Introduction:

It is estimated that of the total number of people who report chronic pain, one in every four presents pain of musculoskeletal origin. The objective of the study was to analyze the demographic and clinical profile of the patient with musculoskeletal pathology who visits a specialized pain treatment center for the first time.

Material and methods:

A cross-sectional, descriptive and retrospective study consisting of the review of the clinical history of the records archived from 2009 to 2017 of the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study and Treatment of Pain and Palliative Care of the UMAE «Dr. Victorio de la Fuente Narváez».

Results:

4,518 records were included. The median age of patients was 59 years (IQR 47:72), with more frequent consultation for the female gender (62%). Chronic pain occurred in 83% of patients with an intensity assessed by the average visual analog scale (VAS) of 6 (± 2.4). Mixed pain syndrome (somatic and neuropathic) occurred more frequently (41%).

Conclusions:

The progression of chronic degenerative diseases on the musculoskeletal system impacts on the origin and evolution of chronic pain. The moment in which patients are referred to a clinic of pain and receive specific treatment could modify its evolution and consequences.