ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Notalgia paresthetica is a neuropathic sensory syndrome located in the dorsal region between T2-T6 dermatomes and is characterized by a chronic evolution with periods of remission and exacerbation. The objective of this study was to demonstrate a case of notalgia paresthetica, from its clinical and laboratory investigation to the treatment adopted.
CASE REPORT:
A 77-year-old female patient, retired, attended the Outpatient Pain Service of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão. The main complaint was severe pruritus in the right dorsal region with extension to the breasts, associated with intermittent pain, burning, shock and tingling, worsening with physical effort and movement. Her sleep quality worsened because of the pain. At the physical examination, no pain was reported on palpation of the site, with mild hypoesthesia in T5 and T6 dermatomes, without altering the thermal sensitivity. She denied a history of skin lesions. The patient received conservative pharmacological treatment, with significant improvement in pain and sleep quality after six months.
CONCLUSION:
Notalgia paresthetica is a syndrome of unknown etiology, and the lack of studies makes it difficult to optimize the indications and recommendations to direct the treatment. This report illustrates the handling of a case of paresthetica notalgia where gabapentin was used as therapeutic management for pain control, for which it proved to be efficient.
Keywords:
Neuralgia; Pain; Pharmacologic treatment; Pruritus