Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) as a Treatment for Chronic Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

The study adopts a single-case experimental design, replicated nine times (N-of-1 study). Research on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy for neuropathic pain is limited to studies on phantom pain (and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). In the case of CRPS, two case reports are available, and for phantom pain, there is one RCT with 60 participants and three studies with 10 or fewer participants, without a control group. In the phantom pain studies, EMDR therapy focused on processing memories of events leading to the onset and exacerbation of pain (initial injury, amputation) and pain-related memories with current emotional charge. Sometimes, but not always, these events were life-threatening, as seen in PTSD (American Psychiatric Association Painful experiences, such as falling on the stump, or anticipated catastrophes (nightmares or disaster fantasies) with current emotional charge, were also processed. In the CRPS studies, EMDR therapy targeted traumatic events, including those from childhood, and pain-related events. In all studies, after the events were processed, pain itself was taken as the target for EMDR therapy. The studies demonstrate that after EMDR therapy, pain intensity decreases, as do comorbid symptoms. Research on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy as a treatment for chronic PDN, to the best of our knowledge, has not been conducted. The aim of the presented study is to investigate the effect of EMDR therapy on chronic PDN.