Six in 10 Survivors of Moderate-to-Severe TBI Report Chronic Pain

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Chronic pain impacts approximately 60 percent of survivors of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a study published in the January/February issue of The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.

Cynthia Harrison-Felix, Ph.D., from Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of chronic pain after TBI and identified factors associated with chronic pain. The analysis included 3,804 participants who had been hospitalized with moderate-to-severe TBI.

The researchers found that 46 percent of participants reported current chronic pain, while 14 percent reported past (postinjury) chronic pain. There was little clinical difference in sociodemographic and injury characteristics between those reporting current, past, or no chronic pain. However, individuals with current chronic pain had worse functional outcomes versus individuals in the past pain or no pain groups. Current chronic pain was also associated with higher treatment utilization rates versus past pain. 

"The implications of chronic pain for functional outcomes support inclusion of pain metrics in prognostic models and observational studies in this population," the authors write. "Future research is needed to proactively identify those at risk for the development of chronic pain and determine the efficacy and access to pain treatment."

Abstract/Full Text