• Kristin Ørstavik, Inge Petter Kleggetveit, and Ellen Jørum.
• Nevrologisk avdeling, Klinisk nevrofysiologisk seksjon, Oslo Universitetssykehus, Rikshospitalet, Norway. krorstav@ous-hf.no
• Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. 2013 Feb 5;133(3):302-5.

BackgroundMicroneurography is a neurophysiological technique which enables recording from single peripheral nerve fibres in persons who are awake. The method is only used in research. We discuss how microneurography has been used to map nerve-fibre functions under normal circumstances and in chronic pain conditions.MethodThe article is based on a literature search in PubMed and on the authors' own knowledge and experience of the method from their research.ResultsMicroneurography has contributed to the understanding of pain under physiological conditions and in chronic pain conditions, in particular peripheral neuropathic pain. For example, signs of hyperexcitability have been found in peripheral nerve fibres in connection with neuropathies and peripheral neuropathic pain conditions, and the proportion of hyperexcitable nerve fibres has been shown to be greater in neuropathy patients with chronic pain than in neuropathy patients without pain. Findings indicate that so-called CMi nociceptors play an important role in chronic neuropathic pain.InterpretationIn the longer term we hope that research using microneurography will help to reveal mechanisms of direct importance for the development of targeted treatment of neuropathic pain.

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