Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain

© 2011, © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2011. Background: Non-specific arm pain (NSAP) is a vague clinical entity which may constitute up to 53% of work related upper limb disorders. The pathophysiology of NSAP is poorly understood with hypotheses ranging from disturbance of muscle function and neurop...

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Main Authors: Moloney, N., Hall, Toby, Doody, C.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Maney Publishing 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/66970
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author Moloney, N.
Hall, Toby
Doody, C.
author_facet Moloney, N.
Hall, Toby
Doody, C.
author_sort Moloney, N.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2011, © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2011. Background: Non-specific arm pain (NSAP) is a vague clinical entity which may constitute up to 53% of work related upper limb disorders. The pathophysiology of NSAP is poorly understood with hypotheses ranging from disturbance of muscle function and neuropathic arm pain to central sensitization. Objectives: The purpose of this review was to investigate the current level of evidence to support three main classifications of pain (peripheral neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain and central sensitization) in NSAP. Major findings: There is evidence in the literature to support each of the three classifications of pain; however, this evidence is weak. No one classification of pain is better supported than another. It is also likely that overlap exists between pain classifications which present in NSAP. Conclusion: Different pain classifications are likely to exist in NSAP and indeed may co-exist. In the absence of definitive support for one classification over another, clinicians should be encouraged to perform thorough pain assessments in individuals with NSAP in order to optimize clinical decision making.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-669702018-05-18T08:07:11Z Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain Moloney, N. Hall, Toby Doody, C. © 2011, © W. S. Maney & Son Ltd 2011. Background: Non-specific arm pain (NSAP) is a vague clinical entity which may constitute up to 53% of work related upper limb disorders. The pathophysiology of NSAP is poorly understood with hypotheses ranging from disturbance of muscle function and neuropathic arm pain to central sensitization. Objectives: The purpose of this review was to investigate the current level of evidence to support three main classifications of pain (peripheral neuropathic pain, nociceptive pain and central sensitization) in NSAP. Major findings: There is evidence in the literature to support each of the three classifications of pain; however, this evidence is weak. No one classification of pain is better supported than another. It is also likely that overlap exists between pain classifications which present in NSAP. Conclusion: Different pain classifications are likely to exist in NSAP and indeed may co-exist. In the absence of definitive support for one classification over another, clinicians should be encouraged to perform thorough pain assessments in individuals with NSAP in order to optimize clinical decision making. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/66970 10.1179/1743288X11Y.0000000028 Maney Publishing restricted
spellingShingle Moloney, N.
Hall, Toby
Doody, C.
Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title_full Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title_fullStr Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title_full_unstemmed Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title_short Pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
title_sort pathophysiology of non-specific arm pain
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/66970