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Síndromes de dolor crónico

Last reviewed: 17 Aug 2025
Last updated: 28 Oct 2022

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presencia de factores de riesgo
  • duración del dolor de más de 3 meses
  • comorbilidad física
  • comorbilidad psicológica
  • anamnesis previa de episodios de dolor agudo
  • dolor que causa dificultad para realizar las actividades de rutina de la vida diaria
  • factores desencadenantes del dolor miofascial
  • factores desencadenantes para dolor osteomuscular
  • infección por herpes zóster
  • anamnesis de traumatismo o inmovilización de extremidades
  • uso de medicamentos
  • espasmo muscular
  • síntomas somáticos asociados
  • sensibilidad muscular a la palpación
  • sensibilidad en puntos desencadenanates del dolor
  • bandas tensas
  • respuesta al espasmo
  • inflamación y sensibilidad de la articulación a la palpación
  • puntos sensibles a la palpación
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • factores desencadenantes de cefalea crónica
  • duración de la cefalea
  • dolor que se irradia
  • rigidez matinal en las articulaciones
  • dolor asociado a caminatas prolongadas, aliviado al detenerse o sentarse
  • dolor en las articulaciones
  • calidad urente del dolor
  • alodinia
  • hiperalgesia
  • cefalea crónica asociada con náuseas, vómitos y sensibilidad a la luz y al ruido
  • patrón intermitente de dolor por cefalea crónica
  • dolor bilateral por cefalea crónica
  • dolor unilateral por cefalea crónica
  • rango de movimiento limitado (ROM)
  • elevación de la pierna estirada en forma dolorosa o limitada
  • distribución simétrica del dolor corporal
  • empeoramiento de los síntomas de cefalea a pesar del tratamiento
  • cefalea con dolor posterior de cabeza o cuello
  • rigidez excesiva de la extremidad dolorosa
  • disminución o pérdida de reflejos
  • sensibilidad sobre la distribución de la arteria temporal
Full details

Risk factors

  • mayores de 45 años
  • sexo femenino
  • embarazo
  • antecedentes de traumatismo o dolor crónico
  • antecedentes familiares de síndromes de dolor crónico
  • dolor de espalda agudo con signos neurológicos
  • trabajo de alto riesgo
  • trastorno de la personalidad comórbido/transtorno psicológico
  • incapacidad relacionada con el dolor
  • tabaquismo
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

Investigations to consider

  • radiografías simples de la columna vertebral, los huesos y/o las articulaciones
  • resonancia magnética (IRM) de columna
  • estudios de electromiografía y conducción nerviosa
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ONGOING

dolor miofascial

dolor osteomuscular

dolor neuropático

fibromialgia

cefalea crónica

Contributors

Authors

Gaurav Chhabra, MBBS, FRCA, FFPMRCA

Consultant, Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia

North Bristol NHS Trust

Bristol

UK

Disclosures

GC has been sponsored by Boston Scientific, Abbott, Medtronic, and Nevro to attend cadaveric workshops relevant to neuromodulation.

Acknowledgements

Dr Gaurav Chhabra would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Sarah Love-Jones and Dr Dawn A. Marcus, previous contributors to this topic. SLJ has received consultancy fees for Boston Scientific and Nevro Corporation (regarding spinal cord stimulation) and is an elected council member of the British Pain Society. DAM is an author of a reference cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

J. David Sinclair, MD

Clinical Instructor

Department of Anesthesiology

University of Washington School of Medicine

Seattle

WA

Disclosures

JDS declares that he has no competing interests.

Joan Hester, MBBS, FRCA, LRCP, MRCS

Consultant in Pain Management

Pain Unit

King's College Hospital

London

UK

Disclosures

JH has chaired advisory boards for Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd., chaired a symposium, is a principal investigator and has participated in advisory boards for Grunenthal Ltd., and has given lectures for Pfizer Ltd. JH attended the American Pain Society meeting in 2009 sponsored by Grunenthal.

Beverly J. Collett, MB BS, FRCA, FFPMRCA

Consultant in Pain Medicine

Pain Management Service

University Hospitals of Leicester

Leicester

UK

Disclosures

Not disclosed.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jan;38(1):1-211.Full text  Abstract

American Chronic Pain Association; Stanford Medicine. ACPA and Stanford resource guide to chronic pain management: an integrated guide to medical, interventional, behavioral, pharmacologic and rehabilitation therapies. 2021 edition. 2021 [internet publication].Full text

World Health Organization. Guidelines on the management of chronic pain in children. December 2020 [internet publication].Full text

Williams ACC, Fisher E, Hearn L, et al. Psychological therapies for the management of chronic pain (excluding headache) in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Aug 12;(8):CD007407.Full text  Abstract

Cruccu G, Garcia-Larrea L, Hansson P, et al. EAN guidelines on central neurostimulation therapy in chronic pain conditions. Eur J Neurol. 2016 Oct;23(10):1489-99.Full text  Abstract

Dowell D, Haegerich TM, Chou R. CDC guideline for prescribing opioids for chronic pain - United States, 2016. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2016 Mar 18;65(1):1-49.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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