2002/01/01 by Candy McCabe · 2 citations
Medicine · Neuroscience · #Pain Management and Treatment #Pain Mechanisms and Treatments #Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
paper · doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keg041
openalex publication_date 2002/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
BACKGROUND: We assessed mirror visual feedback (MVF) to test the hypothesis that incongruence between motor output and sensory input produces complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) (type 1) pain. METHODS: Eight subjects (disease duration > or =3 weeks to < or =3 yr) were studied over 6 weeks with assessments including two controls (no device and viewing a non-reflective surface) and the intervention (MVF). Pain severity and vasomotor changes were recorded. RESULTS: The control stages had no analgesic effect. MVF in early CRPS (< or =8 weeks) had an immediate analgesic effect and in intermediate disease (< or =1 yr) led to a reduction in stiffness. At 6 weeks, normalization of function and thermal differences had occurred (early and intermediate disease). No change was found in chronic CRPS. CONCLUSIONS: In early CRPS (type 1), visual input from a moving, unaffected limb re-establishes the pain-free relationship between sensory feedback and motor execution. Trophic changes and a less plastic neural pathway preclude this in chronic disease.