title: Evaluation of pain in patients with lumbar disc surgery using VAS scale and quantitative sensory testing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain is interpreted at the cortex level, however, pain signaling stimuli arise at the periphery and are conveyed by nociceptive A delta and C fibers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of pain using the VAS scale in pre- and postoperative S1 sciatica patients with regard to thermal thresholds in the corresponding dermatome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six S1 sciatica patients with herniated disc on an MRI, non-responsive to conservative care, were involved in the study. Pain in the affected leg was measured using the VAS scale and thermal thresholds in S1 symptomatic dermatome using Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain intensity as well as thermal thresholds were increased in sciatica patients compared to controls. Disc surgery resulted in a pronounced lowering of pain in each of the operated patients. From the whole group, 21 subjects were examined postoperatively six months later. In the group with complete clinical recovery, thermal thresholds were within normal limits. In those patients with residual pain disability, normalization of thresholds has not been achieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain in sciatica patients may be objectively measured by QST.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Lesław W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Zub
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szymczyk
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pokryszko-Dragan
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilińska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012585:Sciatica / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult