The diagnosis of neuropathic pain requires abnormal somatosensory findings that are logically related to the neuroanatomy and are consistent with a specific lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. In addition to obtaining pain history, as well as information on its quality, severity, and interference, the assessment of somatosensory function should comprehensive, to determine the presence of any negative neurological signs (sensory loss) or positive neurological signs (sensory gain).

This hands-on workshop will focus on the key approaches for comprehensive assessment of somatosensory function – which are a) neurological examination, as the gold standard for clinical practice, and b) quantitative sensory testing, which depending on the particular approach, can be performed in the research or clinical settings.

Specifically, one of the workshop stations will be dedicated to neurological examination by an experienced neurologist, two stations will focus on mechanical and thermal aspects of classic quantitative sensory testing, respectively, and another station will specifically focus on bedside QST approaches for more rapid quantitative assessment of somatosensory function.

Attendees will rotate between all four stations.