ECT shows remarkable benefit in neuropathic pain, a case report

Neuropathic pain has high comorbidity rates for psychiatric disorders such as major depression or somatoform disorder. A case study published in Hindawi journal by Masashi Ueda et al, showed the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a patient having Neuropathic Pain, co-morbid with depression.

ECT is used in several psychiatric conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. It has also been used for chronic pain with or without depressive symptoms. Deleterious changes in injured neurons associated with nociceptive receptors and descending modulatory pathways in the central nervous system can cause neuropathic pain.

The case represents a 41-year-old male whose right forearm was caught in a conveyor belt at a factory 2 years prior while at work, for which, he underwent a total of six surgeries on his right forearm, but he had residual numbness and pain in the first finger of his right hand and decreased grip strength in his right hand. The pain led to insomnia and depressive symptoms such as irritability and fatigue. The patient had not been prescribed any drugs for the pain. Paroxetine (37.5mg/day) and eszopiclone (2mg/day) were prescribed for his depressive state and insomnia. Nevertheless, the treatment did not improve the pain or the associated depressive state. ECT was tried for pain and depression. Eszopiclone was stopped 3 days before ECT but paroxetine was continued.