Occupational factors and somatosensory dysfunction in miners with chronic vertebrogenic lumbosacral pain

The article presents the results of a study of afferent somatosensory pathways in 225 miners with vertebrogenic pathology of the lumbosacral spine. Electromyography and somatosensory evoked potentials revealed abnormalities in peripheral and central sensory conduction, which increased with the severity of pain syndrome. Long-term exposure to occupational factors was associated with dysfunction of somatosensory systems and central sensitization. Somatosensory evoked potentials may be used for objecttive assessment of the severity of vertebrogenic pain syndrome.

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