Douleur chez l'adulte atteint de paralysie cérébrale

Pain is the main motive for consultation of the adult suffering from cerebral palsy. Several studies underlined the importance of this problem. We contacted, from two successive studies, the Breton population affected by cerebral palsy, with for objective to realize an evaluation of this problem in this population and to analyse the therapeutic management proposed. The initial results concerned 562 persons of average age 36 years ± 14 years. Three hundred and fifty-eight percent answers were returned to the second questionnaire with a representative sample of the population. Eighty-two percent presented a problem of pain evolving for several years for 73% of them. A quarter of the population has never consulted for this motive. Sixty-one percent of the patients, having consulted, report a therapeutic profit. Spine and lower limbs are the most frequent localisations. Pain is typically mechanical occurring during movements, transfers, but also during the sat or lying position. The search and the evaluation of a painful syndrome in cerebral palsy people must be systematic considering the importance of this problem. The use of hetero evaluation scale in case of communications problem should be generalized with an initial evaluation dices the beginning of care. A good knowledge of the risk factors gives us possibility of setting up prevention and an effective treatment of the pain.