Non visceral chronic abdominal pain: the role of myofascial and neuropathic pain syndromes

Fifty four patients presenting non visceral chronic abdominal pain were examined and evaluated accordingly to a protocol specially developed for this study. Peripheral neuropathies were diagnosed in 52.9% of the cases and myofascial pain syndromes (MPS) in 77.3%. The treatment with antidrepressants, phenothiazines, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants, physical medicine procedures and trigger points needling and/or infiltration resulted in significant improvement of 64.9% of the cases. It was concluded that MPS and peripheral neuropathies are important causes of abdominal pain when no obvious visceral abnormality is diagnosed.