The participant is a 62-year-old male suffering from NP due to a complete spinal cord injury at T8 that occurred in year 2010. The patient had noted that no medication or other therapy had improved pain symptoms in the past. He had an intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump therapy introduced in 2017. Subsequently, patient has been tried with several other options including, acupuncture, IV lidocaine therapy, opioids (both oral and intrathecal), gabapentin, and others. During the time of this study, his medications included gabapentin, cymbalta, zopiclone, and oxybutynin. Due to the refractoriness and severity of pain, the patient was referred by the neuromodulation team at Hamilton Health Sciences to take part in this study. The patient suffered from daily prolonged pain in the lower limbs, buttocks, and trunk including burning and electrical shock-like sensations. Four pain phenotypes were identified by the patient and tracked throughout this study. These pain phenotypes began within the first month following the injury and have been consistent for the 11 years prior to beginning the study. These pain phenotypes included:
Left foot: Described as a continuous intense pressure that feels like the skin on the foot is going to burst. Rated at baseline as a 7/10 on the numeric rating scale.
Sternum: When sternum is touched it causes burning pain in sternum area. Only occurs if sternum is touched. Rated at baseline as a 10/10 on the numeric rating scale.
Buttocks: Described as a continuous sharp electrical type of pain/ burning in the lower pelvic tailbone area. Rated at baseline as an 8/10 on the numeric rating scale.
Electrical attacks: Described as attacks of sharp circulating electrical pain that would begin in the left flank and radiate throughout the torso (back and core). Would occur 2-3 times per day and would last up to a minute. Rated at baseline as a 10/10 on the numeric rating scale.