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The aims of this study were to identify the types and frequencies of pain treatments used by individuals with cerebral palsy, examine the perceived effectiveness of these treatments, and identify the types of healthcare providers that were accessed for pain-related services.A cross-sectional survey design was used. A total of 83 adults (mean [SD] age, 40.3 [13.6] yrs) with cerebral palsy indicated their pain location and intensity during the past 3 mos. Next, they indicated their use of 24 different pain treatments and the effectiveness of each. Finally, participants indicated the frequency of pain-related healthcare visits to specific providers over the past 6 mos.Of the participants, 63% reported experiencing chronic pain and rated their pain intensity over the past week as 5.1 of 10, on average. The most common pain locations were the lower back, hips, and legs. Physical interventions (e.g., physical therapy, strengthening) were the most common pain treatments reportedly used and were rated as moderately effective. Many other treatments were also used, and participants sought pain-related care from a variety of providers.Although participants reportedly accessed pain care from a variety of providers and perceived that several types of treatments were effective, many of the treatments rated as effective were rarely used or provided. Future research using clinical trial methods would further elucidate the specific pain treatments that are most beneficial for adults with cerebral palsy.

Objectives: To identify the interventions currently being used by adults with cerebral palsy (CP) for pain management, examine the perceived helpfulness of these interventions, and determine the extent to which these individuals with cerebral palsy-related pain were accessing the services of healthcare providers for the explicit purpose of addressing pain. Design: Retrospective, descriptive study of 64 adults with cerebral palsy-related chronic pain. Subjects ranged in age from 18 to 76 yr and included 35 women and 29 men. Subjects were evaluated by using a protocol-based interview. Results: The study sample sought and used a variety of pain treatments and healthcare providers and rated many of the interventions as being at least moderately helpful. Despite the reported helpfulness of the pain interventions, however, most are only being used by a small subset of the sample. Conclusion: The majority of the sample with chronic pain did not access healthcare providers for help in managing their pain. Cerebral palsy-related pain is undertreated in the adult population with cerebral palsy.