Abstract: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may release neuropathic pain (NeP) by changing the excitability of cortex, improving the cerebral blood flow, regulating the expression of neurotransmitter, fitting the plasticity, reducing the overexpression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and overaction of astrocyte, etc. It is used for management of post- herpetic neuralgia, thalamic pain after stroke, NeP after spinal cord injury, phantom limb pain, atypical facial pain post operation of trigeminal nerve, etc. The outcome is associated with the location, frequency, pulses, intensity of stimulation, as well as the shape of the stimulator, etc.

Key words: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, neuropathic pain, mechanism, related factors, review