Chronic Pain Rehabilitation in Patients With Small Fiber Neuropathy

Small fiber neuropathy (SFN) is a condition that is dominated by invalidating neuropathic pain. Pharmacological neuropathic pain treatment is often disappointing, since pain reduction is mostly slight and side effects can be debilitating. Although neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion of the somatosensory system, also psychological factors, such as fear and catastrophizing, appear to play a role in the origin and maintenance of disability in chronic pain. Rehabilitation based on pain education and cognitive behavioral treatment including elements of acceptance and commitment therapy, exposure in vivo or graded activity can be performed to influence these factors. To date no specific rehabilitation programs are available for patients diagnosed with SFN.