Neuropathic Pain
摘要
Neuropathic pain (NP) is defined as a pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system. Pain information might be sent to central nervous system irrespectively to harmful stimuli. NP can arise from various causes, including but not limited to peripheral nerve traumatic lesions, infections, nerve compression, infarction, metabolic factors, and vitamin deficiencies, or it may also have an idiopathic origin. The physiopathology and biological mechanisms of NP are not fully understood, but it can be classified as central or peripheral based on the location of the nervous lesion. Painkillers stand out as the most employed approach to alleviate NP. However, their efficacy is limited, and prolonged intake may lead to undesirable side effects. Alternative treatments such as neurosurgical procedures and psychotherapy have been explored. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as a prominent focus on investigations related to tissue regeneration and pain reduction. While certain clinical trials have demonstrated positive outcomes with PBM for NP, it is noteworthy that laser parameters have exhibited significant variability.