Is It Time to Redefine Neuropathic Pain?

Abstract

Brief Summary The current definition of neuropathic pain is not sufficiently inclusive of the neuropathic pain conditions. There is a need in clinical practice and scientific research for the definition to not only cover conditions that are a direct consequence of a lesion or diseases affecting the somatosensory system but also those that are a direct consequence of a lesion or diseases affecting the visceral sensory system, as the IASP definition intends to. Here I propose to redefine neuropathic pain as “Pain caused by a lesion or disease of the sensory nervous system”.