Page 24 - A Guide to Physical and Occupational Therapy for CMT

Pain and

CMT

Studies of pain experienced by people
with CMT have suggested that there are
different causes of pain. One type is
musculoskeletal pain, meaning the source
of pain is the joints or soft tissues. This
may be due to repeated injuries, like
ankle sprains, or joint deformity and
arthritis. This pain is often described as
an ache or a deep pain. This type of pain
is very common and is a secondary symptom
of CMT because it is not directly due to the
neuropathy. The other type of pain is less
common and tends to more frequently affect
people with Type 2 CMT because the smaller
nerve fibers are affected. This is called
neuropathic pain where the small pain nerve
fibers are damaged and cause shooting or
burning pain.

Distinguishing between the two can be difficult,
but musculoskeletal pain tends to relate to
movement and/or bearing weight through the joints.
Neuropathic pain tends to be random and unrelated to movement.
Some people find neuropathic pain is much worse at night.

Musculoskeletal pain can be relieved by using physical approaches to
re-aligning or un-weighting joints. This could be accomplished by using
stretching exercises, splints or braces (to re-align or protect a joint), or
through surgery if there is fixed deformity. Seeing a physical therapist, orthotist
or podiatrist to learn of existing options may be beneficial. Neuropathic pain can
respond well to certain medications. Your neurologist can advise on
this subject.

Summary
Hopefully, this information will allow you to prepare for and make the most of
your consultation with a physical therapist and/or an occupational therapist.
Please remember that CMT is a condition that most therapists do not routinely
encounter. The therapist you are working with will appreciate any information
you can share about CMT and how it affects you. Please share this booklet
with your therapist and encourage him or her to seek additional information as
needed.