Effect of a Mobile Health App on Pain and Quality of Life in Patients With Neuropathic Pain in Multiple Sclerosis

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a self-management-based mobile health application designed for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who experience neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain, affecting up to 58% of MS patients, is associated with neuroinflammation, central sensitization, and oxidative stress, often exacerbated by lifestyle factors such as poor diet, inactivity, poor sleep hygiene, stress, and smoking. The proposed mobile application is built upon Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory and includes five core modules: self-monitoring, health education, goal-setting, skill-building, and professional support access. The app supports behavior change and provides targeted education on anti-inflammatory nutrition, physical activity, sleep hygiene, stress management, and smoking cessation, aiming to reduce neuropathic pain intensity and improve quality of life. The app is developed using Flutter/Dart and includes interactive features such as pain diaries, daily goals, reminders, and feedback mechanisms. Educational materials are prepared with input from an interdisciplinary expert panel and validated using DISCERN and HEMDA tools. The intervention phase will last eight weeks. Patients will be randomized into either the intervention group (app users) or the control group (usual care). Primary outcomes include reduction in pain intensity (VAS) and improvement in quality of life (MSQOL-54). Secondary measures include changes in depression (BDI), insomnia (ISI), fatigue (FSS), and self-management (MSSM). This project addresses an unmet need for digital, non-pharmacological, evidence-based strategies to support MS patients with neuropathic pain and aims to offer a scalable and accessible solution for long-term self-management.