03/09/2026
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a condition that affects how the brain and nervous system communicate, leading to a variety of neurological symptoms without structural damage to the brain.
What is FND?
Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) describes a problem with how the brain processes information, resulting in symptoms that can mimic other neurological disorders. Unlike conditions such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy, FND does not involve structural damage to the brain; instead, it is characterized by dysfunction in brain networks that affect movement, sensation, and cognition.
Symptoms of FND
FND can manifest in various ways, and symptoms may include:
Motor Symptoms: Weakness or paralysis, tremors, abnormal gait, and spasms.
Sensory Symptoms: Numbness, tingling, or changes in vision.
Seizures: Functional seizures (also known as dissociative seizures) that may resemble epileptic seizures but are not caused by electrical disruptions in the brain.
Cognitive Symptoms: Memory issues, difficulty concentrating, and problems with executive function.
There are a lot of CRPS patients that also have FND.
Yet, pain may be the most overlooked symptom in functional neurological disorder.
A new study in the European Journal of Pain highlights something many clinicians have suspected: patients with FND often experience significant chronic pain alongside their neurological symptoms.
In a cohort of 63 patients with FND:
- 86% reported chronic pain, making it the most common symptom
- Pain was often widespread, affecting multiple body regions
- Average pain intensity was moderate but functionally disruptive (≈5–6/10)
- 41% linked the onset of pain to a traumatic event
So how do we treat two complex syndromes in the same patient?
In my own experience - FND patients who participated in a treatment program that addresses the whole person – physically, mentally and emotionally - patients improved across pain, mood/anxiety, and physical rehabilitation outcomes.
The takeaway is simple: these conditions cannot be treated in isolation. It’s important to treat the whole person.
Patients with FND, CRPS and chronic pain often need a multimodal approach and truly individualized care.
Link to European Journal: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12930343/
Functional neurological disorders (FNDs) are characterised by the presence of motor, sensory, or cognitive neurological symptoms not explained by a recognised neurological disorder. Chronic pain is not part of the diagnostic criteria for FND, but ...
