Hospital Launches Specialized Neuropathic Pain Clinic

The General Hospital of Fuerteventura “Virgen de la Peña”, part of the Canary Islands Health Service, has opened a dedicated neuropathic‑pain clinic as of September. The new unit is the result of an expanded Neurology staff and a coordinated, multidisciplinary effort with the Anesthesiology Pain Unit and Primary Care professionals.

“Neuropathic pain does not respond to conventional analgesics, and with current treatments, fewer than 60 % of patients achieve adequate relief,” explains Montserrat González Platas, neurologist and promoter of the clinic.

Key facts

• An estimated 26,000 people on the island suffer from chronic pain; about 6,450 of them have neuropathic pain.
• Chronic pain is defined by the WHO as pain lasting more than four days a week for at least three months.
• Neuropathic pain is one of the most common and complex types to treat.
• The average course of neuropathic pain lasts around 30 months, during which the nervous system continuously signals pain without an obvious cause, impairing sleep, mood, and overall quality of life.
• 85 % of patients say the pain significantly affects daily life; 60 % experience sleep disorders and 34 % develop associated depression.

The importance of early diagnosis

González Platas, also coordinator of the Spanish Neurology Society’s (SEN) neuropathic‑pain study group and a member of the Canary Neurology Society (SOCANE) study group, stresses that early diagnosis can make a decisive difference in managing the condition.

Prevalence in Spain and Europe

• In Spain, over 30 % of the population experiences some form of pain; more than 5 % suffer daily, and at least 20 % have had it for over three months.
• About 50 % of primary‑care visits are pain‑related, with 25 % of those being neuropathic.
• Across Europe, roughly 20 % of the population lives with chronic pain; of these, 25 % (≈ 50 million people) have neuropathic pain. Each year, about 1 % of Europeans develop this condition, making it a major challenge for chronic‑pain management.

Looking ahead

The new monographic clinic reinforces the Fuerteventura Health Area’s commitment to comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for chronic‑pain patients, aiming to improve their quality of life and overall well‑being.