What is it?
This tool was published in 2012 with the purpose of providing a single self-report instrument that identified symptoms associated with central sensitization and the quantified the degree of those symptoms.
There are two parts to the measure. Part A consists of 25 statements relating to current health symptoms. Each item is measured using a 5 point like scale with Never (0), Rarely (1), Sometimes (2), Often (3), and Always (4). This results in a cumulative score of 100. The higher the score the higher the likelihood of central sensitization. In a study by Neblett et al, they identified a clinically significant level of 40 as providing both good sensitivity and specificity for the presence of central sensitization syndrome.
Our Thoughts
Having the patient complete the CSI could prove to be a useful tool for not only the clinician, but also for the patient. Understanding the source of the muscolskeletal pain can be an important education tool.
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