[Pain and neuroborreliosis: significance, diagnosis and treatment].

Lyme neuroborreliosis is a tick-borne infection of the central nervous system caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. The most frequent manifestation of neuroborreliosis in Europe is meningoradiculitis or Bannwarth's syndrome. One of its hallmarks is intense, lancinating, radicular pain, especially at night. Its characteristics are rather different to other forms of neuropathic pain in respect to the dynamics, localisation and therapeutic responses. This review therefore summarises not only the general symptoms, diagnostic procedures and therapy of Lyme neuroborreliosis, but also revises the characteristics and therapeutic options of painful meningoradiculitis in Bannwarth's syndrome.