Neuropathic pain (NP) may result from a lesion, disease or dysfunction of the somatosensory system (peripheral or central nervous system). Examples include diabetic polyneuropathy, postherpetic and trigeminal neuralgias, spinal cord injury pain and painful radiculopathy. While general population surveys in the United Kingdom and France indicate a prevalence of 7-8%, information is scant in Australia, as the existence of NP may be subsumed within the diagnostic label of the associated condition.