KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN SUBJECTS WITH CHRONIC NEUROPATHIC PAIN ON TARGETED PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic debilitating condition that affects all dimensions of health. Though pharmacological therapy is the main treatment of varied neuropathic pain conditions, not all neuropathic pain conditions respond well to drug therapies. Therefore, under-utilized non-pharmacological strategies were tried and implemented in chronic neuropathic pain subjects to provide adequate pain relief and restore functionality. This study aimed to assess the awareness of non-pharmacological interventions in neuropathic pain and to determine the attitude and practice towards the actual implementation of non-pharmacological modalities in attenuating pain symptoms of NP subjects. It was a Prospective, Observational study conducted on 100 OPD subjects of either gender aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed chronic neuropathic pain conditions who agreed to participate in the study from January 2019 to June 2020 in the Pain Super-specialty clinic at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore. Data were collected using a purposive sampling method, using a Self-administered, 14-item Questionnaire. The mean age of the study subjects was 44.68 years. 60.0% were aware of the existing non-drug pain therapies and expressed satisfaction not only with the physical benefits but also with the psychological results to alleviate pain and provide a sense of pain control. The present study gave a positive outlook on knowledge, practice, and actual implementation of various non-pharmacological modalities in managing chronic painful NP along with mainstay pharmacotherapy in relieving pain symptoms effectively.