Pain and Neurologist: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Patterns, Management, and Training Implications

Objective: A large number of patients with chronic pain are admitted to neurology clinics.In Trkiye, the pain specialty is included in the pain management fellowship program.The aim of this study was to determine the patients presenting to neurology outpatient clinics with pain complaints, to examine the role of neurologists in the management of chronic pain, and to discuss the arrangements that can be made in this regard.Materials and Methods: Retrospectively, a total of 2000 patients were included in the study who presented to the neurology outpatient clinic at Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital between April 2024 and June 2024.In patients with pain lasting more than 3 months, the type of pain was determined by medical history, clinical examination and laboratory tests.Results: Among 418 patients with chronic pain, 201 (48.1%) had neuropathic pain, predominantly caused by diabetic polyneuropathy (47%).The neuropathic pain group was older (59.0813.92 vs. 52.0216.55years, p<0.001) and had higher referral rates to specialized care (p<0.001).Headaches were significantly less frequent in the neuropathic pain group compared to the non-neuropathic group (2% vs. 40.1%,p<0.001). Conclusion:We believe that there is a deficiency in the diagnosis, treatment, and referral of patients to algology when necessary, particularly for non-neuropathic pain.In this regard, the revision of the main educational program and the addition of an algology rotation will guide neurologists in their choice of specialty.