Paralyzed people frequently experience a kind of chronic pain known as neuropathic or neurogenic pain.

Neurogenic pain can be:

Central or Deafferentation Pain

Central pain occurs below the level of a spinal cord lesion. It is typically characterized by tingling, aching, and burning. It may show up weeks or months after the spinal cord injury. Central pain usually appears when some spinal cord functions start recovering, which is characteristic of incomplete spinal cord injuries.

Musculoskeletal or Mechanical Pain

Mechanical pain is most often felt above the level of spinal cord damage. Transfers from and to a wheelchair commonly cause it due to overuse of the remaining functioning muscles or those used for unusual activity.

Psychological Pain

Psychological pain is real, even though it lacks a physiological component in the brain. Psychological pain in the elderly is caused by stress, worry, and depression, all associated with post-spinal cord injury pain.