Effectiveness of Non-pharmacological and Non-surgical Interventions to Support Pain Management after Spinal Cord Injury

Chronic pain estimates for people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) vary. Pain is mostly managed pharmacologically. Yet, many patients are dissatisfied with the way their pain is managed. This systematic review explores the role and effectiveness of non-pharmacological and non-surgical interventions for pain in people with SCI. Four electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, Cinahl, PsycInfo were systematically searched for the period 1996–2009. Thirteen papers met the inclusion criteria and interventions comprised acupuncture, exercise, transcranial electromagnetic stimulation and hypnosis/relaxation. Study…