ALLODYNIA

Course overview

ALLODYNIA IS DEFINED AS "PAIN DUE TO A STIMULUS THAT DOES NOT NORMALLY PROVOKE PAIN." AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE A LIGHT FEATHER TOUCH (THAT SHOULD ONLY PRODUCE SENSATION), CAUSING PAIN. ALLODYNIA IS DIFFERENT FROM HYPERALGESIA, WHICH IS AN EXAGGERATED RESPONSE FROM A USUALLY PAINFUL STIMULUS, ALTHOUGH BOTH CAN AND OFTEN DO CO-EXIST. BOTH ARE TYPES OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND MANAGEMENT OF ALLODYNIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.