Pain Experience in MS (PEMS) Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the psychological correlates of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) pain: A cross sectional survey study.
IRAS ID
123411
Contact name
Rona Moss-Morris
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Vice-Principal (Health) and Executive Director of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Ce
Research summary
Pain is a common and disabling symptom affecting between 40-80% of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (Hirsch et al., 2009). People with MS (pwMS) more often experience chronic pain (Indaco et al., 1994), describing it as pervasive and overwhelming. Current classifications identify central neuropathic pain resulting from injury to nerve tissue, and musculoskeletal pain related to degenerative muscle or joint dysfunction (O’Connor et al., 2008). Research suggests that MS pain is more than a physical symptom, since social circumstances, emotions and thinking can affect how people with MS deal with their pain. Reviews on primary, non-disease chronic pain conditions show that delivering psychosocial treatments, guided by clear theoretical models, in conjunction with biomedical treatment, is effective in reducing the impact pain has on people’s lives, improving mood and quality of life (Eccleston et al., 2002, Morley et al., 1999, Tulder et al., 2000, Veehof et al., 2011). By contrast, there remains a paucity of research informing the development of a theoretical model and treatment for pain secondary to long-term neurological conditions. Therefore, psychological approaches successfully applied in the wider field of chronic pain management may translate to improved emotional functioning for pwMS.
The current MS Society-funded doctoral programme has so far comprised a literature review exploring empirically supported psychosocial treatment approaches applied within the primary chronic pain population; a systematic review looking at psychosocial correlates of MS pain severity and pain interference (pain’s negative impact on areas of everyday life); and a qualitative telephone interview study exploring the lived experience of pain for pwMS. Collectively, these have informed the development of our preliminary working model of MS pain. Therefore, we are now seeking ethical approval for a large questionnaire-based survey. The survey will draw on our reviews and telephone interview findings by investigating the relationship between specific psychosocial factors and pain severity and interference, taking into account different kinds of pain and other disease characteristics. This will help further refine our working theoretical model of MS pain and inform the development and evaluation of a future treatment programme aiming to improve pain management in MS.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1429
Date of REC Opinion
20 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion