Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate pain which is a frequent symptom in patients with MS and factors those may affect pain and the relation between pain and quality of life, fatigue and depression.

Material and Methods: One hundred and four patients aged between 18 and 62 years, diagnosed with definite MS according to the Mc Donald diagnostic criteria were enrolled to this study. Patients were questioned about the presence of pain and were divided into two groups as patients with and without pain. Patients with pain were assessed for pain duration, intensity, quality, localization, type, classification and factors those may affect pain. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were used as clinical assessment scales.

Results: Pain within the last month was reported in 70.2% of the patients. The most frequent localization of pain was leg (80,8%),quality of pain was numbness and tingling (35.6%) and type of pain was dysesthetic extremity pain (%47,9) and type of classification was mixed type (neuropathic and non-neuropathic). Depression severity was similar in both groups with and without pain (p>0,05). The mean FSS scores and rate of the presence of fatigue were significantly higher in patients with pain (p<0,001) compared to patients without pain. Evaluation of the SF-36 demonstrated that, all parameters except physical function were significantly higher in patients with than those without pain(p<0,05).

Conclusion: Awareness about pain, a common symptom in MS, should be increased. Every MS patient should be evaluated for the presence and characteristic of pain. Effective treatment of pain will provide a decrease in severity of fatigue and increase in quality of life.