development of accurate diagnostic tools to discover what mechanisms contribute to the pain syndrome in an individual, and effective treatments aimed specifically at the mechanisms.