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Sample records for severity pain relief

  1. Intra-articular hip injection: does pain relief correlate with radiographic severity of osteoarthritis?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deshmukh, Ajit J.; Rodriguez, Jose A.; Panagopoulos, Georgia; Alizadeh, Ahmadreza; Klein, Devon A.

    2011-01-01

    Intra-articular injection is being used widely for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the hip. However, its efficacy is not always predictable in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the degree of radiographic severity of OA was predictive of the response to intra-articular injection of local anesthetic with corticosteroid and to determine the relationship between immediate pain relief resulting from the anesthetic and delayed pain relief resulting from corticosteroid administration. This retrospective study included 217 patients (220 injections) with diagnosis of hip OA who underwent a fluoroscopically guided therapeutic hip injection of local anesthetic and corticosteroid. Hip radiographs were scored using the Kellgren-Lawrence scale. Immediate and delayed pain relief was documented using a visual analog scale. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate whether age, gender or radiographic severity of OA were independent predictors of pain relief. Degree of agreement between immediate and delayed response was assessed with the kappa coefficient. Immediate pain relief was reported in 68.2% of hips and delayed relief in 71.4% of hips. A high level of agreement was observed between immediate and delayed pain relief (kappa = 0.80, p < 0.001). 94% of patients reporting immediate relief also reported relief 2 weeks later. Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that neither gender nor age was related to immediate or delayed pain relief. Only severity of OA (based on radiographic analysis) was observed to be predictive of pain relief. Pain relief following intra-articular hip injection correlated with radiographic severity of OA. This intervention may be of therapeutic and prognostic value in patients awaiting hip arthroplasty. (orig.)

  2. Alternative medicine - pain relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acupuncture - pain relief; Hypnosis - pain relief; Guided imagery - pain relief ... neck, shoulder, knee, or elbow) Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Hypnosis is a focused state of concentration. With self- ...

  3. Low cost continuous femoral nerve block for relief of acute severe cancer related pain due to pathological fracture femur

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Cherian Koshy

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Pathological fractures in cancer patient cause severe pain that is difficult to control pharmacologically. Even with good pain relief at rest, breakthrough and incident pain can be unmanageable. Continuous regional nerve blocks have a definite role in controlling such intractable pain. We describe two such cases where severe pain was adequately relieved in the acute phase. Continuous femoral nerve block was used as an efficient, cheap and safe method of pain relief for two of our patients with pathological fracture femur. This method was proved to be quite efficient in decreasing the fracture-related pain and improving the level of well being.

  4. Doubling Your Payoff: Winning Pain Relief Engages Endogenous Pain Inhibition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Susanne; Gandhi, Wiebke; Kwan, Saskia; Ahmed, Alysha-Karima; Schweinhardt, Petra

    2015-01-01

    When in pain, pain relief is much sought after, particularly for individuals with chronic pain. In analogy to augmentation of the hedonic experience ("liking") of a reward by the motivation to obtain a reward ("wanting"), the seeking of pain relief in a motivated state might increase the experience of pain relief when obtained. We tested this hypothesis in a psychophysical experiment in healthy human subjects, by assessing potential pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief "won" in a wheel of fortune game compared with pain relief without winning, exploiting the fact that the mere chance of winning induces a motivated state. The results show pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief obtained by winning in behaviorally assessed pain perception and ratings of pain intensity. Further, the higher participants scored on the personality trait novelty seeking, the more pain inhibition was induced. These results provide evidence that pain relief, when obtained in a motivated state, engages endogenous pain-inhibitory systems beyond the pain reduction that underlies the relief in the first place. Consequently, such pain relief might be used to improve behavioral pain therapy, inducing a positive, perhaps self-amplifying feedback loop of reduced pain and improved functionality.

  5. The addition of tramadol as a second opioid may improve pain relief in severe osteoarthritis: a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Lorenzo, Luigi; Foti, Calogero; Forte, Alfonso Maria; Palmieri, Enzo; Formisano, Rita; Vatakencherry, Abraham; Pappagallo, Marco

    2010-01-01

    Opioid combination has been shown to reduce the need for escalating doses for the treatment of cancer pain. A prospective study was planned to evaluate the addition of tramadol to a stronger opioid for the treatment of severe pain as a result of osteoarthritis, previously uncontrolled by non-opioid analgesics or weak opioids. All subjects received tramadol 200 mg and tizanidine 2 mg. At 2 weeks, tramadol was discontinued for patients still reporting poor pain relief (effectiveness ≤50%), and a stronger opioid was titrated to a morphine equivalent amount (MEA) of 40-60 mg orally. After two additional weeks, patients were then divided into two groups: the Strong Opioid Group (SO) and the Tramadol plus the Strong Opioid Group (TSO). The SO group was allowed to escalate opioid dose for lack of effectiveness; the TSO group received tramadol 150 mg daily, thereafter additional strong opioid titration was allowed. A total of 74 patients were studied: SO (n = 40) and TSOG (n = 34). All patients eventually achieved pain relief quality, with both groups reporting similar Karnofsky Performance Scale effectiveness. The SO group achieved satisfactory pain relief (>50%) at an average daily oral MEA of 120 mg. TSO subjects achieved satisfactory pain relief (>50%) at an average daily oral MEA of 95 mg. The addition of tramadol provided a synergistic effect resulting in a 30-mg decrease in necessary morphine equivalents with fewer opioid-related adverse effects. © 2010 The Authors. Pain Practice © 2010 World Institute of Pain.

  6. Laparoscopic Adhesiolysis and Relief of Chronic Pelvic Pain

    OpenAIRE

    Nezhat, Farr R.; Crystal, Ruth Ann; Nezhat, Ceana H.; Nezhat, Camran R.

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the short- and long-term results of laparoscopic enterolysis in patients with chronic pelvic pain following hysterectomy. Methods: Forty-eight patients were evaluated at time intervals from 2 weeks to 5 years after laparoscopic enterolysis. Patients were asked to rate postoperative relief of their pelvic pain as complete/near complete relief (80-100% pain relief), significant relief (50-80% pain relief), or less than 50% or no pain relief. Results: We found that after 2...

  7. Doubling Your Payoff: Winning Pain Relief Engages Endogenous Pain Inhibition1,2,3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwan, Saskia; Schweinhardt, Petra

    2015-01-01

    Abstract When in pain, pain relief is much sought after, particularly for individuals with chronic pain. In analogy to augmentation of the hedonic experience (“liking”) of a reward by the motivation to obtain a reward (“wanting”), the seeking of pain relief in a motivated state might increase the experience of pain relief when obtained. We tested this hypothesis in a psychophysical experiment in healthy human subjects, by assessing potential pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief “won” in a wheel of fortune game compared with pain relief without winning, exploiting the fact that the mere chance of winning induces a motivated state. The results show pain-inhibitory effects of pain relief obtained by winning in behaviorally assessed pain perception and ratings of pain intensity. Further, the higher participants scored on the personality trait novelty seeking, the more pain inhibition was induced. These results provide evidence that pain relief, when obtained in a motivated state, engages endogenous pain-inhibitory systems beyond the pain reduction that underlies the relief in the first place. Consequently, such pain relief might be used to improve behavioral pain therapy, inducing a positive, perhaps self-amplifying feedback loop of reduced pain and improved functionality. PMID:26464995

  8. Pain relief by Cyberknife radiosurgery for spinal metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sunyoung; Chun, Mison

    2012-01-01

    To report pain relief effect in patients with spinal metastases treated with Cyberknife® and to analyze the factors associated with pain relapse after initial pain relief. We retrospectively analyzed patients with spinal metastasis treated with stereotactic body radiosurgery between April 2007 and June 2009. A total of 57 patients with 73 lesions were available for analysis with a median follow-up of 6.8 months (range, 1-30). Pain was assessed by a verbal/visual analogue scale at each visit: from 0 to 10. Pain relief was defined as a decrease of at least three levels of the pain score without an increase in analgesic use. Complete relief was defined as no analgesics or a score 0 or 1. Pain relief was achieved in 88% of the lesions, with complete relief in 51% within 7 days from the start of radiosurgery. The median duration of pain relief was 3.2 months (range, 1-30). Pain reappeared in 16 patients (27%). Spinal cord compression (P = 0.001) and performance status (P = 0.01) were predictive of pain relapse by multivariate Cox analysis. All 6 patients treated with solitary spinal metastasis experienced pain relief; 5 of them were alive without evidence of disease at a median of 16 months (range, 7-30). As previous studies have shown, our study confirms that pain relief with spinal radiosurgery is around 90%. In particular, long-term pain relief and disease control was observed in patients with solitary spinal metastasis.

  9. Reward, motivation and emotion of pain and its relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porreca, Frank; Navratilova, Edita

    2016-01-01

    The experience of pain depends on interpretation of context and past experience that guide the choice of an immediate behavioral response and influence future decisions of actions to avoid harm. The aversive qualities of pain underlie its physiological role in learning and motivation. In this review, we highlight findings from human and animal investigations that suggest that both pain, and the relief of pain, are complex emotions that are comprised of feelings and their motivational consequences. Relief of aversive states, including pain, is rewarding. How relief of pain aversiveness occurs is not well understood. Termination of aversive states can directly provide relief as well as reinforce behaviors that result in avoidance of pain. Emerging preclinical data also suggests that relief may elicit a positive hedonic value that results from activation of neural cortical and mesolimbic brain circuits that may also motivate behavior. Brain circuits mediating the reward of pain relief, as well as relief-induced motivation are significantly impacted as pain becomes chronic. In chronic pain states, the negative motivational value of nociception may be increased while the value of the reward of pain relief may decrease. As a consequence, the impact of pain on these ancient, and conserved brain limbic circuits suggest a path forward for discovery of new pain therapies. PMID:28106670

  10. Brain Circuits Encoding Reward from Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navratilova, Edita; Atcherley, Christopher W; Porreca, Frank

    2015-11-01

    Relief from pain in humans is rewarding and pleasurable. Primary rewards, or reward-predictive cues, are encoded in brain reward/motivational circuits. While considerable advances have been made in our understanding of reward circuits underlying positive reinforcement, less is known about the circuits underlying the hedonic and reinforcing actions of pain relief. We review findings from electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and behavioral studies supporting the concept that the rewarding effect of pain relief requires opioid signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), activation of midbrain dopamine neurons, and the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Understanding of circuits that govern the reward of pain relief may allow the discovery of more effective and satisfying therapies for patients with acute or chronic pain.

  11. Music for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cepeda, M S; Carr, D B; Lau, J; Alvarez, H

    2006-04-19

    The efficacy of music for the treatment of pain has not been established. To evaluate the effect of music on acute, chronic or cancer pain intensity, pain relief, and analgesic requirements. We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, LILACS and the references in retrieved manuscripts. There was no language restriction. We included randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of music on any type of pain in children or adults. We excluded trials that reported results of concurrent non-pharmacological therapies. Data was extracted by two independent review authors. We calculated the mean difference in pain intensity levels, percentage of patients with at least 50% pain relief, and opioid requirements. We converted opioid consumption to morphine equivalents. To explore heterogeneity, studies that evaluated adults, children, acute, chronic, malignant, labor, procedural, or experimental pain were evaluated separately, as well as those studies in which patients chose the type of music. Fifty-one studies involving 1867 subjects exposed to music and 1796 controls met inclusion criteria. In the 31 studies evaluating mean pain intensity there was a considerable variation in the effect of music, indicating statistical heterogeneity ( I(2) = 85.3%). After grouping the studies according to the pain model, this heterogeneity remained, with the exception of the studies that evaluated acute postoperative pain. In this last group, patients exposed to music had pain intensity that was 0.5 units lower on a zero to ten scale than unexposed subjects (95% CI: -0.9 to -0.2). Studies that permitted patients to select the music did not reveal a benefit from music; the decline in pain intensity was 0.2 units, 95% CI (-0.7 to 0.2). Four studies reported the proportion of subjects with at least 50% pain relief; subjects exposed to music had a 70% higher likelihood of having pain relief than unexposed subjects (95% CI: 1.21 to 2.37). NNT = 5 (95% CI: 4 to 13). Three

  12. Pain relief at the end of life: nurses' experiences regarding end-of-life pain relief in patients with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brorson, Hanna; Plymoth, Henrietta; Örmon, Karin; Bolmsjö, Ingrid

    2014-03-01

    Patients with dementia receive suboptimal palliative care, and this patient group is at risk to have pain at the end of life. Because communicative impairments are common in this patient group, nurses play an important caregiver role in identifying, assessing, and relieving patients' pain. This study aimed to describe nurses' experiences regarding end-of-life pain relief in patients with dementia. This descriptive exploratory qualitative study was based on seven semistructured interviews. Burnard's content analysis inspired the data analysis. Two main categories were identified: (1) nurses' experience of difficulties concerning pain relief and (2) nurses' experience of resources concerning pain relief. Nurses experienced difficulties, such as feeling of powerlessness because of difficulties in obtaining adequate prescriptions for analgesics, ethical dilemmas, feeling of inadequacy because analgesia did not have the desired effect, and a feeling of not being able to connect with the patient. Factors, including knowledge about the patient, professional experience, utilization of pain assessment tools, interpersonal relationships, and interprofessional cooperation, served as resources and enabled end-of-life pain relief. The results of this study highlight the complexity of pain relief in patients with dementia at the end of life from a nursing perspective. The inability of patients with dementia to verbally communicate their pain makes them a vulnerable patient group, dependent on their caregivers. Knowing the life story of the patient, professional experience, teamwork based on good communication, and use of a pain assessment tool were reported by the nurses to improve pain relief at the end of life for patients with dementia. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Pain relief and clinical outcome: from opioids to balanced analgesia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kehlet, H

    1996-01-01

    If it is generally accepted that adequate postoperative pain relief will improve outcome from surgery, several controlled trials demonstrated this only for lower body surgical procedures with epidural and spinal anesthetics. Important effects on outcome were not shown when postoperative opioids...... were administered with patient controlled (PCA) or epidural techniques. However, the most optimal pain relief seems to be best achieved with balanced analgesia techniques using combinations of epidural opioids and local anesthetics and systemic non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Future efforts...... should aim at including physical rehabilitation programs in the pain treatment regimen....

  14. Reward and motivation in pain and pain relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navratilova, Edita; Porreca, Frank

    2015-01-01

    Pain is fundamentally unpleasant, a feature that protects the organism by promoting motivation and learning. Relief of aversive states, including pain, is rewarding. The aversiveness of pain, as well as the reward from relief of pain, is encoded by brain reward/motivational mesocorticolimbic circuitry. In this Review, we describe current knowledge of the impact of acute and chronic pain on reward/motivation circuits gained from preclinical models and from human neuroimaging. We highlight emerging clinical evidence suggesting that anatomical and functional changes in these circuits contribute to the transition from acute to chronic pain. We propose that assessing activity in these conserved circuits can offer new outcome measures for preclinical evaluation of analgesic efficacy to improve translation and speed drug discovery. We further suggest that targeting reward/motivation circuits may provide a path for normalizing the consequences of chronic pain to the brain, surpassing symptomatic management to promote recovery from chronic pain. PMID:25254980

  15. Pain relief in childbirth: changing historical and feminist perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skowronski, G A

    2015-07-01

    Pain during human childbirth is ubiquitous and severe. Opium and its derivatives constitute the oldest effective method of pain relief and have been used in childbirth for several thousand years, along with numerous folk medicines and remedies. Interference with childbirth pain has always been criticised by doctors and clergy. The 19th century saw the introduction of three much more effective approaches to childbirth pain; diethyl ether, chloroform and nitrous oxide. Access to pain relief was demanded by the first wave of feminist activists as a woman's right. They popularised the use of 'twilight sleep', a combination of morphine and scopolamine, which fell into disrepute as its adverse effects became known. From the 1960s, as epidural analgesia became more popular, a second wave of feminists took the opposite position, calling for a return to non-medicalised, female-controlled, 'natural' childbirth and, in some cases, valorising the importance of the pain experience as empowering for women. However, from the 1990s, a third wave of feminist thought has begun to emerge, revalidating a woman's right to choose a 'technological', pain-free birth, rather than a 'natural' one, and regarding this as a legitimate feminist position.

  16. Prolonged knee pain relief by saphenous block (new technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajeev Harshe

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Pain in the knee joint can be from a variety of reasons. It can be either from the joint itself, it can be myofascial or it can be neuropathy, radicular pain. The myofascial component can be in different forms, namely, collateral ligament pain, bursitis, tendinitis, and so on. This responds well to local injections of steroids. Pain from the joint can be because of osteoarthritis (OA, rheumatoid arthritis or any other variety of arthritis. Among these osteoarthritis is the most common and naturally occurring pain. There are several modalities used for managing pain in the knee joint. They include medicines and physiotherapy, intra-articular steroid injection, intra-articular Hyalgan, Synvisc injection, prolotherapy, genicular nerve block, ablation, intra-articular pulsed radio frequency (PRF ablation, acupuncture, injection of platelet-rich plasma in the joint, total knee replacement, high tibial osteotomy, arthroscopy and lavage, and so on. All these modalities have their pros and cons. Literature and experience state that the pain relief provided may last for a few months with these modalities except in surgical interventions in advanced OA. The saphenous nerve is termination of femoral nerve and it is essentially sensory nerve. It supplies the medial compartment and some part of the anterior compartment of the knee joint. This nerve has been blocked near the knee joint by way of infiltration by surgeons and anesthetists, for relief of pain after knee surgery, with varying pain relief of postoperative pain. When we block the saphenous in the mid thigh in the sartorial canal, the fluid tends to block the medial branch of the anterior femoral cutaneous nerve also. It is hypothesized that this may give complete medial and anterior knee pain relief and as most of the knee OA patients have medial and anterior knee pain, this may prove useful. Use of ultrasonography helps to locate the nerve better, ensuring perfection. An effort has been made to

  17. Impact of radiotherapy on pain relief and recalcification in plasma cell neoplasms. Long-term experience

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balducci, Mario; Chiesa, Silvia; Manfrida, Stefania

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the impact of radiotherapy on pain relief and on recalcification in patients with osteolytic lesions due to plasma cell neoplasm. Patients and Methods: Pain relief was evaluated according to a 0-10 verbal numerical rating scale (NRS) and recalcification was measured using radiological imaging. Results: From 1996-2007, 52 patients were treated. Median total dose was 38 Gy (range, 16-50 Gy). Pain before radiotherapy was reported by 45 of 52 (86.5%) patients as being severe (8 ≤ NRS ≤ 10) in 5 (11%), moderate (5 ≤ NRS ≤ 7) in 27 (60%), and mild in 13 (29%). Pain relief was achieved in 41 of 45 patients (91%): complete relief was obtained in 21 (51.2%) and partial relief in 20 patients (48.8%); patients with severe pain experienced resolution and none presented an increase of pain. Drugs reduction/suspension was achieved in 7 of the 21 patients with complete response. Of 42 patients evaluable for recalcification, 21 (50%) presented a radiological response, which was identified as complete in 16 (38%). Conclusion: Our data confirm the effectiveness of radiotherapy for pain relief, including a reduction in drug intake, and on recalcification, thus, supporting its use in a multidisciplinary approach. (orig.)

  18. Non-Drug Pain Relief: Imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    PATIENT EDUCATION patienteducation.osumc.edu Non-Drug Pain Relief: Imagery Relaxation helps lessen tension. One way to help decrease pain is to use imagery. Imagery is using your imagination to create a ...

  19. Relief of depression and pain improves daily functioning and quality of life in patients with major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Ching-Hua; Yen, Yung-Chieh; Chen, Ming-Chao; Chen, Cheng-Chung

    2013-12-02

    The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of depression relief and pain relief on the improvement in daily functioning and quality of life (QOL) for depressed patients receiving a 6-week treatment of fluoxetine. A total of 131 acutely ill inpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were enrolled to receive 20mg of fluoxetine daily for 6 weeks. Depression severity, pain severity, daily functioning, and health-related QOL were assessed at baseline and again at week 6. Depression severity, pain severity, and daily functioning were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Body Pain Index, and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. Health-related QOL was assessed by three primary domains of the SF-36, including social functioning, vitality, and general health perceptions. Pearson's correlation and structural equation modeling were used to examine relationships among the study variables. Five models were proposed. In model 1, depression relief alone improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 2, pain relief alone improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 3, depression relief, mediated by pain relief, improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 4, pain relief, mediated by depression relief, improved daily functioning and QOL. In model 5, both depression relief and pain relief improved daily functioning and QOL. One hundred and six patients completed all the measures at baseline and at week 6. Model 5 was the most fitted structural equation model (χ(2) = 8.62, df = 8, p = 0.376, GFI = 0.975, AGFI = 0.935, TLI = 0.992, CFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.027). Interventions which relieve depression and pain improve daily functioning and QOL among patients with MDD. The proposed model can provide quantitative estimates of improvement in treating patients with MDD. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The control of tonic pain by active relief learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mano, Hiroaki; Lee, Michael; Yoshida, Wako; Kawato, Mitsuo; Robbins, Trevor W

    2018-01-01

    Tonic pain after injury characterises a behavioural state that prioritises recovery. Although generally suppressing cognition and attention, tonic pain needs to allow effective relief learning to reduce the cause of the pain. Here, we describe a central learning circuit that supports learning of relief and concurrently suppresses the level of ongoing pain. We used computational modelling of behavioural, physiological and neuroimaging data in two experiments in which subjects learned to terminate tonic pain in static and dynamic escape-learning paradigms. In both studies, we show that active relief-seeking involves a reinforcement learning process manifest by error signals observed in the dorsal putamen. Critically, this system uses an uncertainty (‘associability’) signal detected in pregenual anterior cingulate cortex that both controls the relief learning rate, and endogenously and parametrically modulates the level of tonic pain. The results define a self-organising learning circuit that reduces ongoing pain when learning about potential relief. PMID:29482716

  1. The control of tonic pain by active relief learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Suyi; Mano, Hiroaki; Lee, Michael; Yoshida, Wako; Kawato, Mitsuo; Robbins, Trevor W; Seymour, Ben

    2018-02-27

    Tonic pain after injury characterises a behavioural state that prioritises recovery. Although generally suppressing cognition and attention, tonic pain needs to allow effective relief learning to reduce the cause of the pain. Here, we describe a central learning circuit that supports learning of relief and concurrently suppresses the level of ongoing pain. We used computational modelling of behavioural, physiological and neuroimaging data in two experiments in which subjects learned to terminate tonic pain in static and dynamic escape-learning paradigms. In both studies, we show that active relief-seeking involves a reinforcement learning process manifest by error signals observed in the dorsal putamen. Critically, this system uses an uncertainty ('associability') signal detected in pregenual anterior cingulate cortex that both controls the relief learning rate, and endogenously and parametrically modulates the level of tonic pain. The results define a self-organising learning circuit that reduces ongoing pain when learning about potential relief. © 2018, Zhang et al.

  2. Feeling worse to feel better: pain-offset relief simultaneously stimulates positive affect and reduces negative affect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franklin, Joseph C; Lee, Kent M; Hanna, Eleanor K; Prinstein, Mitchell J

    2013-04-01

    Although pain itself induces negative affect, the removal (or offset) of pain induces a powerful state of relief. Despite being implicated in a wide range of psychological and behavioral phenomena, relief remains a poorly understood emotion. In particular, some theorists associate relief with increased positive affect, whereas others associate relief with diminished negative affect. In the present study, we examined the affective nature of relief in a pain-offset paradigm with psychophysiological measures that were specific to negative valence (startle eyeblink reactivity) and positive valence (startle postauricular reactivity). Results revealed that pain offset simultaneously stimulates positive affect and diminishes negative affect for at least several seconds. Results also indicated that pain intensity differentially affects the positive and negative valence aspects of relief. These findings clarify the affective nature of relief and provide insight into why people engage in both normal and abnormal behaviors associated with relief.

  3. Medications for Pain Relief during Labor and Delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... FAQ086 LABOR, DELIVERY, AND POSTPARTUM CARE Medications for Pain Relief During Labor and Delivery • What types of medications for pain relief are used during labor and delivery? • What are ...

  4. Optimal Laser Phototherapy Parameters for Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kate, Rohit J; Rubatt, Sarah; Enwemeka, Chukuka S; Huddleston, Wendy E

    2018-03-27

    Studies on laser phototherapy for pain relief have used parameters that vary widely and have reported varying outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal parameter ranges of laser phototherapy for pain relief by analyzing data aggregated from existing primary literature. Original studies were gathered from available sources and were screened to meet the pre-established inclusion criteria. The included articles were then subjected to meta-analysis using Cohen's d statistic for determining treatment effect size. From these studies, ranges of the reported parameters that always resulted into large effect sizes were determined. These optimal ranges were evaluated for their accuracy using leave-one-article-out cross-validation procedure. A total of 96 articles met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis and yielded 232 effect sizes. The average effect size was highly significant: d = +1.36 (confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.04-1.68). Among all the parameters, total energy was found to have the greatest effect on pain relief and had the most prominent optimal ranges of 120-162 and 15.36-20.16 J, which always resulted in large effect sizes. The cross-validation accuracy of the optimal ranges for total energy was 68.57% (95% CI = 53.19-83.97). Fewer and less-prominent optimal ranges were obtained for the energy density and duration parameters. None of the remaining parameters was found to be independently related to pain relief outcomes. The findings of meta-analysis indicate that laser phototherapy is highly effective for pain relief. Based on the analysis of parameters, total energy can be optimized to yield the largest effect on pain relief.

  5. Does Immediate Pain Relief After an Injection into the Sacroiliac Joint with Anesthetic and Corticosteroid Predict Subsequent Pain Relief?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Byron J; Huynh, Lisa; Levin, Josh; Rinkaekan, Pranathip; Kordi, Ramin; Kennedy, David J

    2018-02-01

    To determine if immediate pain response following an injection with local anesthetic and corticosteroid predicts subsequent relief. Prospective observational cohort. An institutional review board-approved prospective study from a single academic medical center. Patients with clinical diagnosis of sacroiliac (SIJ) pain and referred for SIJ injection were enrolled; 1 cc of 2% lidocaine and 1 cc of triamcinolone 40 mg/mL were injected into the SIJ. Pain score on 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS) during provocation maneuvers was recorded immediately before injection, immediately after injection, and at two and four weeks of follow-up. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was also recorded. Various cutoffs were identified to establish positive anesthetic response and successful outcomes at follow-up. These were used to calculated likelihood ratios. Of those with 100% anesthetic response, six of 11 (54.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI]+/-29.4%, +LR 2.6, 95% CI = 1.1-5.9) demonstrated 50% or greater pain relief at follow-up, and four of 11 (36.5%, 95% CI+/-28.4%, +LR 3.00, 95% CI = 1.4-5.1) had 100% relief at two to four weeks. Fourteen of 14 (100%, 95% CI+/-21.5%, -LR 0.0, 95% CI = 0.0-2.1) with an initial negative block failed to achieve 100% relief at follow-up. Patients who fail to achieve initial relief after SIJ injection with anesthetic and steroid are very unlikely to achieve significant pain relief at follow-up; negative likelihood ratios (LR) in this study, based on how success is defined, range between 0 and 0.9. Clinically significant positive likelihood ratios of anesthetic response to SIJ injection are more limited and less robust, but are valuable in predicting 50% relief or 100% relief at two to four weeks. © 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  6. Trajectory of phantom limb pain relief using mirror therapy: Retrospective analysis of two studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, Sarah C; Curran, Sean; Chan, Annie W Y; Finn, Sacha B; Baker, Chris I; Pasquina, Paul F; Tsao, Jack W

    2017-04-01

    Research indicates that mirror therapy reduces phantom limb pain (PLP). Objectives were to determine when mirror therapy works in those who respond to treatment, the relevance of baseline PLP to when pain relief occurs, and what pain symptoms respond to mirror therapy. Data from two independent cohorts with unilateral lower limb amputation were analyzed for this study (n=33). Mirror therapy consisted of 15-min sessions in which amputees performed synchronous movements of the phantom and intact legs/feet. PLP was measured using a visual analogue scale and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. The severity of PLP at the beginning of treatment predicted when pain relief occurred. Those with low baseline PLP experienced a reduction (ppain relief by session 14 of treatment, and those with high baseline PLP experienced pain relief by session 21 of treatment. Mirror therapy reduced throbbing, shooting, stabbing, sharp, cramping, aching, tender, splitting, tiring/exhausting, and punishing-cruel pain symptoms. The degree of PLP at baseline predicts when mirror therapy relieves pain. This article indicates that the degree of baseline PLP affects when mirror therapy relieves pain: relief occurs by session 7 in patients with low PLP but by session 21 in patients with high PLP. Clinicians should anticipate slower pain relief in patients who begin treatment with high levels of pain. ClinicalTrials.gov numbers:NCT00623818 and NCT00662415. Copyright © 2017 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. All rights reserved.

  7. Targinact--opioid pain relief without constipation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-01

    Targinact (Napp Pharmaceuticals Ltd) is a modified-release combination product containing the strong opioid oxycodone plus the opioid antagonist naloxone. It is licensed for "severe pain, which can be adequately managed only with opioid analgesics".1 The summary of product characteristics (SPC) states that "naloxone is added to counteract opioid-induced constipation by blocking the action of oxycodone at opioid receptors locally in the gut". Advertising for the product claims "better pain relief", "superior GI [gastrointestinal] tolerability" and "improved quality of life" "compared to previous treatment in a clinical practice study (n=7836)". Here we consider whether Targinact offers advantages over using strong opioids plus laxatives where required.

  8. Does pain relief by CT-guided indirect cervical nerve root injection with local anesthetics and steroids predict pain relief after decompression surgery for cervical nerve root compression?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antoniadis, Alexander; Dietrich, Tobias J; Farshad, Mazda

    2016-10-01

    The relationship of pain relief from a recently presented CT-guided indirect cervical nerve root injection with local anesthetics and steroids to surgical decompression as a treatment for single-level cervical radiculopathy is not clear. This retrospective study aimed to compare the immediate and 6-week post-injection effects to the short- and long-term outcomes after surgical decompression, specifically in regard to pain relief. Patients (n = 39, age 47 ± 10 years) who had undergone CT-guided indirect injection with local anesthetics and steroids as an initial treatment for single cervical nerve root radiculopathy and who subsequently needed surgical decompression were included retrospectively. Pain levels (VAS scores) were monitored before, immediately after, and 6 weeks after injection (n = 34), as well as 6 weeks (n = 38) and a mean of 25 months (SD ± 12) after surgical decompression (n = 36). Correlation analysis was performed to find potential associations of pain relief after injection and after surgery to investigate the predictive value of post-injection pain relief. There was no correlation between immediate pain relief after injection (-32 ± 27 %) and 6 weeks later (-7 ± 19 %), (r = -0.023, p = 0.900). There was an association by tendency between immediate pain relief after injection and post-surgical pain relief at 6 weeks (-82 ± 27 %), (r = 0.28, p = 0.08). Pain relief at follow-up remained high at -70 ± 21 % and was correlated with the immediate pain amelioration effect of the injection (r = 0.37, p = 0.032). Five out of seven patients who reported no pain relief from injection had a pain relief from surgery in excess of 50 %. The amount of immediate radiculopathic pain relief after indirect cervical nerve root injection is associated with the amount of pain relief achieved at long-term follow-up after surgical decompression of single-level cervical radiculopathy

  9. Sympathetic Blocks Provided Sustained Pain Relief in a Patient with Refractory Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianguo Cheng

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The sympathetic nervous system has been implicated in pain associated with painful diabetic neuropathy. However, therapeutic intervention targeted at the sympathetic nervous system has not been established. We thus tested the hypothesis that sympathetic nerve blocks significantly reduce pain in a patient with painful diabetic neuropathy who has failed multiple pharmacological treatments. The diagnosis of small fiber sensory neuropathy was based on clinical presentations and confirmed by skin biopsies. A series of 9 lumbar sympathetic blocks over a 26-month period provided sustained pain relief in his legs. Additional thoracic paravertebral blocks further provided control of the pain in the trunk which can occasionally be seen in severe diabetic neuropathy cases, consequent to extensive involvement of the intercostal nerves. These blocks provided sustained and significant pain relief and improvement of quality of life over a period of more than two years. We thus provided the first clinical evidence supporting the notion that sympathetic nervous system plays a critical role in painful diabetic neuropathy and sympathetic blocks can be an effective management modality of painful diabetic neuropathy. We concluded that the sympathetic nervous system is a valuable therapeutic target of pharmacological and interventional modalities of treatments in painful diabetic neuropathy patients.

  10. Pain-relevant anxiety affects desire for pain relief, but not pain perception

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Banozic

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pain context plays a significant role in the perception of pain. Despite recent interest in vicarious learning and anxiety in pain modulation, there have been no attempts to explore pain modulation by specific environmental cues. Aims: Therefore, the present study evaluated pain responses in the condition that was attributed as either anxiety relevant (AR or anxiety irrelevant. Materials and Methods: Participants were exposed to both conditions through social observational learning. Pain perception was assessed by means of a visual analog scale ranging from 0 = no pain to 10 = maximum imaginable pain. State anxiety, empathy, expectancy, and desire for pain relief were also measured at both neutral and emotionally inducing conditions. Results: No effect of relevancy of anxiety for the pain context on any of the pain-related constructs was found. However, participants in the AR condition reported an increased desire for pain relief. Maximizing similarities between observed and experienced pain context did not enhance observational learning effects in the emotionally inducing condition regardless of its relevance, but significant changes were found in comparison to the affectively neutral group. Conclusions: These results could have potentially significant clinical implications suggesting that even though observing painful procedures does not increase pain it could affect medication usage.

  11. Women's preferences and received pain relief in childbirth - A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindholm, Annika; Hildingsson, Ingegerd

    2015-06-01

    A range of alternatives in pain management during childbirth are available in the western countries. Women's preferences for and use of pain relief methods during labour is not fully investigated. The aim of this study was to describe what pain relief methods pregnant women preferred when asked in late pregnancy and to identify factors associated with preferred and received pain relief methods. A prospective longitudinal study in a northern region of Sweden (n = 936). Data were collected by three questionnaires. Odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were calculated between preferred and received pain relief methods for several explanatory variables. The most preferred pain relief methods were also the most common received pain relief methods; nitrous oxide, bathing, breathing techniques, epidural analgesia and massage. The strongest factors for using different pain relief methods were primiparity and preferences. Women who used epidural analgesia, regardless of preference, were two to four times more likely to have a less positive birth experience. Women's preferences for a certain pain relief method were largely met. Greater differences were seen between background factors and preferences than the received pain relief methods. Preferences and primiparity were the most important factors for actually using pain relief. Epidural analgesia was associated with a less positive birth experience. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Assay sensitivity of pain intensity versus pain relief in acute pain clinical trials: ACTTION systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singla, Neil; Hunsinger, Matthew; Chang, Phoebe D; McDermott, Michael P; Chowdhry, Amit K; Desjardins, Paul J; Turk, Dennis C; Dworkin, Robert H

    2015-08-01

    The magnitude of the effect size of an analgesic intervention can be influenced by several factors, including research design. A key design component is the choice of the primary endpoint. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the assay sensitivity of 2 efficacy paradigms: pain intensity (calculated using summed pain intensity difference [SPID]) and pain relief (calculated using total pain relief [TOTPAR]). A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify acute pain studies that calculated both SPIDs and TOTPARs within the same study. Studies were included in this review if they were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigations involving medications for postsurgical acute pain and if enough data were provided to calculate TOTPAR and SPID standardized effect sizes. Based on a meta-analysis of 45 studies, the mean standardized effect size for TOTPAR (1.13) was .11 higher than that for SPID (1.02; P = .01). Mixed-effects meta-regression analyses found no significant associations between the TOTPAR - SPID difference in standardized effect size and trial design characteristics. Results from this review suggest that for acute pain studies, utilizing TOTPAR to assess pain relief may be more sensitive to treatment effects than utilizing SPID to assess pain intensity. The results of this meta-analysis suggest that TOTPAR may be more sensitive to treatment effects than SPIDs are in analgesic trials examining acute pain. We found that standardized effect sizes were higher for TOTPAR compared to SPIDs. Copyright © 2015 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Predictors of Post-Operative Pain Relief in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis Undergoing the Frey or Whipple Procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinha, Amitasha; Patel, Yuval A; Cruise, Michael; Matsukuma, Karen; Zaheer, Atif; Afghani, Elham; Yadav, Dhiraj; Makary, Martin A; Hirose, Kenzo; Andersen, Dana K; Singh, Vikesh K

    2016-04-01

    Post-operative pain relief in chronic pancreatitis (CP) is variable. Our objective was to determine clinical imaging or histopathologic predictor(s) of post-operative pain relief in CP patients undergoing the Whipple or Frey procedure. All patients who underwent a Whipple (n = 30) or Frey procedure (n = 30) for painful CP between January 2003 and September 2013 were evaluated. A toxic etiology was defined as a history of alcohol use and/or smoking. The pre-operative abdominal CT was evaluated for calcification(s) and main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilation (≥5 mm). The post-operative histopathology was evaluated for severe fibrosis. Clinical imaging and histopathologic features were evaluated as predictors of post-operative pain relief using univariable and multivariable regression analysis. A total of 60 patients (age 51.6 years, 53% males) were included in our study, of whom 42 (70%) reported post-operative pain relief over a mean follow-up of 1.1 years. There were 37 (62%) patients with toxic etiology, 36 (60%) each with calcification(s) and MPD dilation. A toxic etiology, calcifications, and severe fibrosis were associated with post-operative pain relief on univariable analysis (all p Whipple or Frey procedure.

  14. 21 CFR 882.5840 - Implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... pain relief. 882.5840 Section 882.5840 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Devices § 882.5840 Implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted intracerebral/subcortical stimulator for pain relief is a device that applies electrical current...

  15. The Use of Analgesic and Other Pain-Relief Drugs to Manage Chronic Low Back Pain: Results from a National Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gouveia, Nélia; Rodrigues, Ana; Ramiro, Sofia; Eusébio, Mónica; Machado, Pedro M; Canhão, Helena; Branco, Jaime C

    2017-03-01

    To analyze and characterize the intake profile of pain-relief drugs in a population-based study of adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP). EpiReumaPt was a cross-sectional Portuguese population-based study (10,661 subjects). Self-reported active CLBP was considered to be low back pain on the day of enrollment and for ≥ 90 days. Prevalence and profile of analgesic intake was characterized among those self-reporting active CLBP, taking into account the intensity of pain and the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder. We further investigated whether the presence of active CLBP was a factor independently associated with the intake of analgesics (adjusted for potential confounders). Among 1,487 subjects with active CLBP, only 18.7% were using analgesic/pain-relief drugs. Estimated prevalence was anxiolytics, 14.1%; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 12.3%; antidepressants, 10.1%; analgesic, antipyretics, 6.6%; anticonvulsants, 3.4%; central muscle relaxants, 2.6%; and analgesic opioids, 1.6%. Most subjects with severe pain were in the first step of the WHO analgesic ladder: NSAIDs plus anxiolytics (4.6%), NSAIDs plus antidepressants (3.2%), or NSAIDs plus muscle relaxants (2.5%). The presence of active CLBP was significantly associated with the intake of all therapeutic groups: antidepressants (odds ratio [OR] = 12.56; P pain-relief drug intake in patients with active CLBP was very low, even for those with severe pain. The WHO analgesic ladder was carefully followed, with an extremely conservative use of analgesic opioids even for those with severe pain. © 2016 World Institute of Pain.

  16. 21 CFR 882.5890 - Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... pain relief. 882.5890 Section 882.5890 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... Devices § 882.5890 Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator for pain relief is a device used to apply an electrical current to...

  17. 21 CFR 882.5880 - Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief... Implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted spinal cord stimulator for pain relief is a device that is used to stimulate electrically a patient's spinal cord to relieve...

  18. Patient Preference Before and After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: Which Is More Important, Pain Relief or Strength Return?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virk, Mandeep S; Levy, David M; Kuhns, Benjamin D; Krecher, James S; Parsley, Billy K; Burkhart, Stephen S; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N; Cole, Brian J

    Our understanding of patients' desired outcomes and expectations of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is limited, particularly regarding the importance of pain relief and strength return relative to each other. We conducted a study of patient's ratings of the importance of pain relief and strength return after ARCR. Before undergoing surgery, 60 patients completed a shoulder questionnaire on which they assessed severity of symptoms and rated, on a 10-point scale, the importance of postoperative improvements in pain relief and strength return. After surgery, they completed the same questionnaire, again rating the importance of pain relief and strength return. About 50% of the patients valued pain relief and strength return equally before and after ARCR. However, overall patient ratings were higher for strength return over pain relief, both before surgery, mean (SD), 9.2 (2.1) vs 8.6 (2.3) (P = .02), and afterward, at a follow-up of 5.2 (0.2) years, 8.9 (1.9) vs 8.2 (3.1) (P = .03). This significant preference for strength return held irrespective of sex, age, active sports involvement, preoperative self-assessed pain score, and subjective shoulder weakness. Before surgery, increasing age was associated with a stronger preference for pain relief (r = 0.33, P = .01), and retirees preferred pain relief over strength return. These results show the patterns of patient preference for pain relief and strength return after ARCR. Improved understanding of these patients' expectations will allow meaningful changes in patient satisfaction.

  19. Prescription opioid use among addictions treatment patients: nonmedical use for pain relief vs. other forms of nonmedical use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohnert, Amy S B; Eisenberg, Anna; Whiteside, Lauren; Price, Amanda; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Ilgen, Mark A

    2013-03-01

    Differences between those who engage in nonmedical prescription opioid use for reasons other than pain relief and those who engage in nonmedical use for reasons related to pain only are not well understood. Adults in a residential treatment program participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey. Participants reported whether they used opioids for reasons other than pain relief (e.g., help sleep, improve mood, or relieve stress). Within those with past-month nonmedical opioid use (n=238), logistic regression tested differences between those who reported use for reasons other than pain relief and those who did not. Nonmedical use of opioids for reasons other than pain relief was more common (66%) than nonmedical use for pain relief only (34%), and those who used for reasons other than pain relief were more likely to report heavy use (43% vs. 11%). Nonmedical use for reasons other than pain relief was associated with having a prior overdose (odds ratio [OR]=2.54, 95% CI: 1.36-4.74) and use of heroin (OR=4.08, 95% CI: 1.89-8.79), barbiturates (OR=6.44, 95% CI: 1.47, 28.11), and other sedatives (OR=5.80, 95% CI: 2.61, 12.87). Individuals who reported nonmedical use for reasons other than pain relief had greater depressive symptoms (13.1 vs. 10.5) and greater pain medication expectancies across all three domains (pleasure/social enhancement, pain reduction, negative experience reduction). Among patients in addictions treatment, individuals who report nonmedical use of prescription opioids for reasons other than pain relief represent an important clinical sub-group with greater substance use severity and poorer mental health functioning. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) nerve blocks provide durable pain relief for men with chronic scrotal pain: a pilot open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khambati, Aziz; Lau, Susan; Gordon, Allan; Jarvi, Keith A

    2014-12-01

    Chronic scrotal pain (CSP) is a common, often debilitating, condition affecting approximately 4.75% of men. While nerve blocks using local anesthetics usually provide temporary pain relief, there are no publications on the use of longer acting nerve blocks to provide more durable pain relief for men with CSP. The aim of this study was to determine if onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) cord blocks provide durable pain relief for men with CSP. In this pilot open-label study, men with CSP who had failed medical management but experienced temporary pain relief from a standard cord block underwent a cord block with 100U Botox. The outcomes measured were changes 1, 3, and 6 months post-Botox injection in (i) a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) pain score; (ii) scrotal tenderness on a three-point scale as rated by physical examination; and (iii) the Chronic Epididymitis Symptom Index (CESI) to measure the severity and impact of scrotal pain on men. Paired t-tests were used to compare groups. Eighteen patients with CSP seen between April and September 2013 had Botox injected as a cord block. At the 1-month follow-up, pain reduction was reported by 72% of patients (mean VAS score: 7.36 vs. 5.61, P pain reduction and reduced tenderness based on the VAS score (mean: 7.36 vs. 6.02, P pain and tenderness. Our pilot study found that Botox cord blocks provide pain reduction for 3 months or more for most men with CSP. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  1. KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND USE OF PAIN RELIEF IN LABOUR AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING ANTE-NATAL CLINIC AT SHALOM COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, ATHI RIVER.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njiru, J N; Esiromo, M A; Omari, H O

    2014-07-01

    To find out the knowledge, attitude and practice of pain relief methods during labour among mothers attending antenatal clinics at Shalom Community Hospital, Athi River, Kenya. Cross Sectional study. Shalom Community Hospital, Athi River, Kenya. Two hundred and seven participants attending antenatal clinics at the facility were recruited. The median age of the participants was 28 years and a median parity of one. Most of the study participants, 89.4%, were not aware of any pain relief method during labour. Among the 10.6% patients that were of a pain relief method, 54% had gotten the knowledge from the doctors. All the patients had experienced pain in labour with 72% rating the pain as severe pain. Only 37% of the patients were offered a pain relief method and the intramuscular injectable was offered to all. Majority (88%) of those offered a form of pain relief rated the pain relief method as ineffective. A majority of the women 93% would use a pain relief method in the next labour with epidural method being the most preferred method. The level of knowledge of pain relief methods among mothers islow. There is need to integrate information on pain relief options in labour as part of antenatal services offered routinely. Epidural analgesia services should be enhanced.

  2. Preoperative pain mechanisms assessed by cuff algometry are associated with chronic postoperative pain relief after total knee replacement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Kristian Kjær; Graven-Nielsen, Thomas; Simonsen, Ole; Laursen, Mogens Berg; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars

    2016-07-01

    Chronic postoperative pain after total knee replacement (TKR) in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) implies clinical challenges. Widespread hyperalgesia, facilitated temporal summation of pain (TSP), and impaired conditioned pain modulation (CPM) have been found in painful KOA. This exploratory study investigated postoperative pain relief 12 months after TKR in 4 subgroups of patients preoperatively profiled by mechanistic quantitative sensory testing. In 103 patients with KOA, pressure pain detection threshold (PDT) and tolerance thresholds (PTT) were assessed at the lower leg using cuff algometry. Temporal summation of pain was measured as an increase in pain intensity scores during 10 repeated (2 seconds intervals) painful cuff stimuli. Conditioned pain modulation was calculated as the relative increase in PDT during painful conditioning stimulation. The grand averages of TSP and CPM were calculated and values below or above were used for subgrouping: facilitated TSP/impaired CPM (group A, N = 16), facilitated TSP/normal CPM (group B, N = 15), normal TSP/impaired CPM (group C, N = 44), and normal TSP/normal CPM (group D, N = 28). Clinical VAS pain intensity scores were collected before and 12 months after TKR surgery and the pain relief calculated. Less pain relief was found in group A (52.0% ± 14.0% pain relief) than in group B (81.1% ± 3.5%, P = 0.023) and group C (79.6% ± 4.4%, P = 0.007), but not group D (69.4% ± 7.9%, P = 0.087). Low preoperative PDT was associated with a less postoperative pain relief (R = -0.222, P = 0.034), whereas TSP or CPM alone showed no associations with postoperative pain relief. This explorative study indicated that patients with osteoarthritis with facilitated TSP together with impaired CPM are more vulnerable to experience less pain relief after TKR.

  3. Attitudes of farmers and veterinarians towards pain and the use of pain relief in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ison, S H; Rutherford, K M D

    2014-12-01

    A survey of UK-based pig farmers and veterinarians was conducted, in order to investigate attitudes to pain and the use of pain relief in pigs. Survey respondents were asked to indicate which anti-inflammatory drugs they used or prescribed for pigs, how often these were administered, and the level of pain they associated with particular conditions. The survey found that veterinarians used a range of anti-inflammatory products to treat pigs with lameness. While both farmers and veterinarians gave similar pain scores overall, farmers rated gastrointestinal disease as more painful and conversely veterinarians scored lameness higher. Female and younger respondents gave higher pain scores than males and older respondents. Overall, farmers and veterinarians had a positive attitude towards pain relief in pigs with the majority agreeing that animals recovered more promptly when pain relief was administered. Most farmers agreed that the recognition and management of pain is an important part of pig husbandry, and many expressed an interest in finding out more about identifying pain in this species as well as the treatment options available. The study highlighted potential barriers to the increased application of pain relief in pigs in that almost one-third of veterinarians and two-thirds of farmers did not agree that they discussed pain management with each other, while other respondents indicated that they found it difficult to recognise pain in pigs, and did not know how to treat it appropriately. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Effects of perceived and exerted pain control on neural activity during pain relief in experimental heat hyperalgesia: a fMRI study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohr, C; Leyendecker, S; Petersen, D; Helmchen, C

    2012-04-01

    Perceived control over pain can attenuate pain perception by mechanisms of endogenous pain control and emotional reappraisal irrespective of whether this control is exerted or only perceived. Self-initiated termination of pain elicits different expectations of subsequent pain relief as compared to perceived pain control. It is unknown whether and how this perceived vs. exerted control on pain differs and affects subsequent pain relief. Using fMRI, we studied two factors of pain control on pain relief: the (i) sense of control (perceived control but no execution) and (ii) the execution of control (exerted control). To account for the impact of factual execution of pain control on pain relief we applied bearable short and hardly bearable long contact-heat stimuli which were applied either controllable or not. Using controllability as factor, there was dissociable neural activity during pain relief: following the perceived control condition neural activity was found in the orbitofrontal and mediofrontal cortex and, following the exerted control condition, in the anterolateral and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex. We conclude that (i) pain controllability has an impact on pain relief and (ii) the prefrontal cortex shows dissociable neural activity during pain relief following exerted vs. perceived pain control. This might reflect the higher grade of uncertainty during pain relief following perceived pain control mediated by the orbitofrontal and medial prefrontal cortex and processes of working memory and updating expectations during pain relief following exerted control mediated by the lateral prefrontal cortex. © 2011 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

  5. Barriers to spousal contribution to childbirth pain relief in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emelonye, A U; Pitkäaho, T; Aregbesola, A; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the barriers inhibiting the use of spousal presence for childbirth pain relief in health facilities and recommendations from three perspectives: the midwife, the woman, and the spouse. Spousal presence is a non-invasive, participatory and inexpensive technique used in pain management during childbirth. Although it contributes to a large extent in relieving childbirth pain, it is underutilized in Nigerian hospitals. Overcoming the challenges impeding spousal presence and participation during childbirth will improve maternal outcome, satisfaction and midwifery care practices. A cross-sectional survey conducted in four hospitals in Nigeria involving midwives (n = 100), women (n = 142) and their spouses (n = 142) from June to December 2014 using pretested questionnaires. Five themes were identified: poor infrastructural facility, lack of adequate pain management policy, lack of midwife pain management practices, midwives' attitudes towards spousal presence during childbirth and feelings about spousal presence during childbirth pain relief. Infrastructural defects in the health facilities resulting in the lack of privacy in maternity units for both spouses and partners negatively influence the presence of a spouse during childbirth and pain relief. Adopting effective strategies such as good infrastructural facilities, staff training and spouse-friendly hospital policies will encourage spouses to fully participate in and contribute to childbirth pain relief. This study identified poor staff attitudes towards pain relief and spousal presence during childbirth as barriers. Providing adequate policies on pain management, continuous staff education and orientation on spousal relationship will improve active spousal participation and maternal satisfaction during childbirth. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

  6. Relationship between onset of pain relief and patient satisfaction with fentanyl pectin nasal spray for breakthrough pain in cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Luis M; Revnic, Julia; Knight, Alastair D; Perelman, Michael

    2014-10-01

    Satisfaction with pain relief in patients with breakthrough pain in cancer (BTPc) has typically been assessed by overall efficacy without consideration of the rapidity of that response. To determine the relationship between speed of onset of pain relief and patient satisfaction for treated BTPc episodes overall and for individual treatments. Pooled data from two randomized, double-blinded crossover studies. Patients having 1-4 BTPc episodes per day on ≥60 mg/day oral morphine or equivalent. Episodes treated with fentanyl pectin nasal spray (FPNS; 100-800 μg), immediate-release morphine sulfate (IRMS), or placebo. Pain intensity was measured on an 11-point scale (5-60 minutes posttreatment); satisfaction was measured on a 4-point scale (30 and 60 minutes). The primary analysis assessed the overall relationship of time to onset of pain relief (pain intensity difference [PID]≥1) or time to clinically meaningfully reduction in pain (PID≥2) versus patient satisfaction and overall pain intensity (summed pain intensity difference at 30 [SPID30] and 60 minutes [SPID60]) assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). A secondary analysis assessed whether satisfaction was different between treatments using a within-patient comparison. Eight hundred thirty-one FPNS-treated, 368 IRMS-treated, and 200 placebo-treated episodes were analyzed. Overall, within the pool there was a statistically significant relationship between time to onset of pain relief (PID≥1 and PID≥2) and patient satisfaction (both speed of relief and overall) at 30 and 60 minutes (ppain intensity reduction. When treatment groups were compared using within-patient data, FPNS provided earlier onset of pain relief than IRMS or placebo (ppain relief resulted in greater patient satisfaction and overall relief of pain; between-treatment comparisons showed that FPNS provided earlier pain relief and greater satisfaction than IRMS or placebo.

  7. Mindfulness meditation-related pain relief: Evidence for unique brain mechanisms in the regulation of pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeidan, F.; Grant, J.A.; Brown, C.A.; McHaffie, J.G.; Coghill, R.C.

    2013-01-01

    The cognitive modulation of pain is influenced by a number of factors ranging from attention, beliefs, conditioning, expectations, mood, and the regulation of emotional responses to noxious sensory events. Recently, mindfulness meditation has been found attenuate pain through some of these mechanisms including enhanced cognitive and emotional control, as well as altering the contextual evaluation of sensory events. This review discusses the brain mechanisms involved in mindfulness meditation-related pain relief across different meditative techniques, expertise and training levels, experimental procedures, and neuroimaging methodologies. Converging lines of neuroimaging evidence reveal that mindfulness meditation-related pain relief is associated with unique appraisal cognitive processes depending on expertise level and meditation tradition. Moreover, it is postulated that mindfulness meditation-related pain relief may share a common final pathway with other cognitive techniques in the modulation of pain. PMID:22487846

  8. Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief in children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henneberg, S W; Hole, P; Haas, Inge Madsen De

    1993-01-01

    Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief is in general use, and has proved to be very efficient in adults. The epidural technique and the use of epidural morphine are much less frequent in children. For 2 years we have prospectively followed 76 children who had epidural morphine...... for postoperative pain relief after major abdominal surgery. The age distribution was from newborn to 13 years, with a median age of 12 months. It was estimated that 94% of the patients had good analgesia for the first 24 postoperative hours and no other opioids were given. The side effects were few, but one case...... the investigation. We observed a change in the sleeping pattern with an increased number of sleep-induced myoclonia during the administration of epidural morphine. In conclusion, the use of epidural morphine in children for postoperative pain relief is very efficient. The minimal effective dose has not been...

  9. Exercise Based- Pain Relief Program

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zadeh, Mahdi Hossein

    in the current study was to use exercise induced- muscle damage followed by ECC as an acute pain model and observe its effects on the sensitivity of the nociceptive system and blood supply in healthy subjects. Then, the effect of a repeated bout of the same exercise as a healthy pain relief strategy......Exercise-based pain management programs are suggested for relieving from musculoskeletal pain; however the pain experienced after unaccustomed, especially eccentric exercise (ECC) alters people´s ability to participate in therapeutic exercises. Subsequent muscle pain after ECC has been shown...... to cause localized pressure pain and hyperalgesia. A prior bout of ECC has been repeatedly reported to produce a protective adaptation known as repeated bout effect (RBE). One of the main scopes of the current project was to investigate the adaptations by which the RBE can be resulted from. The approach...

  10. 21 CFR 882.5870 - Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ....5870 Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief. (a) Identification. An implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain relief is a device that is used to stimulate electrically a peripheral nerve... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Implanted peripheral nerve stimulator for pain...

  11. Bilateral CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy for cancer pain relief

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yegul, I. E-mail: iyegul@med.ege.edu.tr; Erhan, E. E-mail: elvanerhan@yahoo.com

    2003-11-01

    AIM: CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy is a useful procedure for treating unilateral cancer pain, however, bilateral cordotomy can be required on some occasions. We evaluated the effectiveness and complications of bilateral cordotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-four patients who suffered from unilateral cancer pain underwent CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy. The procedure was repeated in 22 patients, and nine patients had bilateral cordotomy. Effectiveness and complications were recorded after each procedure. RESULTS: Of nine patents (three women and six men) having bilateral percutaneous cordotomy in our study, four patients had mirror pain after the first procedure. In the remaining five patients the contralateral pain was due to new pain sites. The pain scores before and after the first procedure were 9.3 (range 7-10) and 1.2 (range 0-3), respectively. After the first procedure complete or satisfactory pain relief was achieved in all patients. The duration between the two procedures ranged from 7-243 days (mean 59.8 days). The pain scores before and after the second procedure were 8.4 (range 5-10) and 1.6 (range 0-4), respectively. After the second procedure complete or satisfactory pain relief was reported in all patients. There were no complications in four patients. One patient developed transient motor deficit after the first procedure. Other complications (nausea/vomiting, headache, ipsilateral neck pain, postcordotomy dysesthesia) were mild and transient. CONCLUSION: CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy is a useful procedure for the treatment of severe unilateral cancer pain syndromes. The procedure can be repeated on the other side at least 1 week later. These results show that the success on the second side appears to be similar to the first side with low complication rate for both procedures.

  12. Bilateral CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy for cancer pain relief

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yegul, I.; Erhan, E.

    2003-01-01

    AIM: CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy is a useful procedure for treating unilateral cancer pain, however, bilateral cordotomy can be required on some occasions. We evaluated the effectiveness and complications of bilateral cordotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-four patients who suffered from unilateral cancer pain underwent CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy. The procedure was repeated in 22 patients, and nine patients had bilateral cordotomy. Effectiveness and complications were recorded after each procedure. RESULTS: Of nine patents (three women and six men) having bilateral percutaneous cordotomy in our study, four patients had mirror pain after the first procedure. In the remaining five patients the contralateral pain was due to new pain sites. The pain scores before and after the first procedure were 9.3 (range 7-10) and 1.2 (range 0-3), respectively. After the first procedure complete or satisfactory pain relief was achieved in all patients. The duration between the two procedures ranged from 7-243 days (mean 59.8 days). The pain scores before and after the second procedure were 8.4 (range 5-10) and 1.6 (range 0-4), respectively. After the second procedure complete or satisfactory pain relief was reported in all patients. There were no complications in four patients. One patient developed transient motor deficit after the first procedure. Other complications (nausea/vomiting, headache, ipsilateral neck pain, postcordotomy dysesthesia) were mild and transient. CONCLUSION: CT-guided percutaneous cordotomy is a useful procedure for the treatment of severe unilateral cancer pain syndromes. The procedure can be repeated on the other side at least 1 week later. These results show that the success on the second side appears to be similar to the first side with low complication rate for both procedures

  13. Japanese women's experiences of pharmacological pain relief in New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doering, Keiko; Patterson, Jean; Griffiths, Christine R

    2014-06-01

    In Japan, most women manage labour pain without pharmacological interventions. However, New Zealand statistics show a high percentage of epidural use amongst Asian women. Entonox (a gas mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen) and pethidine are also available to women in New Zealand. This article investigates how Japanese women in New Zealand respond to the use of pharmacological pain relief in labour. The study was guided by two research questions: (1) How do Japanese women experience and manage labour pain in New Zealand? (2) How do they feel about the use of pharmacological pain relief? Thirteen Japanese women who had given birth in New Zealand were interviewed individually or in a focus group. The conversations were analysed using thematic analysis. Although in Japan very few women use pain relief, nine women received epidural and/or Entonox out of 11 women who experienced labour pain. The contrast between their Japanese cultural expectations and their birth experiences caused some of the women subsequent personal conflict. Japanese women's cultural perspectives and passive attitudes were demonstrated to influence the decision-making process concerning pain relief. It was concluded that understanding Japanese cultural worldviews and approaches to the role of pain in labour would help maternity providers in their provision of appropriate care for Japanese women. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The search for pain relief in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: a descriptive study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, Rebecca; Paul, Lorna; Wood, Les

    2011-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use and perceived benefit of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) and physiotherapy treatments tried by people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to ease painful symptoms. This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design. People with CFS who experienced pain were recruited to this study. Participants were asked during a semistructured interview about the treatments they had tried to relieve their pain. Each interview was conducted in the home of the participant. Fifty participants were recruited, of which, 10 participants were severely disabled by CFS. Eighteen participants were trying different forms of CAM treatment for pain relief at the time of assessment. Three participants were currently receiving physiotherapy. Throughout the duration of their illness 45 participants reported trying 19 different CAM treatments in the search for pain relief. Acupuncture was reported to provide the most pain relief (n=16). Twenty-seven participants reported a total of 16 different interventions prescribed by their physiotherapist. The results of this study suggest some physiotherapy and CAM treatments may help people manage painful CFS symptoms. Future research should be directed to evaluating the effectiveness of interventions such as acupuncture or gentle soft tissue therapies to reduce pain in people with CFS.

  15. Ibuprofen Versus Fennel for the Relief of Postpartum Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parvin Asti

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The present study aimed to compare the value of ibuprofen and fennel for postpartum painrelief in women with normal vaginal delivery.Materials and methods:In this randomized clinical trial we studied 90 women referring to obstetricsward for Normal Vaginal Delivery (NVD in Assali hospital in Khoramabad. Women were randomlyallocated to receive either oral ibuprofen or oral fennel by stratified random sampling technique. Allwomen were asked to give pain score by visual analogue scale before and at 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours aftertreatment.Results: Difference between fennel and ibuprofen groups was not significant considering severity of painbefore (P=0.22. Difference between two groups considering mean severity of pain one hour aftertreatment (P=0.57 was not significant. But comparing the mean of pain severity in two groups, showedsignificant difference after two (p<0.023, three (p<0.001 and four (p<0.001 hours after treatment.Conclusion: Ibuprofen and fennel were effective for relief of postpartum pain without any notable sideeffects, but in general ibuprofen was more effective than fennel. More studies are needed to confirm theefficacy of fennel in pain relief especially in postpartum women which must be compared to a notreatment control group.

  16. Photobiomodulation: Implications for Anesthesia and Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Roberta T; Armati, Patricia J

    2016-12-01

    This review examines the evidence of neural inhibition as a mechanism underlying pain relief and anesthetic effect of photobiomodulation (PBM). PBM for pain relief has also been used for more than 30 years; however, the mechanism of its effectiveness has not been well understood. We review electrophysiological studies in humans and animal models and cell culture studies to examine neural responses to PBM. Evidence shows that PBM can inhibit nerve function in vivo, in situ, ex vivo, and in culture. Animal studies using noxious stimuli indicate nociceptor-specific inhibition with other studies providing direct evidence of local conduction block, leading to inhibited translation of pain centrally. Evidence of PBM-disrupted neuronal physiology affecting axonal flow, cytoskeleton organization, and decreased ATP is also presented. PBM changes are reversible with no side effects or nerve damage. This review provides strong evidence in neuroscience identifying inhibition of neural function as a mechanism for the clinical application of PBM in pain and anesthesia.

  17. The Team Approach to Pain Relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Navigation Bar Home Current Issue Past Issues The Team Approach to Pain Relief Past Issues / Fall 2007 ... Roberts is seen here with some of the team members, (left to right) Dr. Berger, Jacques Bolle, ...

  18. Requests for cesarean deliveries: The politics of labor pain and pain relief in Shanghai, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Eileen

    2017-01-01

    Cesarean section rates have risen dramatically in China within the past 25 years, particularly driven by non-medical factors and maternal requests. One major reason women request cesareans is the fear of labor pain, in a country where a minority of women are given any form of pain relief during labor. Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews with 26 postpartum women and 8 providers at a Shanghai district hospital in June and July of 2015, this article elucidates how perceptions of labor pain and the environment of pain relief constructs the cesarean on maternal request. In particular, many women feared labor pain and, in a context without effective pharmacological pain relief or social support during labor, they came to view cesarean sections as a way to negotiate their labor pain. In some cases, women would request cesarean sections during labor as an expression of their pain and a call for a response to their suffering. However, physicians, under recent state policy, deny such requests, particularly as they do not view pain as a reasonable indication for a cesarean birth. This disconnect leads to a mismatch in goals for the experience of birth. To reduce unnecessary C-sections, policy makers should instead address the lack of pain relief during childbirth and develop other means of improving the childbirth experience that may relieve maternal anxiety, such as allowing family members to support the laboring woman and integrating a midwifery model for low-risk births within China's maternal-services system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Acupucture as pain relief during delivery - a randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borup, Lissa; Wurlitzer, Winnie; Hedegaard, Morten

    2009-01-01

    Background: Many women need some kind of analgesic treatment to relieve pain during childbirth. The objective of our study was to compare the effect of acupuncture with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) and traditional analgesics for pain relief and relaxation during delivery...... with respect to pain intensity, birth experience, and obstetric outcome. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 607 healthy women in labor at term who received acupuncture, TENS, or traditional analgesics. Primary outcomes were the need for pharmacological and invasive methods, level of pain...... to existing pain relief methods. (BIRTH 36:1 March 2009)...

  20. Combined approaches for the relief of spinal cord injury-induced neuropathic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gwak, Young S; Kim, Hee Young; Lee, Bong Hyo; Yang, Chae Ha

    2016-04-01

    The adequate treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neuropathic pain still remains an unresolved problem. The current medications predominantly used in the SCI-induced neuropathic pain therapy are morphine, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and antiepileptics, which suggests that psychiatric aspects might be important factors in the treatment of neuropathic pain. It is well documented that the modulation of the sensory events is not a unique way for achieving pain relief. In addition, pain patients still express dissatisfaction and complain of unwanted effects of the medications, suggesting that alternative approaches for the treatment of neuropathic pain are essential. In psychiatry, pain relief represents relaxation and a feeling of comfort and satisfaction, which suggests that cognitive and emotional motivations are important factors in the treatment of neuropathic pain. The comorbidity of chronic pain and psychiatric disorders, which is well recognized, suggests that the effective therapeutic relief for neuropathic pain induced by SCI can be achieved in conjunction with the management of the sensory and psychiatric aspects of patient. In this review, we address the feasibility of a combined acupuncture and pharmacotherapy treatment for the relief of neuropathic pain behavior following SCI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. knowledge, attitude and use of pain relief in labour among women

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-07-01

    Jul 1, 2014 ... Objective: To find out the knowledge, attitude and practice of pain relief methods during labour among ... all of which could adversely affect uterine blood flow. Pain relief in ... knowledge was low among women who did not use any form of ... Niven et al found that memories of labour pains can evoke intense ...

  2. A novel and effective acupuncture modality as a complementary therapy to acute pain relief in inpatients with rib fractures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Chao-Wei; Li, Ming-Chieh; Hsu, Yu-Pao; Kang, Shih-Ching; Liu, Erh-Hao; Lee, Ko-Hung

    2014-01-01

    Pain control has been emphasized as a priority for both practitioners and inpatients with rib fractures, since analgesia could only offer limited relief from severe pain. A prospective and randomized controlled trial was conducted to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture in acute pain relief for inpatients with rib fractures. A total of 58 inpatients were recruited and allocated to two groups, receiving identical doses of conventional oral analgesics as well as filiform needles as treatment and thumbtack intradermal (TI) needles placed upon the skin surface as a control, respectively, via novel acupuncture modality once daily for three consecutive days. The effect of pain relief was evaluated during activities that induce pain, and sustained maximal inspiration (SMI) lung volumes and sleep quality were assessed. The patients treated with filiform needles had more effective pain relief than those in the TI needle group during deep breathing, coughing, and turning over the body (p pain relief via acupuncture. The active evaluation could provide a more adaptive model for assessing pain intensity due to rib fractures. This novel acupuncture modality in which the needle insertion sites are corresponding to the pain spots can be a safe and viable therapy for relieving pain in inpatients with rib fractures.

  3. Oscillatory neural representations in the sensory thalamus predict neuropathic pain relief by deep brain stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yongzhi; Green, Alexander L; Hyam, Jonathan; Fitzgerald, James; Aziz, Tipu Z; Wang, Shouyan

    2018-01-01

    Understanding the function of sensory thalamic neural activity is essential for developing and improving interventions for neuropathic pain. However, there is a lack of investigation of the relationship between sensory thalamic oscillations and pain relief in patients with neuropathic pain. This study aims to identify the oscillatory neural characteristics correlated with pain relief induced by deep brain stimulation (DBS), and develop a quantitative model to predict pain relief by integrating characteristic measures of the neural oscillations. Measures of sensory thalamic local field potentials (LFPs) in thirteen patients with neuropathic pain were screened in three dimensional feature space according to the rhythm, balancing, and coupling neural behaviours, and correlated with pain relief. An integrated approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis is proposed to integrate the multiple measures and provide a predictive model. This study reveals distinct thalamic rhythms of theta, alpha, high beta and high gamma oscillations correlating with pain relief. The balancing and coupling measures between these neural oscillations were also significantly correlated with pain relief. The study enriches the series research on the function of thalamic neural oscillations in neuropathic pain and relief, and provides a quantitative approach for predicting pain relief by DBS using thalamic neural oscillations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Modeling the onset and offset of dental pain relief by ibuprofen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hanbin; Mandema, Jaap; Wada, Russell; Jayawardena, Shyamalie; Desjardins, Paul; Doyle, Geraldine; Kellstein, David

    2012-01-01

    Onset and offset of dental pain relief by ibuprofen following third molar extraction were modeled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 8-hour study of patients receiving either a novel effervescent ibuprofen tablet (400 mg; N = 30), standard ibuprofen tablets (Nurofen(®) 2 × 200 mg; N = 22), or placebo (N = 37). An Emax model was fit to pain relief scores. Linear hazard models were used to analyze the time to first perceptible relief (TFPR), the time to meaningful pain relief (TMPR), and time to remedication (REMD). Nomograms were created to correlate TFPR, TMPR, and REMD with different ibuprofen pharmacokinetic profiles. Effervescent ibuprofen was absorbed rapidly with 95% completion within 15 minutes. Maximum pain relief score by ibuprofen was 1.8 units greater than placebo, with an EC50 (effect-site) for ibuprofen concentration of 10.2 µg·mL(-1). The likelihood to achieve TFPR and TMPR was doubled for every 10 µg·mL(-1) increase in ibuprofen plasma concentration. REMD risk decreased 40-fold as the categorical pain relief score increased from 0 to 3. Rapid absorption of ibuprofen effervescent resulted in an earlier TFPR and TMPR, and a lower REMD rate than standard ibuprofen. The nomograms may be useful in predicting the onset and offset of new faster acting ibuprofen formulations, based on pharmacokinetic profiles.

  5. Evaluating acute pain intensity relief: challenges when using an 11-point numerical rating scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauny, Jean-Marc; Paquet, Jean; Lavigne, Gilles; Marquis, Martin; Daoust, Raoul

    2016-02-01

    Percentage of pain intensity difference (PercentPID) is a recognized way of evaluating pain relief with an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) but is not without flaws. A new metric, the slope of relative pain intensity difference (SlopePID), which consists in dividing PercentPID by the time between 2 pain measurements, is proposed. This study aims to validate SlopePID with 3 measures of subjective pain relief: a 5-category relief scale (not, a little, moderate, very, complete), a 2-category relief question ("I'm relieved," "I'm not relieved"), and a single-item question, "Wanting other medication to treat pain?" (Yes/No). This prospective cohort study included 361 patients in the emergency department who had an initial acute pain NRS > 3 and a pain intensity assessment within 90 minutes after analgesic administration. Mean age was 50.2 years (SD = 19.3) and 59% were women. Area under the curves of receiver operating characteristic curves analyses revealed similar discriminative power for PercentPID (0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79-0.88) and SlopePID (0.82; 95% CI, 0.77-0.86). Considering the "very" category from the 5-category relief scale as a substantial relief, the average cutoff for substantial relief was a decrease of 64% (95% CI, 59-69) for PercentPID and of 49% per hour (95% CI, 44-54) for SlopePID. However, when a cutoff criterion of 50% was used as a measure of pain relief for an individual patient, PercentPID underestimated pain-relieved patients by 12.1% (P pain intensity at baseline was an odd number compared with an even number (32.9% vs 45.0%, respectively). SlopePID should be used instead of PercentPID as a metric to evaluate acute pain relief on a 0 to 10 NRS.

  6. Ibuprofen is superior to paracetamol for pain relief following third molar removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraiolo, Debra M; Veitz-Keenan, Analia

    2014-12-01

    The Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, Embase and the metaRegister of Controlled Trials were searched with no language restrictions. Randomised controlled double-blinded clinical trials using the third molar model were included. Two review authors independently and in duplicate extracted data. The proportion of patients with at least 50% pain relief (based on total pain relief (TOTPAR) and summed pain intensity difference (SPID) data) was calculated for all three drugs at both two and six hours post-dosing and meta-analysed for comparison. Seven studies involving 2241 patients were included. Two studies were considered to be at low risk of bias, three at high risk and two unclear risk of bias. Ibuprofen was found to be a superior analgesic to paracetamol at several doses, with high quality evidence suggesting that ibuprofen 400 mg is superior to 1000 mg paracetamol based on pain relief (estimated from TOTPAR data) and the use of rescue medication meta-analyses. Risk ratio (RR) for at least 50% pain relief (based on TOTPAR) at six hours was 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 to 1.69; five trials) favouring 400 mg ibuprofen over 1000 mg paracetamol, RR for not using rescue medication (also favouring ibuprofen) was 1.50 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.79; four trials). For combined drug RR for at least 50% of the maximum pain relief over six hours of 1.77 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.39) (paracetamol 1000 mg and ibuprofen 400 mg) (one trial; moderate quality evidence). RR not using rescue medication 1.60 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.88) (two trials; moderate quality evidence). Adverse events were comparable between the treatment groups, but no formal analysis could be undertaken. There is high quality evidence that ibuprofen is superior to paracetamol at doses of 200 mg to 512 mg and 600 mg to 1000 mg respectively based on pain relief and use of rescue medication data collected at six hours postoperatively. The

  7. Anaesthetic injection versus ischemic compression for the pain relief of abdominal wall trigger points in women with chronic pelvic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montenegro, Mary L L S; Braz, Carolina A; Rosa-e-Silva, Julio C; Candido-dos-Reis, Francisco J; Nogueira, Antonio A; Poli-Neto, Omero B

    2015-12-01

    Chronic pelvic pain is a common condition among women, and 10 to 30 % of causes originate from the abdominal wall, and are associated with trigger points. Although little is known about their pathophysiology, variable methods have been practiced clinically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of local anaesthetic injections versus ischemic compression via physical therapy for pain relief of abdominal wall trigger points in women with chronic pelvic pain. We conducted a parallel group randomized trial including 30 women with chronic pelvic pain with abdominal wall trigger points. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. One group received an injection of 2 mL 0.5 % lidocaine without a vasoconstrictor into a trigger point. In the other group, ischemic compression via physical therapy was administered at the trigger points three times, with each session lasting for 60 s, and a rest period of 30 s between applications. Both treatments were administered during one weekly session for four weeks. Our primary outcomes were satisfactory clinical response rates and percentages of pain relief. Our secondary outcomes are pain threshold and tolerance at the trigger points. All subjects were evaluated at baseline and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the interventions. The study was conducted at a tertiary hospital that was associated with a university providing assistance predominantly to working class women who were treated by the public health system. Clinical response rates and pain relief were significantly better at 1, 4, and 12 weeks for those receiving local anaesthetic injections than ischemic compression via physical therapy. The pain relief of women treated with local anaesthetic injections progressively improved at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after intervention. In contrast, women treated with ischemic compression did not show considerable changes in pain relief after intervention. In the local anaesthetic injection group, pain threshold

  8. Paracetamol for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Weil, K.; Hooper, L.; Afzal, Z.; Esposito, M.; Worthington, H.V.; van Wijk, A.J.; Coulthard, P.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Paracetamol has been commonly used for the relief of postoperative pain following oral surgery. In this review we investigated the optimal dose of paracetamol and the optimal time for drug administration to provide pain relief, taking into account the side effects of different doses of

  9. A novel and effective acupuncture modality as a complementary therapy to acute pain relief in inpatients with rib fractures

    OpenAIRE

    Hsin-Yi Ho; Chao-Wei Chen; Ming-Chieh Li; Yu-Pao Hsu; Shih-Ching Kang; Erh-Hao Liu; Ko-Hung Lee

    2014-01-01

    Background: Pain control has been emphasized as a priority for both practitioners and inpatients with rib fractures, since analgesia could only offer limited relief from severe pain. A prospective and randomized controlled trial was conducted to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture in acute pain relief for inpatients with rib fractures. Methods: A total of 58 inpatients were recruited and allocated to two groups, receiving identical doses of conventional oral analgesics as we...

  10. Patient expectations predict greater pain relief with joint arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandhi, Rajiv; Davey, John Roderick; Mahomed, Nizar

    2009-08-01

    We examined the relationship between patient expectations of total joint arthroplasty and functional outcomes. We surveyed 1799 patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty for demographic data and Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year of follow-up. Patient expectations were determined with 3 survey questions. The patients with the greatest expectations of surgery were younger, male, and had a lower body mass index. Linear regression modeling showed that a greater expectation of pain relief with surgery independently predicted greater reported pain relief at 1 year of follow-up, adjusted for all relevant covariates (P relief after joint arthroplasty is an important predictor of outcomes at 1 year.

  11. Parents' knowledge, attitudes, use of pain relief methods and satisfaction related to their children's postoperative pain management: a descriptive correlational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chng, Hui Yi; He, Hong-Gu; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Liam, Joanne Li Wee; Zhu, Lixia; Cheng, Karis Kin Fong

    2015-06-01

    To examine parents' knowledge about and attitudes towards pain management, use of pain relief strategies and satisfaction with their children's postoperative pain management, as well as the relationships among these variables. Children's postoperative pain is inadequately managed worldwide. Despite increasing emphasis on parental involvement in children's postoperative pain management, few studies have examined parents' management of their child's postoperative pain in Singapore. A descriptive correlational study. A convenience sample of 60 parents having 6- to 14-year-old children undergoing inpatient elective surgery in a public hospital in Singapore was recruited. Data were collected one day after each child's surgery using the Pain Management Knowledge and Attitudes questionnaire and the Parents' Use of Pain Relief Strategies questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used for data analyses. Parents displayed moderate levels of knowledge, attitudes and use of pain relief methods in relation to their children's postoperative pain and pain management. They were generally satisfied with the management of their child's postoperative pain. There was significant difference in Parents' Use of Pain Relief Strategies scores between parents with and without previous experience of caring for their hospitalised child. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between parents' knowledge and attitude, knowledge and satisfaction, attitude and satisfaction, knowledge and pain relief strategies, as well as attitude and pain relief strategies. This study indicates the need to provide parents with more information regarding their children's postoperative pain management. Future studies are needed to develop educational interventions for parents to improve their knowledge and attitudes, which will eventually improve their use of pain relief strategies for their children. Health

  12. Concordant pressure paresthesia during interlaminar lumbar epidural steroid injections correlates with pain relief in patients with unilateral radicular pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candido, Kenneth D; Rana, Maunak V; Sauer, Ruben; Chupatanakul, Lalida; Tharian, Antony; Vasic, Vladimir; Knezevic, Nebojsa Nick

    2013-01-01

    Transforaminal and interlaminar epidural steroid injections are commonly used interventional pain management procedures in the treatment of radicular low back pain. Even though several studies have shown that transforaminal injections provide enhanced short-term outcomes in patients with radicular and low back pain, they have also been associated with a higher incidence of unintentional intravascular injection and often dire consequences than have interlaminar injections. We compared 2 different approaches, midline and lateral parasagittal, of lumbar interlaminar epidural steroid injection (LESI) in patients with unilateral lumbosacral radiculopathic pain. We also tested the role of concordant pressure paresthesia occurring during LESI as a prognostic factor in determining the efficacy of LESI. Prospective, randomized, blinded study. Pain management center, part of a teaching-community hospital in a major metropolitan US city. After Institutional Review Board approval, 106 patients undergoing LESI for radicular low back pain were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups (53 patients each) based on approach: midline interlaminar (MIL) and lateral parasagittal interlaminar (PIL). Patients were asked to grade any pressure paresthesia as occurring ipsilaterally or contralaterally to their "usual and customary pain," or in a distribution atypical of their daily pain. Other variables such as: the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire, pain scores at rest and during movement, use of pain medications, etc. were recorded 20 minutes before the procedure, and on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, 120, 180 and 365 after the injection. Results of this study showed statistically and clinically significant pain relief in patients undergoing LESI by both the MIL and PIL approaches. Patients receiving LESI using the lateral parasagittal approach had statistically and clinically longer pain relief then patients receiving LESI via a midline approach. They also had slightly better quality of

  13. Opponent appetitive-aversive neural processes underlie predictive learning of pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seymour, Ben; O'Doherty, John P; Koltzenburg, Martin; Wiech, Katja; Frackowiak, Richard; Friston, Karl; Dolan, Raymond

    2005-09-01

    Termination of a painful or unpleasant event can be rewarding. However, whether the brain treats relief in a similar way as it treats natural reward is unclear, and the neural processes that underlie its representation as a motivational goal remain poorly understood. We used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to investigate how humans learn to generate expectations of pain relief. Using a pavlovian conditioning procedure, we show that subjects experiencing prolonged experimentally induced pain can be conditioned to predict pain relief. This proceeds in a manner consistent with contemporary reward-learning theory (average reward/loss reinforcement learning), reflected by neural activity in the amygdala and midbrain. Furthermore, these reward-like learning signals are mirrored by opposite aversion-like signals in lateral orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. This dual coding has parallels to 'opponent process' theories in psychology and promotes a formal account of prediction and expectation during pain.

  14. The Application of Electroanalgesia Current for the Relief of Orofacial Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-09-01

    A-A124 939 THE APPLICATION OF ELECTRORNALGESIA CURRENT FOR THE i/1 RELIEF OF OROFACIAL PAIN (U) OREGON UNIV HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER PORTLAND BIOPHYSICS...COVERED THE APPLICATION OF ELECTROANALGESIA CURRENT FOR Fnl-Fbur 90 and evelpmen Conand September 198 THE RELIEF OF OROFACIAL PAIN Spebr18 27. PERFORMING...of a suitable animal preparation. An excellent site to initiate orofacial pain is found in the tissue vhich also has o - timal relevance, the tooth

  15. Somatosensory sensitivity in patients with persistent idiopathic orofacial pain is associated with pain relief from hypnosis and relaxation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baad-Hansen, Lene; Abrahamsen, Randi; Zachariae, Robert; List, Thomas; Svensson, Peter

    2013-06-01

    In a recent study hypnosis has been found to relieve persistent idiopathic orofacial pain. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) is widely used to evaluate somatosensory sensitivity, which has been suggested as a possible predictor of management outcome. The objectives of this study were to examine: (1) possible associations between clinical pain relief and baseline somatosensory sensitivity and (2) the effect of hypnosis management on QST parameters. Forty-one patients with persistent idiopathic orofacial pain completed this randomized controlled study in 1 of 2 groups: hypnosis (hypnotic analgesia suggestions) or control (relaxation). QST at 2 intraoral (pain region and contralateral mirror image region) and 3 extraoral (hand and both cheeks) sites was performed at baseline and after the hypnosis/control management, together with pressure pain thresholds and pressure pain tolerance thresholds determined bilaterally at the masseter and temporalis muscles, the temporomandibular joints, and the third finger. Degree of pain relief was negatively correlated with a summary statistic of baseline somatosensory sensitivity (summed z-score), that is, high baseline somatosensory sensitivity was associated with low pain relief (r=-0.372, P=0.020). Hypnosis had no major effect on any QST measure compared with relaxation (P>0.063). High pain sensitivity at baseline may predict poor pain management outcome. In addition, despite clear clinical pain relief, hypnosis did not significantly or specifically influence somatosensory sensitivity. Future studies should further explore QST measures as possible predictors of different management response in orofacial pain conditions.

  16. (153)Sm-EDTMP for pain relief of bone metastases from prostate and breast cancer and other malignancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correa-González, Luis; Arteaga de Murphy, Consuelo; Pichardo-Romero, Pablo; Pedraza-López, Martha; Moreno-García, Claudia; Correa-Hernández, Luis

    2014-05-01

    Approximately 85% of patients with cancer suffer severe metastatic bone pain for which radionuclide therapy has been employed for pain palliation. We undertook this study to evaluate the pain relief effect of (153)Sm-EDTMP in Mexican patients with severe and painful bone metastases from mainly prostate, breast, and renal cancer and other malignancies. Patients (277) with intense sustained pain caused by bone metastases were referred to the Nuclear Medicine Department of the Oncology Hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute. The patients had to have acceptable physical conditions, a previous positive (99m)Tc-MDP scan and blood values within normal range. (153)Sm-EDTMP was prepared at the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ) and 37 MBq/kg of body weight was injected intravenously. Pain palliation was evaluated with a visual analogue scale (VAS) and a verbal rating scale (VRS) before treatment and 3 and 12 weeks after treatment was started. The age interval of the patients was 24-92 years with a mean age of 64 ± 12 years. Mean values for hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet counts did not statistically differ at zero time, 3 and 12 weeks after treatment. Pain intensity and relief assessment were statistically different: 9.1 ± 0.61 units initially; 4.2 ± 1.3 units 3 weeks later (54%) and after 12 weeks the pain diminished to 2.4 ± 1.4 units (74%) in the pain relief score scales. (153)Sm-EDTMP was readily available, safe and well tolerated. We conclude that (153)Sm-EDTMP was an adequate palliative agent and was the best option for our Mexican patients to relieve their severe metastatic bone pain. Copyright © 2014 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Evaluation of reward from pain relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navratilova, Edita; Xie, Jennifer Yanhua; King, Tamara; Porreca, Frank

    2014-01-01

    The human experience of pain is multidimensional and comprises sensory, affective, and cognitive dimensions. Preclinical assessment of pain has been largely focused on the sensory features that contribute to nociception. The affective (aversive) qualities of pain are clinically significant but have received relatively less mechanistic investigation in preclinical models. Recently, operant behaviors such as conditioned place preference, avoidance, escape from noxious stimulus, and analgesic drug self-administration have been used in rodents to evaluate affective aspects of pain. An important advance of such operant behaviors is that these approaches may allow the detection and mechanistic investigation of spontaneous neuropathic or ongoing inflammatory/nociceptive (i.e., nonevoked) pain that is otherwise difficult to assess in nonverbal animals. Operant measures may allow the identification of mechanisms that contribute differentially to reflexive hypersensitivity or to pain affect and may inform the decision to progress novel mechanisms to clinical trials for pain therapy. Additionally, operant behaviors may allow investigation of the poorly understood mechanisms and neural circuits underlying motivational aspects of pain and the reward of pain relief. PMID:23496247

  18. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation once a week induces sustainable long-term relief of central poststroke pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kobayashi, Masahito; Fujimaki, Takamitsu; Mihara, Ban; Ohira, Takayuki

    2015-06-01

    Central poststroke pain is a serious problem for some patients after stroke. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been reported to relieve poststroke pain but its efficacy is still controversial. We tested the possibility that rTMS, when applied once a week, would induce sustainable relief of poststroke pain. Eighteen patients with central poststroke pain were included in this study. rTMS (10 trains of 10-sec 5 Hz-rTMS) was delivered over the primary motor cortex on the affected side. The rTMS session was repeated once a week for 12 weeks, and for six patients the intervention was continued for one year. The degree of the pain was assessed before each weekly rTMS session to evaluate sustainable effects. The effects of the rTMS reached a plateau at the eighth week. At the 12th week, the rTMS was effective in 61.1% of the patients; 5 of the 18 patients showed more than 70% reduction based on a visual analog scale, 6 patients showed 40-69% reduction, and 7 remained at a pain reduction level of less than 40%. When patients were divided into two groups with or without severe dysesthesia, it was found that eight patients with severe dysesthesia showed less pain relief than those without. In the six patients who continued rTMS for one year, the pain relief effects also were sustained. Although this was an open-label study without a control group, our findings suggest that rTMS of the primary motor cortex, when maintained once a week, could help to relieve poststroke pain. © 2015 International Neuromodulation Society.

  19. Anti-Seizure Medications: Relief from Nerve Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anti-seizure medications: Relief from nerve pain Anti-seizure drugs often are used to help control the type of ... by damaged nerves. By Mayo Clinic Staff Anti-seizure medications were originally designed to treat people with ...

  20. A Review of Long-Term Pain Relief after Genicular Nerve Radiofrequency Ablation in Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iannaccone, Ferdinand; Dixon, Samuel; Kaufman, Andrew

    2017-03-01

    Studies of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of genicular nerves have reportedly significantly decreased pain up to 3 months post ablation, but no longer term effects have been reported. We performed an analysis of long-term pain relief of 31 RFA procedures of the genicular nerves to analyze the degree of pain relief past 3 months, culminating at 6 months. Chart review and study design was approved by Newark Health Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB). Chart review and follow-up was performed on all patients who underwent genicular nerve RFA during the period of February 2014 through August of 2015. During this inclusion period 41 genicular nerve RFAs were performed on 31 patients, 5 patients received RFA procedure in both knees. Patient follow-up was performed via telephone interview or in-office visit at least 3 months and 6 months post RFA. Procedures were performed in Medical Special Procedures at University Hospital in Newark, NJ, and the Pain Management Center at Overlook Medical Arts Center in Summit, NJ. Chart review and study design was approved by Newark Health Sciences IRB. Chart review was performed from February 2014 and continued through August 2015. Patient follow-up was conducted at 3 and at least 6 months post treatment to gauge degree of pain relief (0 - none, 100% - complete), their current day's pain score, other treatment modalities tried before RFA, and the medications used. Patients were asked to quantify their satisfaction with procedure length, pre-procedure anxiety, complications, and if they would recommend this procedure to others. Primary and secondary goals were the duration of pain relief after RFA, the quality of pain relief, and the efficacy of our approach for RFA of genicular nerves versus prior published techniques. At 3 month follow-up, the average pain relief was 67% improvement from baseline knee pain, 0% being no relief and 100% being complete relief, and average 0 - 10 pain score was 2.9. At 6 month follow-up, of those who

  1. Food-Derived Natural Compounds for Pain Relief in Neuropathic Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Eun Yeong; Kim, Yun Tai

    2016-01-01

    Neuropathic pain, defined as pain caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system, is characterized by dysesthesia, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. The number of patients with this type of pain has increased rapidly in recent years. Yet, available neuropathic pain medicines have undesired side effects, such as tolerance and physical dependence, and do not fully alleviate the pain. The mechanisms of neuropathic pain are still not fully understood. Injury causes inflammation and immune responses and changed expression and activity of receptors and ion channels in peripheral nerve terminals. Additionally, neuroinflammation is a known factor in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. During neuropathic pain development, the C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) acts as an important signaling mediator. Traditional plant treatments have been used throughout the world for treating diseases. We and others have identified food-derived compounds that alleviate neuropathic pain. Here, we review the natural compounds for neuropathic pain relief, their mechanisms of action, and the potential benefits of natural compounds with antagonistic effects on GPCRs, especially those containing CCR2, for neuropathic pain treatment.

  2. Between pain and pleasure: Pregnant women's knowledge and preferences for pain relief in labor, a pilot study from Zaria, Northern Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogboli-Nwasor, Elizabeth O; Adaji, Sunday E

    2014-11-01

    Pain relief in labor remains a hot topic and these debates get louder by the day as more women become aware of their rights to better quality of care in labor. This study was conceived in a background where the practice of pain relief in labor is evolving and where women are seeking to fulfill their need for pain-free labor. To investigate the knowledge, utilization and preferences of methods of pain relief in labor by expectant mothers in order to design a labor analgesia program. A questionnaire-based descriptive study involving 124 antenatal clients in a teaching hospital over a 1 week period. Descriptive statistics were carried out using SPSS for windows version 17. The mean age of clients was 28.8 years (standard deviation = 5.17) with median parity of two and mean gestational age was 31.5 weeks. Majority of the respondents (47.9%) were of Hausa/Fulani ethnicity and 97.6% had primary school level education. Majority (87.3%) had heard about pain relief methods with the hospital being the source in 79% of cases. The most common method ever heard about was epidural analgesia (69.4%). Only 4% (n = 5) of respondents remembered ever using any form of pain relief agent in labor, of which three received parenteral opioids. In their current pregnancies, 45.2% consented to the use of pain relief in labor; of which, epidural analgesia was preferred by 92.9% (n = 52). Fear of adverse effects on self and infants were cited as reasons for non-consent by some respondents while others had no reason. The study reveals a high awareness of pain relief methods which is not matched by utilization and low knowledge about side-effects, although fear of side-effects is a factor for under-utilization. There is a need to educate adequately as well provide high quality pain relief services in labor in order to dispel with myths, misconceptions and fears associated with the use of methods of pain relief in labor.

  3. A novel and effective acupuncture modality as a complementary therapy to acute pain relief in inpatients with rib fractures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsin-Yi Ho

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Pain control has been emphasized as a priority for both practitioners and inpatients with rib fractures, since analgesia could only offer limited relief from severe pain. A prospective and randomized controlled trial was conducted to analyze the efficacy and efficiency of acupuncture in acute pain relief for inpatients with rib fractures. Methods: A total of 58 inpatients were recruited and allocated to two groups, receiving identical doses of conventional oral analgesics as well as filiform needles as treatment and thumbtack intradermal (TI needles placed upon the skin surface as a control, respectively, via novel acupuncture modality once daily for three consecutive days. The effect of pain relief was evaluated during activities that induce pain, and sustained maximal inspiration (SMI lung volumes and sleep quality were assessed. Results: The patients treated with filiform needles had more effective pain relief than those in the TI needle group during deep breathing, coughing, and turning over the body (p < 0.05, and the effect persisted for at least 6 h in most patients. Sustained maximal inspiration lung volumes and sleep quality did not show improvement through every acupuncture intervention, and they could not respond accurately to pain relief via acupuncture. Conclusion: The active evaluation could provide a more adaptive model for assessing pain intensity due to rib fractures. This novel acupuncture modality in which the needle insertion sites are corresponding to the pain spots can be a safe and viable therapy for relieving pain in inpatients with rib fractures.

  4. The Effect of Different Local Anesthesia Methods on Pain Relief in Outpatient Endometrial Biopsy: Randomized Clinical Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaheh Olad-Saheb-Madarek

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Endometrial biopsy is necessary for diagnosing the reason of abnormal uterine bleeding in perimenopausal women. Currently outpatient endometrial biopsy is used for evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding which is associated with moderate to severe pain. Using lidocaine is one of the procedures which is used for pain relief while biopsy. This study is aimed at comparing the effect of different local anesthesia procedures on pain relief during endometrial biopsy. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 160 multiparous 40-55 years old women with AUB, candidates for endometrial biopsy, were randomly assigned into four equal groups, to receive: 1-intrauterine lidocaine; 2-cervical spray lidocaine; 3- intrauterine lidocaine plus cervical spray lidocaine; or 4-intrauterine distilled water. Pain relief was measured at 3 different times: during endometrial biopsy, just after and 15 minutes after biopsy. Results: Pain intensity was reduced significantly at different times in intrauterine lidocaine and intrauterine lidocaine with cervical spray lidocaine receivers in compare with the groups which received cervical spray lidocaine and distilled water. The mean of difference pain relief during biopsy and 15 minutes after that was reduced significantly in the group which received intrauterine lidocaine and intrauterine lidocaine with cervical spray lidocaine in comparison with the other two groups. Conclusion: Intrauterine lidocaine was effective during endometrial biopsy, and using it with cervical spray lidocaine had no more beneficial effect.

  5. Evaluation of radiation therapy for bone metastases: pain relief and quality of life

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gilbert, H.A.; Kagan, A.R.; Nussbaum, H.; Rao, A.R.; Satzman, J.; Chan, P.; Allen, B.; Forsythe, A.

    1977-01-01

    The records of 158 patients irradiated for bone metastases were reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of pain relief and to judge the effect of treatment on overall quality of life. Within 3 months 73% of the sites treated had pain relief, with 55 to 65% having sustained relief up to 1 year or death. Of patients surviving more than 3 months, 63% maintained a satisfactory quality of life and were able to take care of most personal needs. The median survival of all patients was 1 year from initial treatment for bone metastasis. Radiation dose and the primary tumor site do not seem to be significant prognostic factors for initial pain relief or quality of life

  6. Careful: Acetaminophen in Pain Relief Medicines Can Cause Liver Damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers Careful: Acetaminophen in pain relief medicines can cause liver damage Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing options Linkedin Pin ... ingredient in many over-the-counter and prescription medicines that help relieve pain and reduce fever. More than 600 over-the- ...

  7. Pain relief and functional improvement in patients with neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury: an exploratory analysis of pregabalin clinical trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadosky, Alesia; Parsons, Bruce; Emir, Birol; Nieshoff, Edward C

    2016-01-01

    Characterizing relationships between pain relief and function can inform patient management decisions. This analysis explored graphically the relationship between pain relief and functional improvement in patients with neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury in two clinical trials of pregabalin. This was a post hoc analysis of two randomized, double-blind, clinical trials in patients who were treated with pregabalin (n=181) or placebo (n=172) for neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury. The bivariate relationship between percent pain relief and absolute change in the functional outcomes with placebo and pregabalin was evaluated graphically using scatter plots, and loess curves illustrated the extent of the relationship between pain and function. Linear trend analysis evaluated the statistical significance of these relationships using Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT)-based thresholds of pain reduction (Pain Inventory pain interference with function in one of the studies and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for the pooled studies. Data ellipses showed a shift with pregabalin relative to placebo toward greater improvement with increasing pain relief for all outcome measures except HADS. Loess curves suggested a relationship between increased pain relief and improved function except for HADS, with the clearest relationship observed for sleep. Linear trend analysis showed significant relationships between pain and Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (Ppain and function on the modified Brief Pain Inventory Interference Index and most individual items (Ppain reduction. Pregabalin resulted in shifts from placebo toward greater functional improvement with greater pain relief.

  8. Use, perceived effectiveness, and gender differences of pain relief strategies among the community-dwelling elderly in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Hsing-Yi; Tang, Fu-In; Yeh, Ming-Chen; Kuo, Benjamin Ing-Tiau; Yu, Shu

    2011-03-01

    Pain is a common problem among the elderly. The entire scope of chronic pain relief strategies used by community elderly is still unclear. A limited number of studies have investigated this issue from diverse culture perspectives. In the present study, we investigated the use and perceived effectiveness of pain relief strategies adopted by the elderly; gender differences between frequently used relief strategies were also explored. Two hundred nineteen participants living in Taiwan City, Taiwan, were recruited by a random sampling method and interviewed face to face. The prevalence of chronic pain among the elderly was 42.0% (n = 92). The elderly tended to adopt multiple strategies (mean ± SD = 9.08 ± 3.56; range = 2-18) to relieve their chronic pain. In three domains of pain relief strategies, conventional medicine was used more frequently than complementary and alternative medicine and psychologic approaches. Most pain relief strategies were ineffective. Among the 22 strategies used, no strategy was reported as "much improved" by a majority of users. The top five pain relief strategies used by men and women were the same. Elderly women tended to adopt more psychologic approaches, such as acceptance and ignoring to relieve pain, than men. The findings suggest that nurses should pay more attention to the issue of chronic pain relief and provide the elderly with more effective pain relief strategies. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Effectiveness of the World Health Organization cancer pain relief guidelines: an integrative review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Cathy L

    2016-01-01

    Inadequate cancer pain relief has been documented extensively across historical records. In response, in 1986, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed guidelines for cancer pain treatment. The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the results of a comprehensive, integrative review of studies that evaluate the effectiveness of the WHO guidelines. Studies were included if they: 1) identified patients treated with the guidelines, 2) evaluated self-reported pain, 3) identified instruments used, 4) provided data documenting pain relief, and 5) were written in English. Studies were coded for duration of treatment, definition of pain relief, instruments used, findings related to pain intensity or relief, and whether measures were used other than the WHO analgesic ladder. Twenty-five studies published since 1987 met the inclusion criteria. Evidence indicates 20%–100% of patients with cancer pain can be provided pain relief with the use of the WHO guidelines – while considering their status of treatment or end-of-life care. Due to multiple limitations in included studies, analysis was limited to descriptions. Future research to examine the effectiveness of the WHO guidelines needs to consider recommendations to facilitate study comparisons by standardizing outcome measures. Recent studies have reported that patients with cancer experience pain at moderate or greater levels. The WHO guidelines reflect the knowledge and effectual methods to relieve most cancer pain, but the guidelines are not being adequately employed. Part of the explanation for the lack of adoption of the WHO guidelines is that they may be considered outdated by many because they are not specific to the pharmacological and interventional options used in contemporary pain management practices. The conundrum of updating the WHO guidelines is to encompass the latest pharmacological and interventional innovations while maintaining its original simplicity. PMID:27524918

  10. Radiation therapy in the management of symptomatic bone metastases: the effect of total dose and histology on pain relief and response duration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arcangeli, Giorgio; Giovinazzo, Giuseppe; Saracino, Biancamaria; D'Angelo, Luciano; Giannarelli, Diana; Arcangeli, Giancarlo; Micheli, Adriana

    1998-01-01

    Purpose: In order to better define variables and factors that may influence the pain response to radiation, and to look for a radiation regimen that can assure the highest percentage and the longest duration of pain relief, we performed a prospective, although not randomized, study on patients with bone metastases from various primary sites. Methods and Materials: From December 1988 to March 1994, 205 patients with a total of 255 solitary or multiple bone metastases from several primary tumors were treated in our radiotherapy center with palliative intent. Irradiation fields were treated with three main fractionation schedules: (1) Conventional fractionation: 40-46 Gy/20-23 fractions in 5-5.5 weeks; (2) Short course: 30-36 Gy/10-12 fractions in 2-2.3 weeks; (3) Fast course: 8-28 Gy/1-4 consecutive fractions. Pain intensity was self-assessed by patients using a visual analogic scale graduated from 0 (no pain) to 10 (the strongest pain one can experience). Analgesic requirement was assessed by using a five-point scale, scoring both analgesic strength and frequency (0 = no drug or occasional nonopioids; 1 = Nonopioids once daily; 2 = Nonopioids more than once daily; 3 = Mild opioids (oral codeine, pentazocine, etc.), once daily; 4 = Mild opioids more than once daily; 5 = Strong opioids (morphine, meperidine, etc.). Complete pain relief meant the achievement of a score ≤ 2 in the pain scale or 0 in the analgesic requirement scale. Partial pain relief indicated a score of 3 to 4 or of 1 to 2 on the former and latter scale, respectively. Results: Total pain relief (complete + partial) was observed in 195 (76%) sites, in 158 of which (62%) a complete response was obtained. Metastases from NSC lung tumors appeared to be the least responsive among all primary tumors, with 46% complete pain relief in comparison to 65% and 83% complete relief in breast (p = 0.04) and in prostate metastases (p 0.002), respectively. A significant difference in pain relief was detected among

  11. Increased joint loads during walking--a consequence of pain relief in knee osteoarthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, Marius; Simonsen, Erik B; Alkjaer, T

    2006-01-01

    Joint pain is a primary symptom in knee osteoarthritis (OA), but the effect of pain and pain relief on the knee joint mechanics of walking is not clear. In this study, the effects of local knee joint analgesia on knee joint loads during walking were studied in a group of knee osteoarthritis....... Although the patients walked with less compressive knee joint forces compared to the reference group, the effects of pain relief may accelerate the degenerative changes....

  12. Satisfaction with pain relief after operative treatment of an ankle fracture

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Helmerhorst, Gijs T. T.; Lindenhovius, Anneluuk L. C.; Vrahas, Mark; Ring, David; Kloen, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Background: American patients are prescribed more opioid pain medication than Dutch patients after operative treatment of an ankle fracture, but it is possible that pain is undertreated in Dutch patients. This study tests if there is a difference in pain and satisfaction with pain relief between

  13. How does pain experience relate to the need for pain relief? A secondary exploratory analysis in a large sample of cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Anna Thit; Petersen, Morten A; Snyder, Claire F; Pedersen, Lise; Groenvold, Mogens

    2016-10-01

    To explore (1) the information obtained from related but conceptually different approaches to pain assessment and (2) the extent to which the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) can be used as a screening tool to predict patient-reported need for pain relief. Cancer patients randomly sampled from 56 hospital departments were included. Questionnaire items assessed patients' (a) pain experience using the EORTC QLQ-C30 pain scale and its two pain items separately (pain intensity and pain interference) and (b) pain burden and (c) need for pain relief using the Three-Levels-of-Needs Questionnaire (3LNQ). Of the 2364 patients contacted by mail, 1447 (61 %) completed the questionnaires. Among these, 51 % reported at least "a little" pain on the pain intensity item. The number of patients reporting pain to be a burden was similar, and pain experience and pain burden were highly correlated (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.85 to 0.91). Pain experience and pain burden were moderately correlated with the need for pain relief. A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the EORTC QLQ-C30 discriminated between patients with and without a need for pain relief to an acceptable degree (area under the curve (AUC) 0.73-0.77). The cut-point a little gave a sensitivity of 84 % and specificity of 59 % for the item "Have you had pain?" and a sensitivity of 72 % and a specificity of 72 % for the pain scale. The majority of patients who experienced pain felt it to be a problem. Pain experience and pain burden were substantially related to need for pain relief, and the latter could be predicted from the EORTC QLQ-C30.

  14. Population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ketamine-induced pain relief of chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahan, Albert; Olofsen, Erik; Sigtermans, Marnix; Noppers, Ingeborg; Niesters, Marieke; Aarts, Leon; Bauer, Martin; Sarton, Elise

    2011-03-01

    Pharmacological treatment of chronic (neuropathic) pain is often disappointing. In order to enhance our insight in the complex interaction between analgesic drug and chronic pain relief, we performed a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modeling study on the effect of S(+)-ketamine on pain scores in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1) patients. Sixty CRPS-1 patients were randomly allocated to received a 100-h infusion of S(+)-ketamine or placebo. The drug infusion rate was slowly increased from 5 mg/h (per 70 kg) to 20 mg/h based upon the effect/side effect profile. Pain scores and drug blood samples were obtained during the treatment phase and pain scores were further obtained weekly for another 11 weeks. A population PK-PD model was developed to analyze the S(+)-ketamine-pain data. Plasma concentrations of S(+)-ketamine and its metabolite decreased rapidly upon the termination of S(+)-ketamine infusion. The chance for an analgesic effect from ketamine and placebo treatment was 67±10% and 23±9% (population value±SE), respectively. The pain data were well described by the PK-PD model with parameters C(50)=10.5±4.8 ng/ml (95% ci 4.37-21.2 ng/ml) and t½ for onset/offset=10.9±4.0 days (5.3-20.5 days). Long-term S(+)-ketamine treatment is effective in causing pain relief in CRPS-1 patients with analgesia outlasting the treatment period by 50 days. These data suggest that ketamine initiated a cascade of events, including desensitization of excitatory receptor systems in the central nervous system, which persisted but slowly abated when ketamine molecules were no longer present. Copyright © 2010 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Pain relief and functional improvement in patients with neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury: an exploratory analysis of pregabalin clinical trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadosky A

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Alesia Sadosky,1 Bruce Parsons,1 Birol Emir,1 Edward C Nieshoff2 1Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, 2Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA Background: Characterizing relationships between pain relief and function can inform patient management decisions. This analysis explored graphically the relationship between pain relief and functional improvement in patients with neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury in two clinical trials of pregabalin. Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of two randomized, double-blind, clinical trials in patients who were treated with pregabalin (n=181 or placebo (n=172 for neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury. The bivariate relationship between percent pain relief and absolute change in the functional outcomes with placebo and pregabalin was evaluated graphically using scatter plots, and loess curves illustrated the extent of the relationship between pain and function. Linear trend analysis evaluated the statistical significance of these relationships using Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT-based thresholds of pain reduction (<15%, 15% <30%, 30% to <50%, and ≥50%. Outcome measures included modified Brief Pain Inventory pain interference with function in one of the studies and the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS for the pooled studies. Results: Data ellipses showed a shift with pregabalin relative to placebo toward greater improvement with increasing pain relief for all outcome measures except HADS. Loess curves suggested a relationship between increased pain relief and improved function except for HADS, with the clearest relationship observed for sleep. Linear trend analysis showed significant relationships between pain and Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale (P<0.0001 and between pain and function on the modified Brief Pain Inventory

  16. Ear Acupuncture versus  local anaestethic for pain relief during perineal repair - a randomised controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kindberg, Sara

    2007-01-01

    ACUPUNCTURE OR LOCAL ANAESTETICS FOR PAIN RELIEF DURING PERINEAL REPAIR AFTER VAGINAL DELIVERY: A RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL.   By:  Sara Kindberg. Midwife and PhD student, Sønderborg Hospital, Denmark. Objective: To evaluate acupuncture as a new method of pain relief for postpartum perineal...... as photos of the acupuncture points. Perspectives:  Basic midwifery services such as providing sufficient pain relief during perineal repair still need improvement. Clinical practice should be improved continuously and thus produce reliable evidence on different pain relief methods. Website:        http...

  17. Pain relief in labor: a survey of awareness, attitude, and practice of health care providers in Zaria, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ogboli-Nwasor E

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available E Ogboli-Nwasor1, SE Adaji2, SB Bature2, OS Shittu21Department of Anesthesia, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, NigeriaBackground: The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of maternal health care providers to pain relief during labor in Zaria, Nigeria.Methods: This was a multicenter, collaborative, cross-sectional pilot study of provider perspectives concerning pain relief during labor. A structured, self-administered, questionnaire was completed by 95 consenting maternal health care providers at three high-volume facilities in Zaria, an ancient northern Nigerian city. Descriptive statistics was performed on the data.Results: Most respondents (94.8% agreed that pain relief is needed during labor. Only 2.1% of respondents were undecided about the provision of pain relief during labor and 3.2% were of the opinion that pain relief was not necessary during labor. Most respondents (93.7% had attended a woman in labor in the 4 weeks preceding the survey. Of these, 56.8% had counseled a parturient in labor. Most of the counseling (42.1% took place during labor. Less than half of the respondents (48.4% had administered pain relief in labor in the preceding 4 weeks and systemic opioids was the most commonly form of pain relief. Among the respondents who did not offer pain relief agents in labor, the majority (54.5% had no reason for not offering it. Unavailability of methods, inability to afford the cost of pain relief, lack of knowledge and skills, as well as lack of essential equipment to provide the procedure were also given by respondents as reasons for not offering pain relief.Conclusion: Even though maternal health care providers in this environment have a positive attitude to pain relief in labor, most women go through labor without the benefit of analgesia. There exists a gap between provider attitudes to pain relief in labor and practice of the same, with many providers

  18. Immediate pain relief effect of low level laser therapy for sports injuries: Randomized, double-blind placebo clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takenori, A; Ikuhiro, M; Shogo, U; Hiroe, K; Junji, S; Yasutaka, T; Hiroya, K; Miki, N

    2016-12-01

    To determine the immediate pain relief effect of low-level laser therapy on sports injuries in athletes and degree of pain relief by the therapy. Double-blind, randomized, comparative clinical study. Participants were 32 college athletes with motion pain at a defined site. Participants were randomized into two groups in which the tested or placebo laser therapy was administered to determine pain intensity from painful action before and after laser irradiation, using the Modified Numerical Rating Scale. The post-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale score was subtracted from the pre-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale score to determine pain intensity difference, and the rate of pain intensity difference to pre-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale was calculated as pain relief rate. Low-level laser therapy was effective in 75% of the laser group, whereas it was not effective in the placebo group, indicating a significant difference in favor of the laser group (p<0.001). Pain relief rate was significantly higher in the laser group than in the placebo group (36.94% vs. 8.20%, respectively, p<0.001), with the difference in pain relief rate being 28.74%. Low-level laser therapy provided an immediate pain relief effect, reducing pain by 28.74%. It was effective for pain relief in 75% of participants. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Imaging pain relief in osteoarthritis (IPRO): protocol of a double-blind randomised controlled mechanistic study assessing pain relief and prediction of duloxetine treatment outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reckziegel, Diane; Bailey, Helen; Cottam, William J; Tench, Christopher R; Mahajan, Ravi P; Walsh, David A; Knaggs, Roger D; Auer, Dorothee P

    2017-06-26

    Osteoarthritis (OA) pain is a major cause of long-term disability and chronic pain in the adult population. One in five patients does not receive satisfactory pain relief, which reflects the complexity of chronic pain and the current lack of understanding of mechanisms of chronic pain. Recently, duloxetine has demonstrated clinically relevant pain relief, but only in half of treated patients with OA. Here, the aim is to investigate the neural mechanisms of pain relief and neural signatures that may predict treatment response to duloxetine in chronic knee OA pain. This is an ongoing single-centre randomised placebo-controlled mechanistic study (2:1 (placebo) allocation), using a multimodal neuroimaging approach, together with psychophysiological (quantitative sensory testing), genetics and questionnaire assessments. Eighty-one subjects with chronic knee OA pain are planned to power for between-group comparisons (placebo, duloxetine responder and duloxetine non-responder). Participants have a baseline assessment and, following 6 weeks of duloxetine (30 mg for 2 weeks, then 60 mg for 4 weeks), a follow-up evaluation. Brain imaging is performed at 3T with blood-oxygen-level dependent functional MRI at rest and during pin-prick nociceptive stimulation for main outcome assessment; arterial spin labelling and structural imaging (T1-weighted) for secondary outcome assessment. Questionnaires evaluate pain, negative affect, quality of sleep and cognition. The study has been approved by the East Midlands, Nottingham and is being carried out under the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (64th, 2013) and Good Clinical Practice standards. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02208778).This work was supported by Arthritis Research UK (Grant 18769). © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights

  20. Modified dorsal root entry zone lesioning for intractable pain relief in patients with root avulsion injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takai, Keisuke; Taniguchi, Makoto

    2017-08-01

    OBJECTIVE Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning has been the most effective surgical treatment for the relief of intractable pain due to root avulsion injury, but residual pain and a decrease in pain relief in the follow-up period have been reported in 23%-70% of patients. Based on pain topography in the most recent studies on neuropathic pain, the authors modified the conventional DREZ lesioning procedure to improve clinical outcomes. The presumed rationale for this procedure is to eliminate the spontaneous discharges of neurons in the superficial spinal dorsal horn as well as wide dynamic range neurons in the deep spinal dorsal horn. METHODS Ten patients with avulsion-related pain underwent surgery between 2011 and 2015. The surgical procedure was described and postoperative pain relief was assessed as follows: excellent (residual pain never exceeded 3 on the visual analog scale [VAS] without medication), good (residual pain never exceeded 5 on the VAS with medication), and poor (residual pain was greater than 5 with medication). Specific perioperative complications were assessed. RESULTS The aim of this surgical procedure was to destroy the deeper layers of the posterior horn of spinal gray matter, which was in contrast to the procedures of Nashold and Sindou, which were to destroy the superficial layers. All patients achieved excellent (n = 7, pain relief without medication) or good (n = 3, pain relief with medication) pain relief postoperatively, and the recurrence of pain was not reported in any patients (median 29 months after surgery, range 12-64 months). Nine patients (90%) achieved complete pain relief (a score of 0 or 1 on the VAS) with or without medication. No surgical site complications such as infection or CSF leakage were noted. No motor deficit was observed in any patient. A sensory deficit was observed in 2 patients and disappeared within 1 month in 1 patient. New pain at the adjacent level of DREZ lesioning was observed in 3 patients and

  1. Dose-response of strengthening exercise for treatment of severe neck pain in women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Christoffer H; Andersen, Lars Louis; Pedersen, Mogens T

    2013-01-01

    untrained women with severe neck pain (>30 mm VAS pain) were included from a larger study, in which the subjects were randomized to 20-weeks specific strength training for the neck/shoulders or to a control group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the training group experienced greater pain relief than...

  2. [Everything is valid in chronic pain: Interventions by older adults for pain relief].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarado-García, Alejandra María; Salazar-Maya, Ángela María

    To describe interventions used by older adults with benign chronic pain. Qualitative study with 25 older adults with benign chronic pain, inhabitants of the cities of Medellín and Bogotá. The technique used to collect information was in-depth interview. The analysis was made using the tools of the theory based on the guidelines of Strauss and Corbin. Using open, axial and selective coding, the constant comparison method allowed the identification of categories and subcategories and simultaneously memos and diagrams were made to reach theoretical saturation. A number of categories were found in this study, suggesting interventions used by the elderly to address chronic pain. They started looking at a number of options such as: taking medication, self-prescribing, feeling fear of taking pills, identifying the damage caused by drugs, using hot water, staying still, taking right postures, walking and exercising, using attachments that help them and making home remedies; all of them become alternatives that can cause pain relief. The study allowed describing interventions that older adults use to mitigate their pain. This ranged from pharmacological to non-pharmacological interventions, as simple as posture, cold, heat, massage or distractions among others, which play an important role in pain relief. Knowing these interventions helps healthcare professionals consider care options different to medication intake, proposing strategies that are easily accessible and can operate at the time to address a patient with chronic pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Pain relief by touch: a quantitative approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancini, Flavia; Nash, Thomas; Iannetti, Gian Domenico; Haggard, Patrick

    2014-03-01

    Pain relief by touch has been studied for decades in pain neuroscience. Human perceptual studies revealed analgesic effects of segmental tactile stimulation, as compared to extrasegmental touch. However, the spatial organisation of touch-pain interactions within a single human dermatome has not been investigated yet. In 2 experiments we tested whether, how, and where within a dermatome touch modulates the perception of laser-evoked pain. We measured pain perception using intensity ratings, qualitative descriptors, and signal detection measures of sensitivity and response bias. Touch concurrent with laser pulses produced a significant analgesia, and reduced the sensitivity in detecting the energy of laser stimulation, implying a functional loss of information within the ascending Aδ pathway. Touch also produced a bias to judge laser stimuli as less painful. This bias decreased linearly when the distance between the laser and tactile stimuli increased. Thus, our study provides evidence for a spatial organisation of intrasegmental touch-pain interactions. Copyright © 2013 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Sudden amnesia resulting in pain relief: the relationship between memory and pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Daniel S; Choi, Deborah Y; Whittington, Robert A; Nedeljković, Srdjan S

    2007-11-01

    Nociceptive pain and its emotional component can result in the development of a "chronic pain memory". This report describes two patients who had long histories of chronic pain and opioid dependence. Both patients experienced sudden memory loss that was followed by significant pain reduction and an eradication of their need for opioid management. Neural centers involved in sensory pain, its affective component, opioid dependence, and memory overlap in the brain and share common pathways. The anterior cingulate cortex, the insular cortex, and the amygdala are examples of regions implicated in both pain and memory. One of the patients in the report experienced multiple seizure episodes, which may have contributed to memory loss and pain relief. The role of electroconvulsive therapy as it relates to amnesia and pain is reviewed. Questions are raised regarding whether therapies that address the memory component of pain may have a role in the treatment of long-term chronic pain patients.

  5. A clinical trial comparing Lanconone® with ibuprofen for rapid relief in acute joint pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girandola, Robert N; Srivastava, Shalini; Loullis, Costas C

    2016-04-06

    To study the effect of Lanconone® (1000 mg) on acute pain on exertion as compared to the standard of care, Ibuprofen (400 mg). The study recruited 72 subjects diagnosed with mild to moderate knee joint pain on exertion. Subjects with Pain Visual Analogue Scale of more than 40 mm were included. Uphill walking was provided as the stressor using Naughton's protocol on a treadmill. The subjects walked for 10 minutes continuously followed by a rest period and baseline pain score for index knee joint was recorded. Subjects were administered a single dose of Lanconone® (1000 mg)/Ibuprofen (400 mg). Thereafter the same stressor was provided at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 hours, subsequently, pain scores were recorded on a visual analogue scale. Double stopwatch method was used to evaluate the onset of pain relief and time taken to meaningful pain relief. Both Lanconone® and Ibuprofen showed the first perceived pain relief at 65.31 ± 35.57 mins as compared to 60.82 ± 32.56 mins respectively. The mean time taken to experience meaningful pain relief in Lanconone® group was 196.59 ± 70.85 mins compared to 167.13 ± 71.41 mins amongst Ibuprofen group. The meaningful pain relief continued for 6 hours. The current study successfully demonstrated rapid pain-relieving potential of Lanconone® which was comparable to Ibuprofen. No adverse event related to the interventions was reported in the study. Clinical trials.gov NCT02417506 . 21 January 2015.

  6. Low-level laser therapy for pain relief after episiotomy: a double-blind randomised clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Jaqueline de O; de Oliveira, Sonia M J V; da Silva, Flora M B; Nobre, Moacyr R C; Osava, Ruth H; Riesco, Maria L G

    2012-12-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a low-level laser therapy for pain relief in the perineum following episiotomy during childbirth. Laser irradiation is a painless and non-invasive therapy for perineal pain treatment and its effects have been investigated in several studies, with no clear conclusion on its effectiveness. A double-blind randomised controlled clinical trial. One hundred and fourteen women who underwent right mediolateral episiotomies during vaginal birth in an in-hospital birthing centre in São Paulo, Brazil and reported pain ≥ 3 on a numeric scale (0-10) were randomised into three groups of 38 women each: two experimental groups (treated with red and infrared laser) and a control group. The experimental groups were treated with laser applied at three points directly on the episiotomy after suturing in a single session between 6-56 hours postpartum. We used a diode laser with wavelengths of 660 nm (red laser) and 780 nm (infrared laser). The control group participants underwent all laser procedures, excluding the emission of irradiation. The participants and the pain scores evaluator were blinded to the type of intervention. The perineal pain scores were assessed at three time points: before, immediately after and 30 minutes after low-level laser therapy. The comparison of perineal pain between the three groups showed no significant differences in the three evaluations (p = 0.445), indicating that the results obtained in the groups treated with low-level laser therapy were equivalent to the control group. Low-level laser therapy did not decrease the intensity of perineal pain reported by women who underwent right mediolateral episiotomy. The effect of laser in perineal pain relief was not demonstrated in this study. The dosage may not have been sufficient to provide relief from perineal pain after episiotomy during a vaginal birth. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. The role of single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-6 and IL-10 cytokine on pain severity and pain relief after radiotherapy in multiple myeloma patients with painful bone destructions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rudzianskiene Milda

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Multiple myeloma (MM cells interact with bone marrow stromal cells stimulating transcription and secretion of cytokines like IL-6 and IL-10, which are implicated in the progression and dissemination of MM. Regulation of cytokines secretion is under genetic control through genetic polymorphisms in their coding and promoter sequences. It seems that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP in the promoter region of various genes may regulate the plasma concentrations of cytokines. Cytokines could be also hypothesized to function as pain modulators as peripheral nociceptors are sensitized by cytokines. The aim was to determine if the SNP of IL-6 and IL-10 cytokines could influence the analgesic response of radiotherapy in the treatment of painful bone destructions in MM patients. 30 patients (19 women and 11 men, median age: 67 years with MM and painful bone destructions were treated with palliative radiotherapy. Pain was evaluated according to the visual analogue scale and analgesics intake. Pain scores and analgesics use were measured prior to radiotherapy as well as 4, 12 and 24 weeks afterward. Opioid analgesics were converted to the morphine-equivalent daily dose (MEDD. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes and IL-6 and IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms were analysed with polymerase chain reaction. 60% of patients reported severe pain prior to radiotherapy, which decreased to 13% at the first follow-up visit (p <0.001. The MEDD on admission to the hospital was 75 mg/day which decreased to 46 mg/day at the first follow-up visit (p = 0.033. A significant parameter in pain relief was: age < 65 years (p=0.029. We analysed 6 SNPs in the gene promoter region of IL-6 (-597 G/A, -572 G/C, -174 G/C and IL-10 (-592 A/C, -819 C/T, -1082 A/G as well as their relation with pain severity and analgesic consumption. Patients who are IL-10 -1082 A/G carriers are prone to respond better to radiotherapy than other patients (p<0.05. A borderline

  8. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowswell, Therese; Bedwell, Carol; Lavender, Tina; Neilson, James P

    2009-04-15

    Transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) has been proposed as a means of reducing pain in labour. The TENS unit emits low-voltage electrical impulses which vary in frequency and intensity. During labour, TENS electrodes are generally placed on the lower back, although TENS may be used to stimulate acupuncture points or other parts of the body. The physiological mechanisms whereby TENS relieves pain are uncertain. The TENS unit is frequently operated by women, which may increase sense of control in labour. To assess the effects of TENS on pain in labour. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (November 2008). Randomised controlled trials comparing women receiving TENS for pain relief in labour versus routine care, alternative pharmacological methods of pain relief, or placebo devices. We included all types of TENS machines. Two review authors assessed for inclusion all trials identified by the search strategy, carried out data extraction and assessed risk of bias. We have recorded reasons for excluding studies. The search identified 25 studies; we excluded six and included 19 studies including 1671 women. Fifteen examined TENS applied to the back, two to acupuncture points and two to the cranium. Overall, there was little difference in pain ratings between TENS and control groups, although women receiving TENS to acupuncture points were less likely to report severe pain (risk ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.55). The majority of women using TENS said they would be willing to use it again in a future labour. Where TENS was used as an adjunct to epidural analgesia there was no evidence that it reduced pain. There was no consistent evidence that TENS had any impact on interventions and outcomes in labour. There was little information on outcomes for mothers and babies. No adverse events were reported. There is only limited evidence that TENS reduces pain in labour and it does not seem to have any impact (either positive or

  9. The role of hydromorphone and OPRM1 in postoperative pain relief with hydrocodone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boswell, Mark V; Stauble, M Elaine; Loyd, Gary E; Langman, Loralie; Ramey-Hartung, Bronwyn; Baumgartner, Richard N; Tucker, William W; Jortani, Saeed A

    2013-01-01

    Postoperative pain management remains a challenge for clinicians due to unpredictable patient responses to opioid therapy. Some of this variability may result from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the human opioid mu-1 receptor (OPRM1) that modify receptor binding or signal transduction. The OPRM1 variant with the highest frequency is the A118G SNP. However, previous studies have produced inconsistent results regarding the clinical effects of A118G on opioid response. We hypothesized that measurement of serum opioid concentrations, in addition to determining total opioid consumption, may provide a more precise method of assessing the effects of A118G on analgesic response. The current study evaluated the relationship of analgesia, side effects, total hydrocodone consumption, quantitative serum hydrocodone and hydromorphone concentrations, and A118G SNP in postoperative patients following Cesarean section. 158 women scheduled for Cesarean section were enrolled prospectively in the study. The patients had bupivacaine spinal anesthesia for surgery and received intrathcal morphine with the spinal anesthetic or parenteral morphine for the first 24 hours after surgery. Thereafter, patients received hydrocodone/acetaminophen for postoperative pain control. On postoperative day 3, venous blood samples were obtained for OPRM1 A118G genotyping and serum opioid concentrations. 131 (82.9%) of the subjects were homozygous for the 118A allele of OPRM1 (AA) and 27 (17.1%) carried the G allele (AG/GG). By regression analysis, pain relief was significantly associated with total hydrocodone dose in the AA group (P = 0.01), but not in the AG/GG group (P = 0.554). In contrast, there was no association between pain relief and serum hydrocodone concentration in either group. However, pain relief was significantly associated with serum hydromorphone concentration (a metabolite of hydrocodone) in the AA group (P = 0.004), but not in the AG/GG group (P = 0.724). Conversely, side

  10. Evaluating the Efficacy of Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System and Danazol for Relief of Postoperative Pain in Endometriosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taneja, Ashima; Kaur, Satinder; Soni, R K; Bhanupriya; Kaur, Jaspreet; Singla, Laveen

    2017-07-01

    Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disorder, manifests during reproductive years and is associated with pain and infertility. There is considerable debate about the effectiveness of various interventions for pain relief. To evaluate the efficacy of Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System (LNG-IUS) and Danazol in postoperative pain relief for patients with endometriosis. Hundred patients with diagnosis of endometriosis, who were treated laparoscopically, entered the study to receive either danazol (600 mg once daily) or LNG-IUS (inserted during immediate post operative period) postsurgery, for pain relief. Patients were analysed for pain relief according to VAS score and recurrence of disease using ultrasonography at third and sixth months of follow up. There were 50% patients in stage IV of endometriosis. Majority of them presented with complaint of infertility (49%) and pelvic pain (43%). It was observed that LNG-IUS was significantly more effective in relieving pain compared to danazol (65.2% vs 38.0%, ppain compared to danazol.

  11. [High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for tumor pain relief in inoperable pancreatic cancer : Evaluation with the pain sensation scale (SES)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinova, M; Strunk, H M; Rauch, M; Henseler, J; Clarens, T; Brüx, L; Dolscheid-Pommerich, R; Conrad, R; Cuhls, H; Radbruch, L; Schild, H H; Mücke, M

    2017-02-01

    High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in combination with palliative standard therapy is an innovative and effective treatment option for pain reduction in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Evaluation of the effects of additive ultrasound (US)-guided HIFU treatment in inoperable pancreatic cancer on the sensory and affective pain perception using validated questionnaries. In this study 20 patients with locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer and tumor-related pain were treated by US-guided HIFU (6 stage III, 12 stage IV according to UICC and 2 with local recurrence after surgery). Ablation was performed using the JC HIFU system (HAIFU, Chongqing, China) with an ultrasonic device for real-time imaging. Clinical assessment included evaluation of pain severity using validated questionnaires with particular attention to the pain sensation scale (SES) with its affective and sensory component and the numeric rating scale (NRS). The average pain reduction after HIFU was 2.87 points on the NRS scale and 57.3 % compared to the mean baseline score (n = 15, 75 %) in 19 of 20 treated patients. Four patients did not report pain relief, however, the previous opioid medication could be stopped (n = 2) or the analgesic dosage could be reduced (n = 2). No pain reduction was achieved in one patient. Furthermore, after HIFU emotional as well as sensory pain aspects were significantly reduced (before vs. 1 week after HIFU, p pain scales). US-guided HIFU can be used for effective and early pain relief and reduction of emotional and sensory pain sensation in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

  12. Evaluation of pain relief sufficiency using the Cumulative Analgesic Consumption Score (CACS) and its modification (MACS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Alexander Harald Ralf; Groene, Philipp; von Ehrlich-Treuenstätt, Viktor; Heiliger, Christian; Werner, Jens; Karcz, Konrad

    2017-12-01

    Postoperative pain is one of the major complications in general and bariatric surgery, associated with ongoing problems such as ileus, pneumonia and prolonged mobilization. In this study, patients undergoing bariatric surgery were analyzed according to their postoperative pain relief regime. In one group patients were treated with a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device, while the other group was treated with oral and intravenous analgesic medication. The aim of this study was to analyze which postoperative pain relief therapy would be more appropriate. We chose the Cumulative Analgesic Consumption Score (CACS) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain measurement. For better comparison, we performed a modification of CACS according to PCA treatment. We observed better pain relief in the PCA group. Furthermore, we observed an advantage of treatment with laxatives in patients treated with PCA. In conclusion, PCA devices are appropriate instruments for postoperative pain relief in bariatric patients. CACS is a practical tool for postoperative pain measurement, describing individual pain sensation more objectively, although holding further potential in modification.

  13. Effect size comparison of ketorolac nasal spray and commonly prescribed oral combination opioids for pain relief after third molar extraction surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niebler, Gwendolyn; Dayno, Jeffrey

    2016-01-01

    Opioids are frequently used for treatment of moderate to severe short-term pain, but concerns exist about this treatment approach. Ketorolac tromethamine nasal spray, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, is indicated for the short-term management of moderate to moderately severe pain requiring analgesia at the opioid level. However, there are no direct comparison studies between ketorolac nasal spray and opioids. The objective of this study was to use an effect size analysis to compare the effectiveness of ketorolac nasal spray with oral combination opioid formulations in treating moderate to severe short-term pain. An effect size analysis of three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of third molar extraction surgery compared pain relief with ketorolac nasal spray and commonly prescribed combination opioids including hydrocodone/acetaminophen (APAP), oxycodone/APAP, oxycodone/ibuprofen and tramadol HCl/APAP. Effect size comparisons were made using total pain relief scores (TOTPAR6 or TOTPAR8; the weighted sum of pain relief scores through 6 or 8 h). Pain relief was measured using a five-point categorical rating scale (0 = none; 4 = complete). The effect size equivalent correlation, r, was determined using an online effect size calculator. The treatment effect size r compared with placebo was classified using established criteria (small = 0.20-0.49, moderate = 0.50-0.79 and large = ≥ 0.80). TOTPAR6 data indicated a moderate effect size for ketorolac nasal spray 31.5 mg (0.51) and oxycodone/ibuprofen 5/400 mg (0.64) and a small effect size for hydrocodone/APAP 7.5/500 mg (0.24) and oxycodone/APAP 5/325 mg (0.32). TOTPAR8 data indicated small effect sizes for ketorolac nasal spray (0.48), hydrocodone/APAP 10/650 mg (0.43), tramadol HCl/APAP 75/650 mg (0.35) and tramadol HCl/APAP 37.5/325 mg (0.17). The treatment effect sizes of ketorolac nasal spray were similar to or higher than the opioid comparators after third molar surgery, a well-accepted pain

  14. Efficacy and speed of onset of pain relief of fast-dissolving paracetamol on postsurgical dental pain: two randomized, single-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Yong; Collaku, Agron; Brown, Jean; Buchanan, William L; Reed, Kenneth; Cooper, Stephen A; Otto, James

    2013-09-01

    Paracetamol (APAP), also known as acetaminophen, is the most commonly used over-the-counter analgesic for the treatment of mild-to-moderate pain. However, the speed of onset of pain relief is limited mainly to the standard, immediate-release formulation. Efficacy and speed of onset of pain relief are critical in acute pain situations such as postsurgical dental pain, because reducing pain can improve clinical outcome and reduce the risk of transition from acute pain to more chronic pain. Efficacy and rapid onset also reduce the risk of excessive dosing with the analgesic. We sought to investigate the dose-response efficacy and speed of onset of pain relief of a fast-dissolving APAP formulation compared with lower doses of APAP and placebo in dental patients after impacted third molar extraction. Two single-center, single-dose, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group studies (Study I and Study II) were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and speed of onset of pain relief of different doses of a fast-dissolving APAP tablet (FD-APAP), standard APAP, and placebo in patients with postsurgical dental pain following third molar extraction. In Study I, a single dose of FD-APAP 1000 mg, FD-APAP 500 mg, or placebo was given to 300 patients; in Study II, a single dose of FD-APAP 1000 mg, standard APAP 650 mg, or placebo was given to 401 patients. All 701 patients from both studies were included in the analysis and safety assessment. FD-APAP 1000 mg demonstrated significantly greater effect compared with FD-APAP 500 mg, APAP 650 mg, and placebo for all efficacy measurements, including sum of pain relief and pain intensity difference, total pain relief, sum of pain intensity difference, pain intensity difference, and pain relief score during 6 hours after the dose. Onset of confirmed first perceptible relief in subjects treated with FD-APAP 1000 mg was 15 minutes, which was 32% and 25% significantly shorter than onset of pain relief of FD

  15. Epidural morphine for postoperative pain relief in children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henneberg, S W; Hole, P; Haas, Inge Madsen De

    1993-01-01

    the investigation. We observed a change in the sleeping pattern with an increased number of sleep-induced myoclonia during the administration of epidural morphine. In conclusion, the use of epidural morphine in children for postoperative pain relief is very efficient. The minimal effective dose has not been...

  16. 'Birthgasm': A Literary Review of Orgasm as an Alternative Mode of Pain Relief in Childbirth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayberry, Lorel; Daniel, Jacqueline

    2016-12-01

    Childbirth is a fundamental component of a woman's sexual cycle. The sexuality of childbirth is not well recognized in Western society despite research showing that some women experience orgasm(s) during labor and childbirth. Current thinking supports the view that labor and childbirth are perceived to be physically painful events, and more women are relying on medical interventions for pain relief in labor. This review explores the potential of orgasm as a mode of pain relief in childbirth and outlines the physiological explanations for its occurrence. Potential barriers to sexual expression during childbirth and labor, including the influence of deeply held cultural beliefs about sexuality, the importance of privacy and intimacy in facilitating orgasmic birth experiences, and the value of including prospective fathers in the birthing experience, are discussed. The role of midwives and their perceptions of the use of complementary and alternative therapies for pain relief in labor are examined. While there are indications of widespread use of complementary and alternative therapies such as hydrotherapy, herbal remedies, and breathing techniques for pain relief in childbirth, orgasm was not among those mentioned. Lack of recognition of the sexuality of childbirth, despite findings that orgasm can attenuate the effects of labor pain, suggests the need for greater awareness among expectant parents, educators, and health professionals of the potential of orgasm as a means of pain relief in childbirth. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Immediate pain relief by microvascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralagia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haq, N.U.; Ali, M.; Khan, H.M.; Ishaq, M.; Khattak, M.I.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Trigeminal neuralgia is a common entity which is managed by neurosurgeons in day to day practice. Up-till now many treatment options have been adopted for it but micro-vascular decompression is much impressive in terms of pain control and recurrence rate in all of them. The objective of study was known the efficacy of micro vascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia by using muscle patch in terms of immediate pain relief. Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Neurosurgery Department lady reading hospital, Peshawar from January 2010 to December 2012. All patients who underwent micro vascular decompression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia were included in the study. Patients were assessed 72 hours after the surgery by borrow neurological institute pain scale (BNIP scale) for pain relief and findings were documented on predesigned proforma. Data was analysed by SPSS-17. Results: Total 52 patients were included in this study. Among these 32 (61.53 percentage) were female and 20 (38.46 percentage) were males having age from 22-76 years (mean 49 years). Right side was involved in 36 (69.23 percentage) and left side in 16 (30.76 percentage) patients. Duration of symptoms ranged from 6 months to 16 years (mean 8 years). History of dental extraction and peripheral neurectomy was present in 20 (38 percentage) and 3(5.76 percentage) patients while V3 was most commonly involved branch with 28(57.69 percentage) frequency and combined V2,V3 involvement was 1 (11.53 percentage). Superior cerebellar artery was most common offending vessel in 46(88.46 percentage) while arachnoid adhesions were in 2(3.84 percentage) patients. We assessed patient immediate postoperatively using BNIP pain scale. Conclusion: Micro-vascular decompression is most effective mode of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia in terms of immediate pain relief. (author)

  18. Adductor canal blockade for moderate to severe pain after arthroscopic knee surgery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Espelund, M; Grevstad, U; Jaeger, P

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The analgesic effect of the adductor canal block (ACB) after knee surgery has been evaluated in a number of trials. We hypothesized that the ACB would provide substantial pain relief to patients responding with moderate to severe pain after arthroscopic knee surgery. METHODS: Fifty...... subjects with moderate to severe pain after arthroscopic knee surgery were enrolled in this placebo-controlled, blinded trial. All subjects received two ACBs; an initial ACB with either 30 ml ropivacaine 7.5 mg/ml (n = 25) (R group) or saline (n = 25) (C group) and after 45 min a second ACB...... score difference was 32 (23 to 41) mm, P moderate to severe pain after...

  19. The importance of context: When relative relief renders pain pleasant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leknes, Siri; Berna, Chantal; Lee, Michael C.; Snyder, Gregory D.; Biele, Guido; Tracey, Irene

    2013-01-01

    Context can influence the experience of any event. For instance, the thought that “it could be worse” can improve feelings towards a present misfortune. In this study we measured hedonic feelings, skin conductance, and brain activation patterns in 16 healthy volunteers who experienced moderate pain in two different contexts. In the “relative relief context,” moderate pain represented the best outcome, since the alternative outcome was intense pain. However, in the control context, moderate pain represented the worst outcome and elicited negative hedonic feelings. The context manipulation resulted in a “hedonic flip,” such that moderate pain elicited positive hedonics in the relative relief context. Somewhat surprisingly, moderate pain was even rated as pleasant in this context, despite being reported as painful in the control context. This “hedonic flip” was corroborated by physiological and functional neuroimaging data. When moderate pain was perceived as pleasant, skin conductance and activity in insula and dorsal anterior cingulate were significantly attenuated relative to the control moderate stimulus. “Pleasant pain” also increased activity in reward and valuation circuitry, including the medial orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortices. Furthermore, the change in outcome hedonics correlated with activity in the periacqueductal grey (PAG) of the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). The context manipulation also significantly increased functional connectivity between reward circuitry and the PAG, consistent with a functional change of the DPMS due to the altered motivational state. The findings of this study point to a role for brainstem and reward circuitry in a context-induced “hedonic flip” of pain. PMID:23352758

  20. Anticipation and choice heuristics in the dynamic consumption of pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Story, Giles W; Vlaev, Ivo; Dayan, Peter; Seymour, Ben; Darzi, Ara; Dolan, Raymond J

    2015-03-01

    Humans frequently need to allocate resources across multiple time-steps. Economic theory proposes that subjects do so according to a stable set of intertemporal preferences, but the computational demands of such decisions encourage the use of formally less competent heuristics. Few empirical studies have examined dynamic resource allocation decisions systematically. Here we conducted an experiment involving the dynamic consumption over approximately 15 minutes of a limited budget of relief from moderately painful stimuli. We had previously elicited the participants' time preferences for the same painful stimuli in one-off choices, allowing us to assess self-consistency. Participants exhibited three characteristic behaviors: saving relief until the end, spreading relief across time, and early spending, of which the last was markedly less prominent. The likelihood that behavior was heuristic rather than normative is suggested by the weak correspondence between one-off and dynamic choices. We show that the consumption choices are consistent with a combination of simple heuristics involving early-spending, spreading or saving of relief until the end, with subjects predominantly exhibiting the last two.

  1. Anticipation and Choice Heuristics in the Dynamic Consumption of Pain Relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Story, Giles W.; Vlaev, Ivo; Dayan, Peter; Seymour, Ben; Darzi, Ara; Dolan, Raymond J.

    2015-01-01

    Humans frequently need to allocate resources across multiple time-steps. Economic theory proposes that subjects do so according to a stable set of intertemporal preferences, but the computational demands of such decisions encourage the use of formally less competent heuristics. Few empirical studies have examined dynamic resource allocation decisions systematically. Here we conducted an experiment involving the dynamic consumption over approximately 15 minutes of a limited budget of relief from moderately painful stimuli. We had previously elicited the participants’ time preferences for the same painful stimuli in one-off choices, allowing us to assess self-consistency. Participants exhibited three characteristic behaviors: saving relief until the end, spreading relief across time, and early spending, of which the last was markedly less prominent. The likelihood that behavior was heuristic rather than normative is suggested by the weak correspondence between one-off and dynamic choices. We show that the consumption choices are consistent with a combination of simple heuristics involving early-spending, spreading or saving of relief until the end, with subjects predominantly exhibiting the last two. PMID:25793302

  2. The simple query "Do you want more pain medication?" is not a reliable way to assess acute pain relief in patients in the emergency department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chauny, Jean-Marc; Marquis, Martin; Paquet, Jean; Lavigne, Gilles; Cournoyer, Alexis; Manzini, Christiane; Daoust, Raoul

    2018-01-01

    The management of acute pain constitutes an essential skill of emergency department (ED) physicians. However, the accurate assessment of pain intensity and relief represents a clinically challenging undertaking. Some studies have proposed to define effective pain relief as the patient's refusal for additional analgesic administration. The aim of this study was to verify whether such a refusal is effectively indicative of pain relief. This prospective cohort study included ED patients who received single or multiple doses of pain medication for an acute pain problem. Patients were evaluated for pain relief using one Likert scale and two dichotomous questions: Is your pain relieved? and Do you want more analgesics? Non-relieved patients were further analysed using a checklist as to the reasons behind their refusal for supplemental pain medication. We have recruited 378 adult patients with a mean age of 50.3 years (±19.1); 60% were women and had an initial mean pain level of 7.3 (±2.0) out of 10. We observed that 68 out of 244 patients who were adequately relieved from pain asked for more analgesics (28%), whereas 51 out of 134 patients who were not relieved from pain refused supplemental drugs (38%). Reasons for refusal included wanting to avoid side effects, feeling sufficiently relieved, and disliking the medication's effects. Over a third of ED patients in acute pain were not relieved but refused supplemental pain medication. Patients have reported legitimate reasons to decline further analgesics, and this refusal cannot be used as an indication of pain relief.

  3. The prevalence and characterization of self-medication for obtaining pain relief among undergraduate nursing students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Layz Alves Ferreira; da Silva, Camila Damázio; Ferraz, Gisely Carvalho; Sousa, Fátima Aparecida Emm Faleiros; Pereira, Lílian Varanda

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the prevalence of self-medication among undergraduate nursing students seeking to relieve pain and characterizes the pain and relief obtained through the used medication. This epidemiological and cross-sectional study was carried out with 211 nursing students from a public university in Goiás, GO, Brazil. A numerical scale (0-10) measured pain intensity and relief. The prevalence of self-medication was 38.8%. The source and main determining factor of this practice were the student him/herself (54.1%) and lack of time to go to a doctor (50%), respectively. The most frequently used analgesic was dipyrone (59.8%) and pain relief was classified as good (Md=8.5;Max=10;Min=0). The prevalence of self-medication was higher than that observed in similar studies. Many students reported that relief obtained through self-medication was good, a fact that can delay the clarification of a diagnosis and its appropriate treatment.

  4. The effect of mefenamic acid and ginger on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirvani, Marjan Ahmad; Motahari-Tabari, Narges; Alipour, Abbas

    2015-06-01

    The aim of the study was to compare the effect of mefenamic acid and ginger on pain management in primary dysmenorrhea. One hundred and twenty-two female students with moderate to severe primary dysmenorrhea were randomly allocated to the ginger and mefenamic groups in a randomized clinical trial. The mefenamic group received 250 mg capsules every 8 h, and the ginger group received 250 mg capsules (zintoma) every 6 h from the onset of menstruation until pain relief lasted 2 cycles. The intensity of pain was assessed by the visual analog scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t test, Chi-square, Fisher exact test and repeated measurement. The pain intensity in the mefenamic and ginger group was 39.01 ± 17.77 and 43.49 ± 19.99, respectively, in the first month, and 33.75 ± 17.71 and 38.19 ± 20.47, respectively, in the second month (p > 0.05). The severity of dysmenorrhea, pain duration, cycle duration and bleeding volume was not significantly different between groups during the study. The menstrual days were more in the ginger group in the first (p = 0.01) and second cycle (p = 0.04). Repeated measurement showed a significant difference in pain intensity within the groups by time, but not between groups. Ginger is as effective as mefenamic acid on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea. Ginger does not have adverse effects and is an alternative treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.

  5. Comparison of epidural butorphanol versus epidural morphine in postoperative pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parikh, Geeta P; Veena, Shah R; Vora, Kalpana; Parikh, Beena; Joshi, Anish

    2014-02-01

    Epidural route is preferable for postoperative pain relief in thoraco-abdominal and lower limb surgeries. We aimed to compare epidural butorphanol versus morphine for postoperative analgesia up to 24 hours in open nephrectomy surgery. 80 ASA physical status I and II adult patients were selected for this randomized double blind prospective study. A standard balanced general anesthesia technique was applied for all patients. Epidural catheter was placed in lower thoracic inter-vertebral space before the start of surgery. Injection butorphanol 0.04 mg/kg in group B (n = 40) or morphine 0.06 mg/kg in group M (n = 40) was given in a double blind manner after completion of surgery and before extubation through the epidural catheter. Patients were observed for pain relief by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for the next 24 hours. Dose was repeated when VAS was > 4. The onset and peak effect of pain relief, duration of analgesia of 1st dose, frequency of drug administration and side effects if any were observed. The average onset of analgesia was 26.5 +/- 7.61 minutes with butorphanol and 62.5 +/- 13.4 minutes with morphine group which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The mean peak effect of pain relief following 1st dose was 173 +/- 51.25 minutes with butorphanol and 251 +/- 52.32 minutes with morphine group. The duration of pain relief after 1st dose was statistically significant and was 339.13 +/- 79.57 minutes in group B and 709.75 +/- 72.12 minutes in group M which was gradually increased on repeated dosing in group B while it was almost same in Group M. Number of doses required in 24 hours was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in butorphanol group than morphine group. Somnolence was the main side effect in group B while pruritus was the main side effect with group M. Epidural butorphanol appears to provide safer and faster postoperative analgesia without much untoward effects but its analgesic action is short so more repeated doses are required than morphine via

  6. Phototherapy — a treatment modality for wound healing and pain relief

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Phototherapy — a treatment modality for wound healing and pain relief. D Hawkins, H Abrahamse. Abstract. When applied properly, phototherapy or Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) has proved to be very efficient in relieving pain and improving wound healing. However, until recently there has been a lack of scientific

  7. Survey of plants popularly used for pain relief in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eveline D. Stolz

    Full Text Available Ethnobotanical data can be an important tool in the search for new drugs. The Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency accepts the registration of herbal medicines based on ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical studies. With the purpose of increasing the knowledge of potentially useful plants for the treatment of painful conditions, we analyzed the ethnobotanical studies carried out in Rio Grande do Sul state (RS-Southern Brazil; we had access to nineteen studies.To our knowledge, this is the first compilation of ethnobotanical studies that focus on pain relief carried out in RS. The species native to RS cited in at least nine (about 50% of these studies were selected. The search retrieved 28 native species cited as used to alleviate painful conditions, which are distributed in eighteen botanical families, being Asteraceae the most mentioned. The species more frequently cited for pain relief were Achyrocline satureioides, Baccharis articulata, Baccharis crispa, Lepidium didymum, Eugenia uniflora and Maytenus ilicifolia. The only species not reported in any pre-clinical study associated with pain relief was B. articulata. Among the six species cited, no studies on clinical efficacy were found. In conclusion, the folk use of native plants with therapeutic purposes is widespread in RS State (Brazil, being pain relief an important property.

  8. Music therapy in relief of pain in oncology patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Franco

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the perception of oncology patients with chronic pain as to the effects of music in alleviating pain, to identify if there are changes in the vital signs of these patients before and after the musicotherapy session, and to identify whether the intensity of pain is diminished after the music session as per an analogic scale of pain. Methods: This level II, descriptive-exploratory and cross-sectional study used a quantitative and qualitative approach. The sample consisted of ten oncology patients with chronic pain. Rresults: There was a reduction in vital signs and in intensity of pain in ten patients of the sample; after the music sessions, the patients reported a sensation of relief of pain, relaxation, and a belief in the power of music as a supplementary therapy. Cconclusions: Music showed an influence in reducing vital signs and pain intensity, and the patients perceived a reduction of pain and anxiety, and began to believe in music as a form of therapy.

  9. Paracetamol vs dexketoprofen for perineal pain relief after episiotomy or perineal tear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akil, A; Api, O; Bektas, Y; Yilmaz, A Onan; Yalti, S; Unal, O

    2014-01-01

    A randomised controlled trial was conducted to investigate efficacy of paracetamol and dexketoprofen trometamol for perineal pain relief after perineal repair. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive two doses of either 50 mg of intravenous dexketoprofen trometamol via slow i.v. infusion (Group I, n = 49) or 1,000 mg of paracetamol via intravenous infusion (Group II, n = 46). The main outcome measure was a VAS (visual analogue scale) for pain recorded at 1 h (VAS 1). A total of 82 patients were included in the final analysis (Group I, n = 41; Group II, n = 41). There was no difference among groups in terms of pain scores at the beginning (VAS 0). The pain was decreased in 70% of the patients in Group I and in 62% of the patients in Group II (p = 0.502). Both paracetamol and dexketoprofen are effective in perineal pain relief after episiotomy or perineal tear repair.

  10. Severe pain as a possible cause of dropped head syndrome that was attenuated after amputation of an ischemic lower limb.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maki, Satoshi; Koda, Masao; Furuya, Takeo; Takahashi, Kazuhisa; Yamazaki, Masashi

    2016-03-02

    Dropped head syndrome (DHS) is defined as weakness of the neck extensor muscles causing a correctable chin-on-the-chest deformity. Here we report the case of a patient with severe pain from lower leg ischemia showing DHS whose symptoms were attenuated by pain relief after amputation of the severely ischemic lower leg. To our knowledge this is the first report indicating that severe pain can cause DHS. A 64-year-old Asian woman was referred to our department with a 1-month history of DHS. She also suffered from severe right foot pain because of limb ischemia. She began to complain of DHS as her gangrenous foot pain worsened. She had neck pain and difficulty with forward gaze. We found no clinical or laboratory findings of neuromuscular disorder or isolated neck extensor myopathy. We amputated her leg below the knee because of progressive foot gangrene. Her severe foot pain resolved after the surgery and her DHS was attenuated. Severe pain can cause DHS. If a patient with DHS has severe pain in another part of the body, we recommend considering aggressive pain relief as a treatment option.

  11. Knowledge of and attitude towards pain relief during labour of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study determined women's knowledge of and attitudes to pain relief during labour. Methods ... Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa .... Breathing exercises. 25.

  12. The prevalence and characterization of self-medication for obtaining pain relief among undergraduate nursing students

    OpenAIRE

    Souza,Layz Alves Ferreira; Silva,Camila Damázio da; Ferraz,Gisely Carvalho; Sousa,Fátima Aparecida Emm Faleiros; Pereira,Lílian Varanda

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the prevalence of self-medication among undergraduate nursing students seeking to relieve pain and characterizes the pain and relief obtained through the used medication. This epidemiological and cross-sectional study was carried out with 211 nursing students from a public university in Goiás, GO, Brazil. A numerical scale (0-10) measured pain intensity and relief. The prevalence of self-medication was 38.8%. The source and main determining factor of this practice were...

  13. Effectiveness of Acupressure Treatment for Pain Management and Fatigue Relief in Gulf War Veterans

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    only one site – Cleveland Clinic Foundation. No cost extension of a 12-months of period has been submitted. Study Advertisements The online ads...other documentation. Effectiveness of Acupressure Treatment for Pain Management and Fatigue Relief in Gulf War Veterans REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE...2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Effectiveness of Acupressure Treatment for Pain Management and Fatigue Relief in Gulf War Veterans 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b

  14. Improvement in pain severity category in clinical trials of pregabalin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parsons B

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Bruce Parsons,1 Charles E Argoff,2 Andrew Clair,1 Birol Emir1 1Pfizer, New York, NY, USA; 2Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA Background: Pregabalin is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM, diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN, and neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury (SCI. Approval was based on clinical trial data demonstrating statistically significant differences in pain scores versus placebo. However, statistically significant pain relief may not always equate to clinically meaningful pain relief. To further characterize the clinical benefit of pregabalin, this analysis examined shifts in pain severity categories in patients with FM, DPN/PHN (pooled in this analysis, and SCI treated with pregabalin.Methods: Data were pooled from 23 placebo-controlled trials in patients with FM (1,623 treated with pregabalin, 937 placebo, DPN/PHN (2,867 pregabalin, 1,532 placebo, or SCI (181 pregabalin, 175 placebo. Pain scores were assessed on an 11-point numeric rating scale and categorized as mild (0 to <4, moderate (4 to <7, or severe (7 to 10. Only patients with mean score ≥4 at baseline were randomized to treatment. The percentage of patients shifting pain category from baseline to endpoint for pregabalin and placebo was analyzed using a modified ridit transformation with the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel procedure.Results: A higher proportion of patients shifted to a less severe pain category at endpoint with pregabalin compared with placebo. With flexible-dose pregabalin, the percentage of patients improving from: severe to mild (pregabalin versus placebo was 15.8 versus 13.4 in FM patients, 36.0 versus 16.6 in DPN/PHN patients, 14.3 versus 7.7 in SCI patients; severe to moderate was 28.7 versus 28.2 in FM patients, 32.5 versus 28.2 in DPN/PHN patients, 35.7 versus 28.2 in SCI patients; and moderate to mild was 38.3 versus 26.4 in FM patients, 59.5 versus 41.4 in

  15. Pain Relief in Labor: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conclusions: This study showed that 600 mg intramuscular paracetamol provides similar and modest pain relief in labor when compared to 100 mg intramuscular tramadol. It also has fewer maternal adverse effects and favorable neonatal outcome such as tramadol. It is concluded that intramuscular paracetamol is simple, ...

  16. Predictors of Pain Relief Following Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Back and Leg Pain and Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Rod S; Desai, Mehul J; Rigoard, Philippe; Taylor, Rebecca J

    2014-01-01

    We sought to assess the extent to which pain relief in chronic back and leg pain (CBLP) following spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is influenced by patient-related factors, including pain location, and technology factors. A number of electronic databases were searched with citation searching of included papers and recent systematic reviews. All study designs were included. The primary outcome was pain relief following SCS, we also sought pain score (pre- and post-SCS). Multiple predictive factors were examined: location of pain, history of back surgery, initial level of pain, litigation/worker's compensation, age, gender, duration of pain, duration of follow-up, publication year, continent of data collection, study design, quality score, method of SCS lead implant, and type of SCS lead. Between-study association in predictive factors and pain relief were assessed by meta-regression. Seventy-four studies (N = 3,025 patients with CBLP) met the inclusion criteria; 63 reported data to allow inclusion in a quantitative analysis. Evidence of substantial statistical heterogeneity (P pain relief following SCS was noted. The mean level of pain relief across studies was 58% (95% CI: 53% to 64%, random effects) at an average follow-up of 24 months. Multivariable meta-regression analysis showed no predictive patient or technology factors. SCS was effective in reducing pain irrespective of the location of CBLP. This review supports SCS as an effective pain relieving treatment for CBLP with predominant leg pain with or without a prior history of back surgery. Randomized controlled trials need to confirm the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of SCS in the CLBP population with predominant low back pain. PMID:23834386

  17. Audiovisual distraction for pain relief in paediatric inpatients: A crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, N C A C; Santos, J L F; Linhares, M B M

    2017-01-01

    Pain is a stressful experience that can have a negative impact on child development. The aim of this crossover study was to examine the efficacy of audiovisual distraction for acute pain relief in paediatric inpatients. The sample comprised 40 inpatients (6-11 years) who underwent painful puncture procedures. The participants were randomized into two groups, and all children received the intervention and served as their own controls. Stress and pain-catastrophizing assessments were initially performed using the Child Stress Scale and Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Children, with the aim of controlling these variables. The pain assessment was performed using a Visual Analog Scale and the Faces Pain Scale-Revised after the painful procedures. Group 1 received audiovisual distraction before and during the puncture procedure, which was performed again without intervention on another day. The procedure was reversed in Group 2. Audiovisual distraction used animated short films. A 2 × 2 × 2 analysis of variance for 2 × 2 crossover study was performed, with a 5% level of statistical significance. The two groups had similar baseline measures of stress and pain catastrophizing. A significant difference was found between periods with and without distraction in both groups, in which scores on both pain scales were lower during distraction compared with no intervention. The sequence of exposure to the distraction intervention in both groups and first versus second painful procedure during which the distraction was performed also significantly influenced the efficacy of the distraction intervention. Audiovisual distraction effectively reduced the intensity of pain perception in paediatric inpatients. The crossover study design provides a better understanding of the power effects of distraction for acute pain management. Audiovisual distraction was a powerful and effective non-pharmacological intervention for pain relief in paediatric inpatients. The effects were

  18. Experiences and unmet needs of women with physical disabilities for pain relief during labor and delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long-Bellil, Linda; Mitra, Monika; Iezzoni, Lisa I; Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Smith, Lauren D

    2017-07-01

    Childbirth is widely acknowledged as one of the most painful experiences most women will undergo in their lifetimes. Alleviating labor and delivery pain for women with physical disabilities can involve an additional level of complexity beyond that experienced by most women, but little research has explored their experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of women with physical disabilities with respect to pain relief during labor and delivery with the goal of informing their care. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with twenty-five women with physical disabilities from across the United States. Women expressed specific preferences for the method of pain relief. Some confronted systemic barriers in exploring their options for pain relief, while others were given a choice. At times, anesthesiologists lacked knowledge and experience in caring for women with disabilities. Conversely, some women described how the administration of anesthesia was meticulously planned and attributed their positive labor and delivery experiences to this careful planning. Advanced, individualized planning and evaluation of their options for pain relief was most satisfying to women and enabled them to make an informed choice. This approach is consistent with the recommendations of clinicians who have successfully provided pain relief during labor to women with complex physical disabilities. Clinicians who have successfully delivered babies of women with these and similar disabilities emphasize the importance of a team approach where the anesthesiologist and other specialists are involved early on in a woman's care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. An audit of aspects of informed consent and pain relief in general ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    They were asked what they knew or had been informed about their diagnosis, operation and complications of surgery. On pain relief, patients were asked about their experiences on the first post-operative day and what relief they had from analgesics. Twenty four did not know the diagnosis and 36 were not told what ...

  20. Endogenous opioid activity in the anterior cingulate cortex is required for relief of pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navratilova, Edita; Xie, Jennifer Yanhua; Meske, Diana; Qu, Chaoling; Morimura, Kozo; Okun, Alec; Arakawa, Naohisa; Ossipov, Michael; Fields, Howard L; Porreca, Frank

    2015-05-06

    Pain is aversive, and its relief elicits reward mediated by dopaminergic signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a part of the mesolimbic reward motivation pathway. How the reward pathway is engaged by pain-relieving treatments is not known. Endogenous opioid signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), an area encoding pain aversiveness, contributes to pain modulation. We examined whether endogenous ACC opioid neurotransmission is required for relief of pain and subsequent downstream activation of NAc dopamine signaling. Conditioned place preference (CPP) and in vivo microdialysis were used to assess negative reinforcement and NAc dopaminergic transmission. In rats with postsurgical or neuropathic pain, blockade of opioid signaling in the rostral ACC (rACC) inhibited CPP and NAc dopamine release resulting from non-opioid pain-relieving treatments, including peripheral nerve block or spinal clonidine, an α2-adrenergic agonist. Conversely, pharmacological activation of rACC opioid receptors of injured, but not pain-free, animals was sufficient to stimulate dopamine release in the NAc and produce CPP. In neuropathic, but not sham-operated, rats, systemic doses of morphine that did not affect withdrawal thresholds elicited CPP and NAc dopamine release, effects that were prevented by blockade of ACC opioid receptors. The data provide a neural explanation for the preferential effects of opioids on pain affect and demonstrate that engagement of NAc dopaminergic transmission by non-opioid pain-relieving treatments depends on upstream ACC opioid circuits. Endogenous opioid signaling in the ACC appears to be both necessary and sufficient for relief of pain aversiveness. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/357264-08$15.00/0.

  1. Antioxidant therapy for pain relief in patients with chronic pancreatitis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Guo-Hong; Huang, Jing; Zhao, Yan; Chen, Jing; Wu, Huang-Hui; Dong, Yu-Lin; Smith, Howard S; Li, Yun-Qing; Wang, Wen; Wu, Sheng-Xi

    2013-01-01

    Currently, there is no specific therapy for chronic pancreatitis (CP). The treatment of micronutrient antioxidant therapy for painful CP has been sporadically used for more than 30 years, however, its efficacy are still poorly understood. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to investigate the safety and efficacy of antioxidant therapy for pain relief in patients with CP. University Hospital in China Systematic review and meta-analysis Two authors independently reviewed the search results and extracted data and disagreements were resolved by discussion. Effects were summarized using standardized mean differences (SMDs), weighted mean differences, or odds ratio (OR) according to the suitable effect model. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials  were searched from 1980 through December 2012. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that studied antioxidant supplementation for pain relief in patients with CP were analyzed. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 390 patients were included. Overall, there was no association of antioxidant therapy with pain reduction in CP patients (SMD, -0.55; 95% CI, -1.22 to 0.12; P = 0.67). However, antioxidant therapy significantly increased blood levels of antioxidants in CP patients versus the placebo group (SMD, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.43; P pain relief (SMD, -0.93; 95% CI, -1.72 to -0.14; P = 0.02), while the trials in which a single antioxidant was used revealed no significant pain relief (SMD, -0.12; 95% CI, -1.23 to 0.99; P = 0.83) in CP patients. Strong evidence was obtained that the antioxidants increased adverse effects (OR, 6.09; 95% CI, 2.29 to 16.17, P pain relief in CP patients. Measures of total antioxidant status may not help to monitor the efficacy of antioxidant therapy for patients with CP.

  2. Non-invasive nursing technologies for pain relief during childbirth--the Brazilian nurse midwives' view.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargens, Octavio M C; Silva, Alexandra C V; Progianti, Jane M

    2013-11-01

    to describe the non-invasive care technologies most frequently used by nurse midwives to relieve childbirth pain, and provide a synthesis of studies published by Brazilian nurse midwives on the use of such technologies. a systematic literature review focusing on the non-invasive pain relief strategies used by nurse midwives in Brazil. Surveys of three databases (BDENF, CINAHL and MEDLINE) were conducted between 2002 and 2012. The inclusion criteria were: (1) full-text article available; (2) published between 2002 and 2012; (3) written by Brazilian nurse midwives, and (4) fitting the descriptors: childbirth pain; non-invasive technologies; labour; and pain relief. For purposes of analysis, the technologies mentioned were classified into four main categories of support as they relate to environment, position, tactile stimulation, and energy level. we located 21 scientific articles that met the inclusion criteria and addressed the non-invasive technologies that nurse midwives use to provide pain relief during labour. The technologies most used was: stimulation of breathing and relaxation; use of massage with essential oils; encouraging freedom to move, to walk and the free choice for vertical positioning; use of showers and baths; use of birth ball. Brazilian nurse midwives have made efforts to focus care during delivery on the parturient. By studying and publishing about the non-invasive care technologies they have strengthened de-medicalised knowledge, based on scientific evidence and good outcomes in pain relief during labour. the study presented ideas towards improved theoretical foundations and strategies for establishing practice consonant with humanised care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Human milk for neonatal pain relief during ophthalmoscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laiane Medeiros Ribeiro

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ophthalmoscopy performed for the early diagnosis of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP is painful for preterm infants, thus necessitating interventions for minimizing pain. The present study aimed to establish the effectiveness of human milk, compared with sucrose, for pain relief in premature infants subjected to ophthalmoscopy for the early diagnosis of ROP. This investigation was a pilot, quasi-experimental study conducted with 14 premature infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU of a university hospital. Comparison between the groups did not yield a statistically significant difference relative to the crying time, salivary cortisol, or heart rate (HR. Human milk appears to be as effective as sucrose in relieving acute pain associated with ophthalmoscopy. The study’s limitations included its small sample size and lack of randomization. Experimental investigations with greater sample power should be performed to reinforce the evidence found in the present study.

  4. IMPACT OF INTERFERENTIAL CURRENT ON PAIN RELIEF AMONG PATIENTS WITH ORCHIALGIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hany M.I. Elgohary

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Scrotal discomfort can contribute to unusual impact on body scheme and result in behavioral alterations, as well as changes in sexual function such as delay of sexual ability that may affect both man and his companion. There are many physiotherapy modalities to reduce the intratesticular pain such as pelvic floor muscle training, hydrotherapy, ultrasound and electrotherapy. Interferential current therapy is a noninvasive therapy used to reduce acute and chronic, post-operative and post-trauma acute pain. It provides a safe and effective alternative to pharmacological approaches to pain control. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of interferential current in alleviating testicular pain. Methods: Randomized clinical study conducted on 50 participants. They divided into two equal groups: Group A received interferential current with two electrodes placed over the upper medial aspects of thighs and the other two electrodes were positioned over the suprapubic area. While group B received placebo interferential current. The treatment protocol was applied 3 times/ week for six successive weeks, in a total of 18 sessions. Patients were evaluated before and after the six weeks of the treatment by visual analogue scale and pain intensity while pain relief scale was measured after the treatment. Results: Group A showed a significant pain improvement in both inter and intra group comparison in all measured parameters (visual analogue scale and pain intensity while pain relief scale (p <0.05. Conclusion: The findings show that interferential current is an effective modality and can be recommended for the treatment of testicular pain.

  5. Pentazocine Pain Relief in Adult Patients With Acute Abdominal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    jen

    on pain relief, diagnostic accuracy and treatment decisions in patients with acute ... With level of power at 80% and a 5% significance level, a ... 72 hours` duration and were judged by the attending physician to require surgical consultation. .... Clinically Important Differences Between Pre Injection, Post Injection and Final ...

  6. Introducing a patient-controlled analgesia-based acute pain relief ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The 10 months after the introduction of the first acute pain relief service (APRS) in southern Africa is described. Seven hundred patients were treated with morphine by means of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), administered to patients after major surgery or extensive burns via the intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) ...

  7. Low-Dose Ketamine Infusion for Emergency Department Patients with Severe Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahern, Terence L; Herring, Andrew A; Miller, Steve; Frazee, Bradley W

    2015-07-01

    Use of low-dose ketamine infusions in the emergency department (ED) has not previously been described, despite routine use in perioperative and other settings. Our hypothesis was that a low-dose ketamine bolus followed by continuous infusion would 1) provide clinically significant and sustained pain relief; 2) be well tolerated; and 3) be feasible in the ED. We prospectively administered 15 mg intravenous ketamine followed immediately by continuous ketamine infusion at 20 mg/h for 1 hour. Optional morphine (4 mg) was offered at 20, 40, and 60 minutes. Pain intensity, vitals signs, level of sedation, and adverse reactions were assessed for 120 minutes. A total of 38 patients were included with a median initial numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score of 9. At 10 minutes, the median reduction in pain score was 4, with 7 patients reporting a score of 0. At 60 and 120 minutes, 25 and 26 patients, respectively, reported clinically significant pain reduction (decrease NRS score > 3). Heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation remained stable. Mild or moderate side effects including dizziness, fatigue, and headache were common. Patient satisfaction was high; 85% reported they would have this medication again for similar pain. A low-dose ketamine infusion protocol provided significant pain relief with mostly mild side effects and no severe adverse events. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Testing the impact of a multimedia video CD of patient-controlled analgesia on pain knowledge and pain relief in patients receiving surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsing-Hsia; Yeh, Mei-Ling; Yang, Hui-Ju

    2005-07-01

    This study aimed to develop a multimedia video CD (VCD) of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and test its effects on pain knowledge and pain relief in patients receiving surgery. This multimedia VCD of PCA was created to convey fundamental knowledge to both patients and their family members and help patients properly utilize PCA devices to relieve pain and improve recovery. The content of multimedia VCD of PCA included pre-admission pain education, introduction of PCA, nursing care procedures, and questions and answers. This study used a quasi-experimental research design to test effects of the multimedia education program in the experimental group of 30 subjects compared to the control subjects of equal number (without the multimedia VCD of PCA). (1) The intervention of multimedia VCD of PCA resulted in a statistically significant difference in pain knowledge between the experimental and control groups. (2) Subjects in the experimental group obtained a better outcome of pain relief compared to control subjects. (3) Subjects in the experimental group indicated that the multimedia VCD of PCA indeed helped them effectively operate their PCA devices to relieve surgery pain. The clinical application of the multimedia VCD of PCA could help patients improve knowledge on pain, learn how to use PCA devices, achieve proper pain relief, and increase effectiveness of recovery activities.

  9. Pain relief in labour: tramadol versus pentazocine

    OpenAIRE

    Kavita Chandnani; H. B. Sainee

    2013-01-01

    Background: The present study was undertaken to compare the effect of 100 mg intramuscular tramadol to 30 mg intramuscular Pentazocine for labour analgesia. Methods: A total of 60 cases with 37-40 weeks pregnancy in labour, without any foetal or maternal complications were selected. Out of them Inj. Tramadol was given to 30 cases while rest of the 30 patients received injection Pentazocine. Results: In Tramadol group pain relief was observed in 80% cases, effect started as early as 7-8 min an...

  10. Effectiveness of paracervical block for pain relief in women undergoing hysterosalpingography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shikha Jain

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the potential benefit, in terms of pain relief, of the paracervical block with 2% lignocaine in women undergoing hysterosalpingography (HSG. Study Design: This study was a prospective randomized controlled study. Settings: This study was conducted in infertility clinic of a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and six patients undergoing HSG as a part of infertility evaluation were included in the study. These women were randomized into two groups: Group I received paracervical block with 2% lignocaine at the time of HSG (n = 53 and Group II (n = 53 served as control. Hyoscine (10 mg oral tablet was given to all the patients 30 min before the procedure. Pain perception during the procedure was analyzed by the patient between 0 and 10 on a numeric rating scale, immediately after HSG. Results: The baseline demographic characteristics of participants in two groups were similar. Mean pain score immediately after HSG in the study group and control group was 4.84 ± 2.56 and 5.21 ± 1.89, respectively (P = 0.21. Conclusions : There is no benefit of paracervical block with 2% lignocaine, in terms of pain relief, in women undergoing HSG.

  11. Multiple cutaneous leiomyomas: Pain relief with pulsed hysocine butyl bromide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaliyadan Feroze

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available A 35-year-old male patient presented to our outpatient department, complaining of multiple, raised skin lesions on the forehead and back, associated with intermittent pain, especially on exposure to cold. A diagnosis of cutaneous leiomyoma (type 2 segmental was made, which was confirmed by skin biopsy. The patient was started on a trial of pulsed Hyoscine Butyl bromide tablets, following which the patient had significant relief from pain associated with the lesions.

  12. Acupuncture as pain relief during delivery: a randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borup, Lissa; Wurlitzer, Winnie; Hedegaard, Morten

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Many women need some kind of analgesic treatment to relieve pain during childbirth. The objective of our study was to compare the effect of acupuncture with transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) and traditional analgesics for pain relief and relaxation during delivery...... with respect to pain intensity, birth experience, and obstetric outcome. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 607 healthy women in labor at term who received acupuncture, TENS, or traditional analgesics. Primary outcomes were the need for pharmacological and invasive methods, level of pain...... with the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: Use of pharmacological and invasive methods was significantly lower in the acupuncture group (acupuncture vs traditional, p acupuncture vs TENS, p = 0.031). Pain scores were comparable. Acupuncture did not influence the duration of labor or the use of oxytocin...

  13. More in hope than expectation: a systematic review of women's expectations and experience of pain relief in labour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Macphail Sheila

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Childbirth is one of the most painful events that a woman is likely to experience, the multi-dimensional aspect and intensity of which far exceeds disease conditions. A woman's lack of knowledge about the risks and benefits of the various methods of pain relief can heighten anxiety. Women are increasingly expected, and are expecting, to participate in decisions about their healthcare. Involvement should allow women to make better-informed decisions; the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has stated that we need effective ways of supporting pregnant women in making informed decisions during labour. Our aim was to systematically review the empirical literature on women's expectations and experiences of pain and pain relief during labour, as well as their involvement in the decision-making process. Methods A systematic review was conducted using the following databases: Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, Bath Information and Database Service (BIDS, Excerpta Medica Database Guide (EMBASE, Midwives Information and Resource (MIDIRS, Sociological Abstracts and PsychINFO. Studies that examined experience and expectations of pain, and its relief in labour, were appraised and the findings were integrated into a systematic review. Results Appraisal revealed four key themes: the level and type of pain, pain relief, involvement in decision-making and control. Studies predominantly showed that women underestimated the pain they would experience. Women may hope for a labour free of pain relief, but many found that they needed or benefited from it. There is a distinction between women's desire for a drug-free labour and the expectation that they may need some sort of pain relief. Inaccurate or unrealistic expectations about pain may mean that women are not prepared appropriately for labour. Many women acknowledged that they wanted to

  14. Mindfulness Meditation-Based Pain Relief Employs Different Neural Mechanisms Than Placebo and Sham Mindfulness Meditation-Induced Analgesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emerson, Nichole M.; Farris, Suzan R.; Ray, Jenna N.; Jung, Youngkyoo; McHaffie, John G.; Coghill, Robert C.

    2015-01-01

    Mindfulness meditation reduces pain in experimental and clinical settings. However, it remains unknown whether mindfulness meditation engages pain-relieving mechanisms other than those associated with the placebo effect (e.g., conditioning, psychosocial context, beliefs). To determine whether the analgesic mechanisms of mindfulness meditation are different from placebo, we randomly assigned 75 healthy, human volunteers to 4 d of the following: (1) mindfulness meditation, (2) placebo conditioning, (3) sham mindfulness meditation, or (4) book-listening control intervention. We assessed intervention efficacy using psychophysical evaluation of experimental pain and functional neuroimaging. Importantly, all cognitive manipulations (i.e., mindfulness meditation, placebo conditioning, sham mindfulness meditation) significantly attenuated pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings when compared to rest and the control condition (p Mindfulness meditation reduced pain intensity (p = 0.032) and pain unpleasantness (p Mindfulness meditation also reduced pain intensity (p = 0.030) and pain unpleasantness (p = 0.043) ratings more than sham mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness-meditation-related pain relief was associated with greater activation in brain regions associated with the cognitive modulation of pain, including the orbitofrontal, subgenual anterior cingulate, and anterior insular cortex. In contrast, placebo analgesia was associated with activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and deactivation of sensory processing regions (secondary somatosensory cortex). Sham mindfulness meditation-induced analgesia was not correlated with significant neural activity, but rather by greater reductions in respiration rate. This study is the first to demonstrate that mindfulness-related pain relief is mechanistically distinct from placebo analgesia. The elucidation of this distinction confirms the existence of multiple, cognitively driven, supraspinal mechanisms for pain

  15. Mindfulness Meditation-Based Pain Relief Employs Different Neural Mechanisms Than Placebo and Sham Mindfulness Meditation-Induced Analgesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeidan, Fadel; Emerson, Nichole M; Farris, Suzan R; Ray, Jenna N; Jung, Youngkyoo; McHaffie, John G; Coghill, Robert C

    2015-11-18

    Mindfulness meditation reduces pain in experimental and clinical settings. However, it remains unknown whether mindfulness meditation engages pain-relieving mechanisms other than those associated with the placebo effect (e.g., conditioning, psychosocial context, beliefs). To determine whether the analgesic mechanisms of mindfulness meditation are different from placebo, we randomly assigned 75 healthy, human volunteers to 4 d of the following: (1) mindfulness meditation, (2) placebo conditioning, (3) sham mindfulness meditation, or (4) book-listening control intervention. We assessed intervention efficacy using psychophysical evaluation of experimental pain and functional neuroimaging. Importantly, all cognitive manipulations (i.e., mindfulness meditation, placebo conditioning, sham mindfulness meditation) significantly attenuated pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings when compared to rest and the control condition (p pain intensity (p = 0.032) and pain unpleasantness (p pain intensity (p = 0.030) and pain unpleasantness (p = 0.043) ratings more than sham mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness-meditation-related pain relief was associated with greater activation in brain regions associated with the cognitive modulation of pain, including the orbitofrontal, subgenual anterior cingulate, and anterior insular cortex. In contrast, placebo analgesia was associated with activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and deactivation of sensory processing regions (secondary somatosensory cortex). Sham mindfulness meditation-induced analgesia was not correlated with significant neural activity, but rather by greater reductions in respiration rate. This study is the first to demonstrate that mindfulness-related pain relief is mechanistically distinct from placebo analgesia. The elucidation of this distinction confirms the existence of multiple, cognitively driven, supraspinal mechanisms for pain modulation. Recent findings have demonstrated that mindfulness meditation

  16. Ibuprofen and/or paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth, a Cochrane systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, E; Worthington, H; Coulthard, P

    2014-04-01

    This paper compares the beneficial and harmful effects of paracetamol, ibuprofen and the novel combination of both in a single tablet for pain relief following the surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth. In this systematic review only randomised controlled double-blinded clinical trials were included. We calculated the proportion of patients with at least 50% pain relief at 2 and 6 hours post dosing, along with the proportion of participants using rescue medication at 6 and 8 hours. Adverse events were also analysed. Data was meta-analysed where possible. Seven studies were included with a total of 2,241 participants enrolled. Ibuprofen 400 mg is superior to 1,000 mg paracetamol with a risk ratio for at least 50% pain relief at 6 hours of 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28 to 1.69). For the combined drug, the risk ratio for at least 50% maximum pain relief over 6 hours is 1.77 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.39) based on total pain relief (TOTPAR) data. There is high quality evidence that ibuprofen is superior to paracetamol. The novel combination drug shows encouraging results when compared to the single drugs (based on two trials).

  17. Continous Infusion of Remifentanil Plus Ketamine Compared with Continous Remifentanil for Pain Relief in Labour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anooshe Khajehdehi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background and objective: Pain relief during labour is an important determinant of a women’s birth experience. There are numerous pain relief techniques which can be used either with or without pain medication. The aim of our study was to compare the effect of remifentanil alone and its effect in pain relief while using with ketamine during labour. Methods: After obtaining informed consent and approval of hospital ethics committee, 40 women with gestational age between 38 and 42 weeks gestation in early labour were recruited for this study. They were randomly allocated into two groups: group RK (20 cases received 25 μg remifentanil as a starting dose and continuous infusion of 0.06 μg/kg/min remifentanil plus 0.5 mg/kg/h ketamine for 4 hours via pump and group R (20 cases received 25 μg remifentanil as a starting dose and continous infusion of 0.06 μg/kg/min remifentanil. Results: The baseline of pain scores were similar in both groups (5.75 ± 2.51 vs 7 ± 2.45, p= 0.12 but after 30 minutes to 120 minutes the VAS scores were significantly higher in R group (p< 0.001. The rate of patients who were satisfied (excellent and very good in RK was 80% but in R group was 45% (p = 0.03. Nausea and vomiting were significantly higher in R group (p<0.05. Conclusion: The remifentanil plus ketamine produced better pain relief during labour with continous monitoring than continous remifentanil with no adverse effects for mothers and infants.

  18. Radiation-induced relief of pain in an animal model with bone invasion from cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seong, J.; Kim, J.; Kim, K.H.; Kim, U.J.; Lee, B.W.

    2003-01-01

    In clinic, local radiation is effective for relief of pain from cancer invasion into the bones. This effect is usually observed before the regression of tumor occurs, which implies radiation-induced pain relief by mechanisms other than tumor irradication. In this study, possible mechanisms were explored in animal model system. To establish an animal model, syngeneic hepatocarcinoma, HCa-I was transplanted on femoral periosteum of C3H/HeJ male mice and bone-invasive tumor growth was identified through the histological analysis. Development of tumor-induced pain was assessed by von Frey filament test, acetone test, and radiant heat test. Animals were also irradiated for their tumors. Any change in pain was analyzed by above tests for the quantitative change and by immunohistochemical stain for the expression of molecules such as c-fos, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in lumbar spinal cord. Cancer invasion into the bone was started from 7th day after transplantation and became evident at day 14. Objective increase of pain in the ipsilateral thigh was observed at day 14 on von Frey filament test and acetone test, while there was no remarkable regression of the tumors. In this model system, local radiation of tumor resulted in decrease in objective pain on von Frey filament test and acetone test. In the immunohistochemical stain for lumbar spinal cord, the expression of substance P and CGRP but not c-fos increased in tumor-bearing animal compared to the control. The expression of these molecules decreased in animals given local radiation. In summary, an animal model system was established for objective pain from cancer invasion into the bones. Local radiation of tumor induced objective pain relief and this effect seems to be mediated not by tumor regression but through altered production of pain-related molecules

  19. Radiation-induced relief of pain in an animal model with bone invasion from cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seong, J; Kim, J; Kim, K H; Kim, U J; Lee, B W [Yonsei University Medical College, (Korea, Republic of)

    2003-07-01

    In clinic, local radiation is effective for relief of pain from cancer invasion into the bones. This effect is usually observed before the regression of tumor occurs, which implies radiation-induced pain relief by mechanisms other than tumor irradication. In this study, possible mechanisms were explored in animal model system. To establish an animal model, syngeneic hepatocarcinoma, HCa-I was transplanted on femoral periosteum of C3H/HeJ male mice and bone-invasive tumor growth was identified through the histological analysis. Development of tumor-induced pain was assessed by von Frey filament test, acetone test, and radiant heat test. Animals were also irradiated for their tumors. Any change in pain was analyzed by above tests for the quantitative change and by immunohistochemical stain for the expression of molecules such as c-fos, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in lumbar spinal cord. Cancer invasion into the bone was started from 7th day after transplantation and became evident at day 14. Objective increase of pain in the ipsilateral thigh was observed at day 14 on von Frey filament test and acetone test, while there was no remarkable regression of the tumors. In this model system, local radiation of tumor resulted in decrease in objective pain on von Frey filament test and acetone test. In the immunohistochemical stain for lumbar spinal cord, the expression of substance P and CGRP but not c-fos increased in tumor-bearing animal compared to the control. The expression of these molecules decreased in animals given local radiation. In summary, an animal model system was established for objective pain from cancer invasion into the bones. Local radiation of tumor induced objective pain relief and this effect seems to be mediated not by tumor regression but through altered production of pain-related molecules.

  20. The use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour: a review of the evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedwell, Carol; Dowswell, Therese; Neilson, James P; Lavender, Tina

    2011-10-01

    to assess the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in labour. studies were identified from a search of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (November 2008). randomised controlled trials comparing women receiving TENS for pain relief in labour vs routine care or placebo devices. All types of TENS machines were included. two review authors assessed all trials identified by the search strategy, carried out data extraction and assessed risk of bias. 14 studies including 1256 women were included: 11 examined TENS applied to the back, two to acupuncture points and one to the cranium. Overall, there was little difference in satisfaction with pain relief or in pain ratings between TENS and control groups, although women receiving TENS to acupuncture points were less likely to report severe pain (risk ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.55). The majority of women using TENS would use it again in a future labour. There was no evidence that TENS had any impact on interventions and outcomes in labour. There was little information on outcomes for mothers and infants. No adverse events were reported. there is only limited evidence that TENS reduces pain in labour and it does not seem to have any impact on other outcomes for mothers or infants. The use of TENS at home in early labour has not been evaluated. Although the guidelines of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommend that TENS should not be offered to women in labour, women appear to be choosing it and midwives are supporting them in their choice. Given the absence of adverse effects and the limited evidence base, it seems unreasonable to deny women that choice. More robust studies of effectiveness are needed. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of Nonsucrose Sweet Solutions for Pain Relief in Neonates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariana Bueno

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Sucrose has been demonstrated to provide analgesia for minor painful procedures in infants. However, results of trials investigating other sweet solutions for neonatal pain relief have not yet been synthesized.

  2. Ibuprofen and/or paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Edmund; Worthington, Helen V; van Wijk, Arjen; Yates, Julian M; Coulthard, Paul; Afzal, Zahid

    2013-12-12

    identified were scanned independently and in duplicate by two review authors, any disagreements were resolved by discussion, or if necessary a third review author was consulted. The proportion of patients with at least 50% pain relief (based on total pain relief (TOTPAR) and summed pain intensity difference (SPID) data) was calculated for all three drugs at both two and six hours postdosing and meta-analysed for comparison. The proportion of participants using rescue medication over both six and eight hours was also collated and compared. The number of patients experiencing adverse events or the total number of adverse events reported or both were analysed for comparison. Seven studies were included, they were all parallel-group studies, two studies were assessed as at low risk of bias and three at high risk of bias; two were considered to have unclear bias in their methodology. A total of 2241 participants were enrolled in these trials.Ibuprofen was found to be a superior analgesic to paracetamol at several doses with high quality evidence suggesting that ibuprofen 400 mg is superior to 1000 mg paracetamol based on pain relief (estimated from TOTPAR data) and the use of rescue medication meta-analyses. The risk ratio for at least 50% pain relief (based on TOTPAR) at six hours was 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28 to 1.69; five trials) favouring 400 mg ibuprofen over 1000 mg paracetamol, and the risk ratio for not using rescue medication (also favouring ibuprofen) was 1.50 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.79; four trials).The combined drug showed promising results, with a risk ratio for at least 50% of the maximum pain relief over six hours of 1.77 (95% CI 1.32 to 2.39) (paracetamol 1000 mg and ibuprofen 400 mg) (one trial; moderate quality evidence), and risk ratio not using rescue medication 1.60 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.88) (two trials; moderate quality evidence).The information available regarding adverse events from the studies (including nausea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness

  3. Effect of birth ball on labor pain relief: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makvandi, Somayeh; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Sadeghi, Ramin; Karimi, Leila

    2015-11-01

    To critically evaluate the available evidence related to the impact of using a birth ball on labor pain relief. The Cochrane library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus were searched from their inception to January 2015 using keywords: (Birth* OR Swiss OR Swedish OR balance OR fitness OR gym* OR Pezzi OR sport* OR stability) AND (ball*) AND (labor OR labour OR Obstetric). All available randomized controlled trials involving women using a birth ball for pain relief during labor were considered. The search resulted in 341 titles and abstracts, which were narrowed down to eight potentially relevant articles. Of these, four studies met the inclusion criteria. Pain intensity on a 10 cm visual analogue scale was used as the main outcome measure. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 2 was used for statistical analysis. Four RCTs involving 220 women were included in the systematic review. One study was excluded from the meta-analysis because of heterogeneous interventions and a lack of mean and standard deviation results of labor pain score. The meta-analysis showed that birth ball exercises provided statistically significant improvements to labor pain (pooled mean difference -0.921; 95% confidence interval -1.28, -0.56; P = 0.0000005; I(2)  = 33.7%). The clinical implementation of a birth ball exercise could be an effective tool for parturient women to reduce labor pain. However, rigorous RCTs are needed to evaluate the effect of the birth ball on labor pain relief. © 2015 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  4. Comparative clinical study using laser and LED-therapy for orofacial pain relief: dentin hypersensitivity and cervicogenic headache

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lizarelli, Rosane F. Z.; Pizzo, Renata C. A.; Florez, Fernando L. E.; Grecco, Clovis; Speciali, Jose G.; Bagnato, Vanderlei S.

    2015-06-01

    Considering several clinical situations, low intensity laser therapy has been widely applied in pain relief or analgesia mechanism. With the advent of new LED-based (light emitting diode) light sources, the need of further clinical experiments aiming to compare the effectiveness among them is paramount. The LED system therapeutic use can be denominated as LEDT - Light Emitting Diode Therapy. This study proposed two clinical evaluations of pain relief effect: to dentin hypersensitivity and to cervicogenic headache using different sources of lasers (low and high intensity) and light emitting diodes (LEDs), one emitting at the spectral band of red (630+/- 5nm) and the other one at infrared band (880+/- 5nm). Two different clinical studies were performed and presented interesting results. Considering dentin hypersensitivity, red and infrared led were so effective than the control group (high intensity laser system); by the other side, considering cervicogenic headache, control group (infrared laser) was the best treatment in comparison to red and infrared led system.

  5. Evoked potentials after painful cutaneous electrical stimulation depict pain relief during a conditioned pain modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höffken, Oliver; Özgül, Özüm S; Enax-Krumova, Elena K; Tegenthoff, Martin; Maier, Christoph

    2017-08-29

    Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) evaluates the pain modulating effect of a noxious conditioning stimulus (CS) on another noxious test stimulus (TS), mostly based solely on subjective pain ratings. We used painful cutaneous electrical stimulation (PCES) to induce TS in a novel CPM-model. Additionally, to evaluate a more objective parameter, we recorded the corresponding changes of cortical evoked potentials (PCES-EP). We examined the CPM-effect in 17 healthy subjects in a randomized controlled cross-over design during immersion of the non-dominant hand into 10 °C or 24 °C cold water (CS). Using three custom-built concentric surface electrodes, electrical stimuli were applied on the dominant hand, inducing pain of 40-60 on NRS 0-100 (TS). At baseline, during and after CS we assessed the electrically induced pain intensity and electrically evoked potentials recorded over the central electrode (Cz). Only in the 10 °C-condition, both pain (52.6 ± 4.4 (baseline) vs. 30.3 ± 12.5 (during CS)) and amplitudes of PCES-EP (42.1 ± 13.4 μV (baseline) vs. 28.7 ± 10.5 μV (during CS)) attenuated during CS and recovered there after (all p pain ratings during electrical stimulation and amplitudes of PCES-EP correlated significantly with each other (r = 0.5) and with CS pain intensity (r = 0.5). PCES-EPs are a quantitative measure of pain relief, as changes in the electrophysiological response are paralleled by a consistent decrease in subjective pain ratings. This novel CPM paradigm is a feasible method, which could help to evaluate the function of the endogenous pain modulation processes. German Clinical Trials Register DRKS-ID: DRKS00012779 , retrospectively registered on 24 July 2017.

  6. Pain relief of sore throat with a new anti-inflammatory throat lozenge, ibuprofen 25 mg: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, international phase III study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouroubi, Athmane; Donazzolo, Yves; Donath, Franck; Eccles, Ron; Russo, Marc; Harambillet, Nadine; Gautier, Stéphanie; Montagne, Agnès

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a new oromucosal ibuprofen form, ibuprofen 25 mg lozenge, in single and repeat dosing for up to 4 days, to the matched placebo, in the treatment of acute sore throat pain in adults. In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, adult patients with non-streptococcal sore throat and signs of moderate-to-severe associated pain (≥5 on the objective Tonsillo-Pharyngitis Assessment 21-point scale and ≥60 mm on the subjective 0-100 mm visual analogue Sore Throat Pain Intensity Scale [STPIS]) were assigned ibuprofen 25 mg (n=194) or matching placebo (n=191) lozenge treatment. Efficacy was assessed (at the investigating centre up to 2 hours after first dosing, then on an ambulatory basis) by parameters derived from patient's scores on scales of pain relief, pain intensity, and global efficacy assessment. The primary efficacy end-point was the time-weighted TOTal PAin Relief (TOTPAR) over 2 hours after first dosing using the Sore Throat Relief Scale (STRS). Safety and local tolerability were assessed. Ibuprofen 25 mg was superior to placebo on numerous pain relief parameters; TOTPAR was significantly higher with ibuprofen 25 mg over 2 hours after first dosing (Ppain (n=128), after an average 4 days (Prelief of sore throat pain and is as well tolerated as placebo. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01785862. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Multiple 60-Minute Massages per Week Offer Relief for Chronic Neck Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... W X Y Z Multiple 60-Minute Massages per Week Offer Relief for Chronic Neck Pain Share: © ... funded study found that multiple 60-minute massages per week were more effective than fewer or shorter ...

  8. Quadratus lumborum block for post-operative pain relief in patient with Prune belly syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garg, Chitra; Khanna, Sangeeta; Mehta, Yatin

    2017-10-01

    Abdominal field blocks are commonly used as part of multimodal analgesia for post-operative pain relief in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Conventionally, transversus abdominis plane block is used, but has the disadvantage of limited spread only to T10-T12 segments, providing only partial pain relief. The new quadratus lumborum (QL) block has the advantage of providing wider sensory block from T6 to L1 and thus has an evolving role in opioid-free anaesthesia. Opioid-induced cough depression, urinary retention, and drowsiness can be problematic in patients with Prune belly syndrome, who have deficient abdominal muscles and myriad of genitourinary problems. We report a case of a young male with Prune belly syndrome, who had a pain-free post-operative period after high inguinal orchidectomy with unilateral QL block.

  9. The stress response to surgery: release mechanisms and the modifying effect of pain relief

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kehlet, H

    1989-01-01

    This short review updates information on the release mechanisms of the systemic response to surgical injury and the modifying effect of pain relief. Initiation of the response is primarily due to afferent nerve impulses combined with release of humoral substances (such as prostaglandins, kinins...... in releasing the classical endocrine catabolic response, while humoral factors are important for the hyperthermic response, changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis immunofunction, and capillary permeability. The modifying effect of pain relief on the surgical stress response is dependent upon the technique...... on the stress response. In summary, pain alleviation itself may not necessarily lead to an important modification of the stress response, and a combined approach with inhibition of the neural and humoral release mechanisms is necessary for a pronounced inhibition or prevention of the response to surgical injury....

  10. [Safety and efficacy of ketamine for pain relief].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niesters, Marieke; Dahan, Albert; van Kleef, Maarten

    2016-01-01

    Intravenous ketamine treatment is frequently used for the management of chronic pain, especially in those patients who do not benefit from other therapies. In this commentary we discuss the efficacy of ketamine for relief of chronic pain and ketamine's safety profile. A review of the literature indicates that only a few studies show that intravenous ketamine has analgesic effects that persist beyond the infusion period, an effect that occurs in about two-thirds of patients. Ketamine has multiple safety issues, ranging from psychotomimetic and schizotypal symptoms, sympathetic stimulation, tachycardia and hypertension, and damage to the liver and the urogenital tract. Damage to the urogenital tract seems to be restricted to individuals who chronically abuse ketamine. We indicate the need for large randomized trials in which ketamine is compared with an 'active' placebo.

  11. The changes of regional cerebral blood flow: successful pain relief of intractable CRPS type II patients by motor cortex stimulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jung, J. A.; Son, H. S.; Kim, S. H.; Jung, S. G [The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2004-07-01

    Authors report the effectiveness of MCS in extraordinarily extended pain due to intractable CRPS type II and rCBF study result for mechanism of pain control by MCS. A 43-year-old male presented severe spontaneous burning pain in his left hand and forearm and allodynia over the left arm and left hemibody. Authors planned MCS as a neuromodulation therapy for this intractable peripheral neuropathic pain patient because further neurodestructive procedure did not work anymore and have a potential risk of further aggrevation of neuopathic pain. We performed baseline and stimulation brain perfusion SPECT using 20 mCi of Tc-99m ECD. The baseline CBD studies were done with stimulator 'off' state and stimulation studies were done after stimulator 'on' with satisfactory pain relief. For the stimulation study, the radioisotope was injected immediately after pain-relief and the images were taken about 50 minutes after injection of radioisotope. In resting rCBF in the patient was compared with normal control datas, we found significant increase in rCBF in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right superior temporal gyrus, left temporooccipital area. When rCBF datas obtained after alleviation of pain with stimulator 'on' . there were significant increase in rCBF in bilateral prefrontal cortex and left temporoocipital area. After subtraction of ECD SPECT, we found significant increase in rCBF in the right premotor and supplementary motor cortex left sensorimotor cortex, right cingulated cortex, right posterior insular cortex, right anterior limb of internal capsule. left orbitofrontal cortex and right pyramidal tract in cerebral peduncle. Authors report exellent pain control by MCS in a case of severe CRPS type II with hemibody involvement and regional cerebral blood flow changes according to successful pain control.

  12. The changes of regional cerebral blood flow: successful pain relief of intractable CRPS type II patients by motor cortex stimulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, J. A.; Son, H. S.; Kim, S. H.; Jung, S. G

    2004-01-01

    Authors report the effectiveness of MCS in extraordinarily extended pain due to intractable CRPS type II and rCBF study result for mechanism of pain control by MCS. A 43-year-old male presented severe spontaneous burning pain in his left hand and forearm and allodynia over the left arm and left hemibody. Authors planned MCS as a neuromodulation therapy for this intractable peripheral neuropathic pain patient because further neurodestructive procedure did not work anymore and have a potential risk of further aggrevation of neuopathic pain. We performed baseline and stimulation brain perfusion SPECT using 20 mCi of Tc-99m ECD. The baseline CBD studies were done with stimulator 'off' state and stimulation studies were done after stimulator 'on' with satisfactory pain relief. For the stimulation study, the radioisotope was injected immediately after pain-relief and the images were taken about 50 minutes after injection of radioisotope. In resting rCBF in the patient was compared with normal control datas, we found significant increase in rCBF in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right superior temporal gyrus, left temporooccipital area. When rCBF datas obtained after alleviation of pain with stimulator 'on' . there were significant increase in rCBF in bilateral prefrontal cortex and left temporoocipital area. After subtraction of ECD SPECT, we found significant increase in rCBF in the right premotor and supplementary motor cortex left sensorimotor cortex, right cingulated cortex, right posterior insular cortex, right anterior limb of internal capsule. left orbitofrontal cortex and right pyramidal tract in cerebral peduncle. Authors report exellent pain control by MCS in a case of severe CRPS type II with hemibody involvement and regional cerebral blood flow changes according to successful pain control

  13. Quadratus lumborum block for post-operative pain relief in patient with Prune belly syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chitra Garg

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Abdominal field blocks are commonly used as part of multimodal analgesia for post-operative pain relief in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Conventionally, transversus abdominis plane block is used, but has the disadvantage of limited spread only to T10–T12 segments, providing only partial pain relief. The new quadratus lumborum (QL block has the advantage of providing wider sensory block from T6 to L1 and thus has an evolving role in opioid-free anaesthesia. Opioid-induced cough depression, urinary retention, and drowsiness can be problematic in patients with Prune belly syndrome, who have deficient abdominal muscles and myriad of genitourinary problems. We report a case of a young male with Prune belly syndrome, who had a pain-free post-operative period after high inguinal orchidectomy with unilateral QL block.

  14. The roles of special proresolving mediators in pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lan-Yu; Jia, Ming-Rui; Sun, Tao

    2018-02-08

    The resolution of acute inflammation, once thought to be a passive process, is now recognized as an active one. The productions of endogenous special proresolving mediators (SPMs) are involved in this process. SPMs, including lipoxins, resolvins, protectins, and maresins, are endogenous lipid mediators generated from ω-6 arachidonic acid or ω-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids during the resolution phase of acute inflammation. They have potent anti-inflammatory and proresolving actions in various inflammatory disorders. Due to the potent proresolving and anti-inflammatory effects, SPMs are also used for pain relief. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which SPMs act on their respective G-protein-coupled receptors in immune cells and nerve cells to normalize pain via regulating inflammatory mediators, transient receptor potential ion channels, and central sensitization. SPMs may offer novel therapeutic approaches for preventing and treating pain conditions associated with inflammation.

  15. Hypnosis and Local Anesthesia for Dental Pain Relief-Alternative or Adjunct Therapy?-A Randomized, Clinical-Experimental Crossover Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Thomas Gerhard; Wolf, Dominik; Callaway, Angelika; Below, Dagna; d'Hoedt, Bernd; Willershausen, Brita; Daubländer, Monika

    2016-01-01

    This prospective randomized clinical crossover trial was designed to compare hypnosis and local anesthesia for experimental dental pain relief. Pain thresholds of the dental pulp were determined. A targeted standardized pain stimulus was applied and rated on the Visual Analogue Scale (0-10). The pain threshold was lower under hypnosis (58.3 ± 17.3, p local anesthesia. The pain stimulus was scored higher under hypnosis (3.9 ± 3.8) than with local anesthesia (0.0, p Local anesthesia was superior to hypnosis and is a safe and effective method for pain relief in dentistry. Hypnosis seems to produce similar effects observed under sedation. It can be used in addition to local anesthesia and in individual cases as an alternative for pain control in dentistry.

  16. Predictors of pain relief following spinal cord stimulation in chronic back and leg pain and failed back surgery syndrome: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Rod S; Desai, Mehul J; Rigoard, Philippe; Taylor, Rebecca J

    2014-07-01

    We sought to assess the extent to which pain relief in chronic back and leg pain (CBLP) following spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is influenced by patient-related factors, including pain location, and technology factors. A number of electronic databases were searched with citation searching of included papers and recent systematic reviews. All study designs were included. The primary outcome was pain relief following SCS, we also sought pain score (pre- and post-SCS). Multiple predictive factors were examined: location of pain, history of back surgery, initial level of pain, litigation/worker's compensation, age, gender, duration of pain, duration of follow-up, publication year, continent of data collection, study design, quality score, method of SCS lead implant, and type of SCS lead. Between-study association in predictive factors and pain relief were assessed by meta-regression. Seventy-four studies (N = 3,025 patients with CBLP) met the inclusion criteria; 63 reported data to allow inclusion in a quantitative analysis. Evidence of substantial statistical heterogeneity (P regression analysis showed no predictive patient or technology factors. SCS was effective in reducing pain irrespective of the location of CBLP. This review supports SCS as an effective pain relieving treatment for CBLP with predominant leg pain with or without a prior history of back surgery. Randomized controlled trials need to confirm the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of SCS in the CLBP population with predominant low back pain. © 2013 The Authors Pain Practice Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of World Institute of Pain.

  17. Pain Relief in Nonhuman Primate Models of Arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vierboom, Michel P M; Breedveld, Elia; Keehnen, Merei; Klomp, Rianne; Bakker, Jaco

    2017-01-01

    Animal models of rheumatoid arthritis are important in the elucidation of etiopathogenic mechanisms of the disease and for the development of promising new therapies. Species specificity of new biological compounds and their mode of action preclude safety and efficacy testing in rodent models of disease. Nonhuman primates (NHP) can fill this niche and provide the only relevant model. Over the last two decades models of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were developed in the rhesus monkey and the common marmoset. However, NHP are higher-order animals and complex sentient beings. So especially in models where pain is an intricate part of the disease, analgesia needs to be addressed because of ethical considerations. In our model, a morphine-based pain relief was used that does not interfere with the normal development of disease allowing us to evaluate important mechanistic aspects of the arthritis.

  18. Percutaneous vertebroplasty in vertebral metastases from breast cancer: interest in terms of pain relief and quality of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barragán-Campos, Héctor Manuel; Le Faou, Anne-Laurence; Rose, Michèle; Livartowski, Alain; Doz, Marianne; Astagneau, Pascal; Cormier, Evelyne; Chiras, Jacques

    2014-10-31

    Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) is a therapeutic option in patients with vertebral metastases (VM). However its efficacy in pain relief, improvement in quality of life and safety in patients with VM from breast cancer has not been reported. We present a longitudinal retrospective study of 31 consecutively treated female patients with VM from breast cancer where 88 vertebrae were treated in 44 sessions of PV, in which osteolytic, osteoblastic and mixed lesions were recorded. The visual analogue pain scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain pre-PV, at one, three, six and 12 months post-PV. The Eastern Cooperative Group (ECOG) performance status scale was used at the same time intervals to measure quality of life: 90.3% pain relief was identified with a VAS reduction from 5.7 ± 2.0 pre-PV to 2.9 ± 2.2 post-PV at one-month follow-up (ppain relief, and improvement of quality of life in patients with diverse types of VM from breast cancer.

  19. An Innovative and Portable Multimodal Pain Relief Device for the Management of Neuropathic Low Back Pain - a Study from Kashmir (Southeast Asia).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarfarosh, Shah Faisal Ahmad; Lone, Baseer-Ul-Rasool; Beigh, Mirza-Idrees-Ul-Haq; Manzoor, Mushbiq

    2016-06-29

    We developed a portable multimodal system with seven different mechanisms of pain relief incorporated into a lumbar belt called the Comfort-N-Harmony Belt (C&H belt). Here, we describe the technical details of the system and also summarize the effects of this multimodal pain relieving technology as an adjuvant to analgesics versus analgesics alone, on the level of pain, improvement of psychological status, disability, and the quality of life in the patients with neuropathic low back pain (LBP). We tracked the volunteers who were following up at a tertiary health care center for the complaints of neuropathic LBP of minimum three months duration and were on analgesics alone with no relief in the severity of the pain. Study group A (n = 45) consisted of volunteers with LBP on C&H belt therapy, along with the usually prescribed analgesic intake, and group B (n = 45) with LBP volunteers on analgesics, plus a similar looking but plain leather belt (placebo). For pain, the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale); for anxiety and depression, the (HADS) Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale; for disability, the RMDQ (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire); and for quality of life, (NHP) Nottingham-Health-Profile were used before and after the study period.  There were no significant differences in demographic variables between the groups (p improved compared to the pre-treatment scores (p improvements in the scores of NHP-energy level and NHP-social isolation (p 0.05). However, in comparison of pre- and post-treatment scores, the pre-treatment score values of RMDQ, NHP-pain, NHP-physical activity, and NHP-social isolation were much higher in group A compared to the group B, but still these scores were, in a statistically significant manner, improved in group A compared to the group B after the study period was over (p improving function and quality of life, and help in relieving the associated anxiety and depression in patients with chronic neuropathic LBP than the analgesics alone

  20. Efficacy of transverse tripolar stimulation for relief of chronic low back pain: results of a single center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavin, K V; Burchiel, K J; Anderson, V C; Cooke, B

    1999-01-01

    The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the transverse tripolar spinal cord stimulation system (TTS) in providing relief of low back pain in patients with chronic non-malignant pain. Transverse tripolar electrodes were implanted in the lower thoracic region (T(8-9) to T(12)-L(1)) in 10 patients with chronic neuropathic pain, all of whom reported a significant component of low back pain in combination with unilateral or bilateral leg pain. One patient reported inadequate pain relief during the trial and was not implanted with a permanent generator. A visual analogue scale of low back pain showed a nonsignificant decrease from 64 +/- 19 to 47 +/- 30 (p = 0.25; paired t test) after 1 month of stimulation. Similarly, functional disability evaluated using Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire was not improved (p = 0. 46; paired t test). We conclude that chronic low back pain is not particularly responsive to the transverse stimulation provided by the TTS system. Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

  1. A new analgesic method, two-minute sciatic nerve press, for immediate pain relief: a randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Fenglin

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Current analgesics have drawbacks such as delays in acquisition, lag-times for effect, and side effects. We recently presented a preliminary report of a new analgesic method involving a two-minute sciatic nerve press, which resulted in immediate short-term relief of pain associated with dental and renal diseases. The present study investigated whether this technique was effective for pain associated with other disease types, and whether the relief was effective for up to one hour. Methods This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted in four hospitals in Anhui Province, China. Patients with pain were sequentially recruited by participating physicians during clinic visits, and 135 patients aged 15 – 80 years were enrolled. Dental disease patients included those with acute pulpitis and periapical abscesses. Renal disease patients included those with kidney infections and/or stones. Tumor patients included those with nose, breast, stomach and liver cancers, while Emergency Room patients had various pathologies. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a "sciatic nerve press" in which pressure was applied simultaneously to the sciatic nerves at the back of both thighs, or a "placebo press" in which pressure was applied to a parallel region on the front of the thighs. Each fist applied a pressure of 11 – 20 kg for 2 minutes. Patients rated their level of pain before and after the procedure. Results The "sciatic nerve press" produced immediate relief of pain in all patient groups. Emergency patients reported a 43.5% reduction in pain (p th minutes, and the relief decreased 47% by the 60th minutes. Conclusion Two minutes of pressure on both sciatic nerves produced immediate significant short-term conduction analgesia. This technique is a convenient, safe and powerful method for the short-term treatment of clinical pain associated with a diverse range of pathologies. Trial registration Current

  2. Examining the side effects of sucrose for pain relief in preterm infants: a case-control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.B.M. Linhares

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Sucrose solution is recommended as relevant pain relief management in neonates during acute painful procedures; however, only a few studies have analyzed the potentially adverse effects of sucrose administration to preterm neonates. The goal of this study was to examine the potential side effects of sucrose for pain relief in preterm infants, assessing feeding and weight gain during hospitalization and their feeding patterns postdischarge. The study sample consisted of 43 preterm neonates divided into two groups: a sucrose group (SG, n=18 and a control group (CG, n=25 in which no sucrose was administered. The SG received 0.5 mL/kg 25% oral sucrose for 2 min prior to all acute painful procedures during three consecutive days. A prospective review of medical charts was performed for all samples. The study was done prior to implementation of the institutional sucrose guidelines as a routine service, and followed all ethical requirements. There were no statistically significant differences between groups in terms of weight gain, length of stay with orogastric tubes, and parenteral feeding. Postdischarge, infant nutritional intake included feeding human milk to 67% of the SG and 74% of the CG. There were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding human milk feeding patterns postdischarge. Neonate feeding patterns and weight gain were unaffected following the short-term use of sucrose for pain relief.

  3. Characterizing individual painDETECT symptoms by average pain severity

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    Sadosky A

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Alesia Sadosky,1 Vijaya Koduru,2 E Jay Bienen,3 Joseph C Cappelleri4 1Pfizer Inc, New York, NY, 2Eliassen Group, New London, CT, 3Outcomes Research Consultant, New York, NY, 4Pfizer Inc, Groton, CT, USA Background: painDETECT is a screening measure for neuropathic pain. The nine-item version consists of seven sensory items (burning, tingling/prickling, light touching, sudden pain attacks/electric shock-type pain, cold/heat, numbness, and slight pressure, a pain course pattern item, and a pain radiation item. The seven-item version consists only of the sensory items. Total scores of both versions discriminate average pain-severity levels (mild, moderate, and severe, but their ability to discriminate individual item severity has not been evaluated.Methods: Data were from a cross-sectional, observational study of six neuropathic pain conditions (N=624. Average pain severity was evaluated using the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, with severity levels defined using established cut points for distinguishing mild, moderate, and severe pain. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was followed by ridit analysis to represent the probability that a randomly selected subject from one average pain-severity level had a more favorable outcome on the specific painDETECT item relative to a randomly selected subject from a comparator severity level.Results: A probability >50% for a better outcome (less severe pain was significantly observed for each pain symptom item. The lowest probability was 56.3% (on numbness for mild vs moderate pain and highest probability was 76.4% (on cold/heat for mild vs severe pain. The pain radiation item was significant (P<0.05 and consistent with pain symptoms, as well as with total scores for both painDETECT versions; only the pain course item did not differ.Conclusion: painDETECT differentiates severity such that the ability to discriminate average pain also distinguishes individual pain item severity in an interpretable manner. Pain-severity

  4. Pain relief for women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia undergoing colposcopy treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajjar, Ketan; Martin-Hirsch, Pierre P L; Bryant, Andrew; Owens, Gemma L

    2016-07-18

    Pre-cancerous lesions of cervix (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)) are usually treated with excisional or ablative procedures. In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) cervical screening guidelines suggest that over 80% of treatments should be performed in an outpatient setting (colposcopy clinics). Furthermore, these guidelines suggest that analgesia should always be given prior to laser or excisional treatments. Currently various pain relief strategies are employed that may reduce pain during these procedures. To assess whether the administration of pain relief (analgesia) reduces pain during colposcopy treatment and in the postoperative period. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2016, Issue 2), MEDLINE (1950 to March week 3, 2016) and Embase (1980 to week 12, 2016) for studies of any design relating to analgesia for colposcopic management. We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared all types of pain relief before, during or after outpatient treatment to the cervix, in women with CIN undergoing loop excision, laser ablation, laser excision or cryosurgery in an outpatient colposcopy clinic setting. We independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. We entered data into Review Manager 5 and double checked it for accuracy. Where possible, we expressed results as mean pain score and standard error of the mean with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and synthesised data in a meta-analysis. We included 19 RCTs (1720 women) of varying methodological quality in the review. These trials compared a variety of interventions aimed at reducing pain in women who underwent treatment for CIN, including cervical injection with lignocaine alone, lignocaine with adrenaline, buffered lignocaine with adrenaline, prilocaine with felypressin, oral

  5. Long-term pain relief with optimized medical treatment including antioxidants and step-up interventional therapy in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalimar; Midha, Shallu; Hasan, Ajmal; Dhingra, Rajan; Garg, Pramod Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Abdominal pain is difficult to treat in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Medical therapy including antioxidants has been shown to relieve pain of CP in the short-term. Our aim was to study the long-term results of optimized medical and interventional therapy for pain relief in patients with CP with a step-up approach. All consecutive patients with CP were included prospectively in the study. They were treated medically with a well-balanced diet, pancreatic enzymes, and antioxidants (9000 IU beta-carotene, 0.54 g vitamin C, 270 IU vitamin E, 600 µg organic selenium, and 2 g methionine). Endoscopic therapy and/or surgery were offered if medical therapy failed. Pain relief was the primary outcome measure. A total of 313 patients (mean age 26.16 ± 12.17; 244 males) with CP were included; 288 (92%) patients had abdominal pain. The etiology of CP was idiopathic in 224 (71.6%) and alcohol in 82 (26.2%). At 1-year follow-up, significant pain relief was achieved in 84.7% of patients: 52.1% with medical therapy, 16.7% with endoscopic therapy, 7.6% with surgery, and 8.3% spontaneously. The mean pain score decreased from 6.36 ± 1.92 to 1.62 ± 2.10 (P pain free at those follow-up periods. Significant pain relief is achieved in the majority of patients with optimized medical and interventional treatment. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  6. Oral glucose for pain relief during examination for retinopathy of prematurity: a masked randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Marlene Coelho da; Eckert, Gabriela Unchalo; Fortes, Barbara Gastal Borges; Fortes Filho, João Borges; Silveira, Rita C; Procianoy, Renato S

    2013-01-01

    Ophthalmologic examination for retinopathy of prematurity is a painful procedure. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions have been proposed to reduce pain during eye examinations. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic effect of 25% glucose using a validated pain scale during the first eye examination for retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants with birth weight relief.

  7. Improvement in Pain After Lumbar Spine Surgery: The Role of Preoperative Expectations of Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancuso, Carol A; Reid, M C; Duculan, Roland; Girardi, Federico P

    2017-02-01

    Improvement in pain is a major expectation of patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. Among 422 patients, the goal of this prospective study was to measure 2-year postoperative pain and to determine whether this outcome varied according to patient and clinical characteristics, including amount of pain relief expected preoperatively. Before surgery patients completed valid questionnaires that addressed clinical characteristics and expectations for pain improvement. Two years after surgery patients reported how much pain improvement they actually received. The mean age was 56 years old and 55% were men. Two years after surgery 11% of patients reported no improvement in pain, 28% reported a little to moderate improvement, 44% reported a lot of improvement, and 17% reported complete improvement. In multivariable analysis, patients reported less pain improvement if, before surgery, they expected greater pain improvement (odds ratio [OR] 1.4), had a positive screen for depression (OR 1.7), were having revision surgery (OR 1.6), had surgery at L4 or L5 (OR 2.5), had a degenerative diagnosis (OR 1.6), and if, after surgery, they had another surgery (OR 2.8) and greater back (OR 1.3) and leg (OR 1.1) pain (all variables P≤0.05). Pain is not uncommon after lumbar surgery and is associated with a network of clinical, surgical, and psychological variables. This study provides evidence that patients' expectations about pain are an independent variable in this network. Because expectations are potentially modifiable this study supports addressing pain-related expectations with patients before surgery through discussions with surgeons and through formal preoperative patient education.

  8. Indomethacin and ethamsylate alone and in combination for the relief of post episiotomy pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, R F; Devitt, M

    1992-08-01

    In a bid to minimise dosage and possible side-effects when relieving post episiotomy pain, the NSAID Indomethacin was studied in combination with a systemic haemostat Ethamsylate which has been shown to selectively inhibit some prostaglandins. Comparative groups also took Indomethacin alone and placebo in a double blind non-crossover comparison. Efficacy was judged in terms of side-effects and assessments of pain intensity, pain relief and global assessment of pain. There was some evidence of a beneficial interaction between Indomethacin and Ethamsylate when adjustments were made for the patient's age and initial pain score. Side-effects were most common in the combination therapy group.

  9. Moxibustion for pain relief in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Mingxiao; Chen, Xiangzhu; Bo, Linna; Lao, Lixing; Chen, Jiao; Yu, Siyi; Yu, Zheng; Tang, Hongzhi; Yi, Ling; Wu, Xi; Yang, Jie; Liang, Fanrong

    2017-01-01

    Though moxibustion is frequently used to treat primary dysmenorrhea in China, relevant evidence supporting its effectiveness is still scanty. This study was a pragmatic randomized, conventional drug controlled, open-labeled clinical trial. After initial screen, 152 eligible participants were averagely randomized to receive two different treatment strategies: Moxibustion and conventional drugs. Participants and practitioners were not blinded in this study. The duration of each treatment was 3 months. The primary outcome was pain relief measured by the Visual Analogue Scale. The menstrual pain severity was recorded in a menstrual pain diary. 152 eligible patients were included but only 133 of them eventually completed the whole treatment course. The results showed that the menstrual pain intensity in experimental group and control group was reduced from 6.38±1.28 and 6.41±1.29, respectively, at baseline, to 2.54±1.41 and 2.47±1.29 after treatment. The pain reduction was not significantly different between these two groups (P = 0.76), however; the pain intensity was significantly reduced relative to baseline for each group (Ppain-related symptoms. The serum levels of pain mediators, such as PGF2α, OT, vWF, β-EP, PGE2, were significantly improved after treatment in both groups (Ppain, given their treatment effects and economic costs. This study as a pragmatic trial only demonstrates the effectiveness, not the efficacy, of moxibustion for menstrual pain. It can't rule out the effect of psychological factors during treatment process, because no blind procedure or sham control was used due to availability. In clinical practice, moxibustion should be used at the discretion of patients and their physicians. ClinialTrials.gov NCT01972906.

  10. Electric Stimulation for Pain Relief in Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Ana Paula de Silva; Stein, Cinara; Marchese, Ritchele Redivo; Plentz, Rodrigo Della Mea; Pagnussat, Aline De Souza

    2017-02-01

    Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome whose primary symptoms include chronic widespread muscle pain and fatigue. The treatment of patients with FM aims to provide symptomatic relief and improvement in physical capacities to perform daily tasks and quality of life. Invasive or non-invasive electric stimulation (ES) is used for pain relief in patients with FM. This systematic review aimed to assess the effects of treatment with ES, combined or not combined with other types of therapy, for pain relief in patients with FM. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic search was conducted on databases (from the inception to April 2016): MEDLINE (accessed by PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane CENTRAL), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). Two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of studies based on the inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of ES combined or not with other types of treatment for pain relief in patients with FM (according to the American College of Rheumatology), regardless of the ES dosages. The primary outcome was pain, assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes extracted were quality of life, assessed by short form-36 health survey (SF- 36), and fatigue, assessed by VAS. Nine studies were included, with 301 patients. The meta-analysis for pain showed positive effect of ES treatment versus control [-1.24 (95% CI: -2.39 to -0.08; I²: 87%, P = 0.04) n = 8 RCTs]. The sensitivity analysis for pain showed significant results for invasive ES, combined or not with other types of therapy [-0.94 (95% CI, -1.50 to -0.38; I² 0%, P = 0.001) n = 3 RCTs]. No significant improvement was found regarding quality of life [-3.48 (95% CI: -12.58 to 5.62; I²: 0%, P = 0.45), n = 2 RCTs] or fatigue [-0.57 (95% CI, -1.25 to 0.11; I² 34%, P = 0.100; n = 4 RCTs]. This systematic review included a small number of studies and reduced number of participants in

  11. Pain Relief in Depressive Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Antidepressants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebhardt, Stefan; Heinzel-Gutenbrunner, Monika; König, Udo

    2016-12-01

    Pain is a common symptom in patients with depressive disorders, which, if present, worsens the prognosis. However, there is little empirical knowledge of the therapeutic effects of antidepressants on painful physical symptoms of patients with depressive disorders. Furthermore, tricyclic/tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have not yet been included in existing meta-analyses. A broad, systematic search of PubMed literature on antidepressant drug treatment of patients with depressive disorders with comorbid pain symptoms was carried out. A random-effects meta-analysis has been performed among 3 different groups of drugs for the 2 end points: pain and depression. Fourteen placebo-controlled studies with selective serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs) could be included, with 3 of them also investigating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Three further placebo-controlled SSRI studies were identified, but only 2 placebo-controlled TCA studies.Both SSNRIs and SSRIs, but not TCAs, were significantly superior to placebo as regards their analgesic effects. However, all effects were small. For SSNRIs, there was a strong positive correlation between their effectiveness for pain relief and their positive effect on the mood of the patients. The analgesic effects of SSNRIs and SSRIs in patients with primary depressive disorders can be interpreted as largely equivalent. Because of a lack of placebo-controlled TCA studies, the results for TCAs would be comparable only to those of SSRIs and SSNRIs, if non-placebo-controlled TCA studies were included. The positive correlation found indicates a close relationship of pain relief and antidepressant treatment effects. These results refer merely to patients with primary depressive disorders, not to patients with primary pain disorders. Further studies comparing the effects of different types of antidepressant drugs on pain in depressive patients are warranted.

  12. Creating a Strain Relief Loop during S1 Transforaminal Lead Placement for Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation for Foot Pain: A Technical Note.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Velsen, Valery; van Helmond, Noud; Chapman, Kenneth B

    2018-04-01

    Chronic neuropathic pain is often refractory to conventional medical treatments and leads to significant disability and socio-economic burden. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation has recently emerged as a treatment for persistent neuropathic pain, but creating a strain relief loop at the S1 level has thus far been a challenging technical component of DRG lead placement. We describe a refined technique for strain relief loop formation at the S1 level using a transforaminal approach that we employed in a 45-year-old patient with intractable foot pain. We successfully placed a strain relief loop in the sacral space in a predictable and easily reproducible manner using a transforaminal anchorless approach. The patient experienced a decrease in visual analog pain score (85%), and improvement in function during the trial period, and proceeded with permanent implantation. The described sacral transforaminal strain relief loop formation technique appears to be a more reliable and predictable technique of DRG lead placement in the sacrum than those previously documented. © 2017 World Institute of Pain.

  13. Randomized controlled trial of benzocaine versus placebo spray for pain relief at hysterosalpingogram.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachman, E A; Senapati, S; Sammel, M D; Kalra, S K

    2014-06-01

    Many women experience pain during hysterosalpingogram (HSG). This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study assessed whether the use of benzocaine spray during HSG is associated with reduced pain as compared with placebo. Thirty women presenting for HSG were enrolled and randomized to either benzocaine or saline spray. Treatment groups were similar in age, race, parity, pre-procedure oral analgesic use and history of dysmenorrhoea and/or chronic pelvic pain. Median change in pain score from baseline to procedure was 50.6mm (-7.4 to 98.8mm) in the benzocaine group and 70.4mm (19.8 to 100mm) in the placebo group. There was no difference between groups after adjusting for history of dysmenorrhoea. There was no difference in resolution of pain in benzocaine versus placebo groups at 5 min post procedure--median pain score difference -11.1 (-90.1 to 18.5) versus -37.0 (-100 to 1.2)--or at 30 min post procedure. Satisfaction scores did not differ by treatment and did not correlate with pain score during the procedure (rho=0.005). The use of benzocaine spray does not significantly improve pain relief during HSG nor does it hasten resolution of pain post HSG. Of interest, patient satisfaction was not correlated with pain. Many women experience pain during hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is a test used to evaluate the uterine cavity and fallopian tube. We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to assess whether the use of benzocaine spray during HSG is associated with reduced pain as compared with placebo. Thirty women presenting for HSG were enrolled and randomized to either benzocaine or saline spray. Treatment groups were similar in age, race, previous pregnancies, pre-procedure oral analgesic use and history of dysmenorrhoea (painful periods) and/or chronic pelvic pain. There was no difference in pain scores or resolution of pain between the two groups. Satisfaction scores did not differ by treatment group

  14. Low-dose ketamine improves pain relief in patients receiving intravenous opioids for acute pain in the emergency department: results of a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beaudoin, Francesca L; Lin, Charlie; Guan, Wentao; Merchant, Roland C

    2014-11-01

    Low-dose ketamine has been used perioperatively for pain control and may be a useful adjunct to intravenous (IV) opioids in the control of acute pain in the emergency department (ED). The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of low-dose ketamine as an adjunct to morphine versus standard care with morphine alone for the treatment of acute moderate to severe pain among ED patients. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with three study groups was conducted at a large, urban academic ED over a 10-month period. Eligible patients were 18 to 65 years old with acute moderate to severe pain (score of at least 5 out of 10 on the numerical pain rating scale [NRS] and pain duration ketamine (group 1), or 3) morphine and 0.3 mg/kg ketamine (group 2). Participants were assessed at 30, 60, and 120 minutes after study medication administration and received rescue analgesia as needed to target a 50% reduction in pain. The primary outcome measure of pain relief, or pain intensity reduction, was derived using the NRS and calculated as the summed pain-intensity (SPID) difference over 2 hours. The amount and timing of rescue opioid analgesia was evaluated as a secondary outcome. The occurrence of adverse events was also measured. Sixty patients were enrolled (n = 20 in each group). There were no differences between study groups with respect to age, sex, race/ethnicity, preenrollment analgesia, or baseline NRS. Over the 2-hour poststudy medication administration period, the SPIDs were higher (greater pain relief) for the ketamine study groups than the control group (standard care 4.0, interquartile range [IQR] = 1.8 to 6.5; group 1 7.0, IQR = 4.3 to 10.8; and group 2 7.8, IQR = 4.8 to 12.8; p ketamine groups were similar (p pain intensity up to 2 hours, whereas group 1 was similar to standard care by 2 hours. Similar numbers of patients received rescue analgesia: standard care group, seven of 20, 35%; group 1, four of 20, 20%; and group 2, four of 20, 20

  15. Weekly and Twice-Weekly Yoga Classes Offer Similar Low-Back Pain Relief in Low-Income Minority Populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Weekly and Twice-Weekly Yoga Classes Offer Similar Low-Back Pain Relief in Low-Income Minority Populations Share: © Photodisc ... in minority and low-income populations with chronic low-back pain. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine, Boston ...

  16. Automated discovery of safety and efficacy concerns for joint & muscle pain relief treatments from online reviews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, David Z; Gruss, Richard; Abrahams, Alan S

    2017-04-01

    Product issues can cost companies millions in lawsuits and have devastating effects on a firm's sales, image and goodwill, especially in the era of social media. The ability for a system to detect the presence of safety and efficacy (S&E) concerns early on could not only protect consumers from injuries due to safety hazards, but could also mitigate financial damage to the manufacturer. Prior studies in the field of automated defect discovery have found industry-specific techniques appropriate to the automotive, consumer electronics, home appliance, and toy industries, but have not investigated pain relief medicines and medical devices. In this study, we focus specifically on automated discovery of S&E concerns in over-the-counter (OTC) joint and muscle pain relief remedies and devices. We select a dataset of over 32,000 records for three categories of Joint & Muscle Pain Relief treatments from Amazon's online product reviews, and train "smoke word" dictionaries which we use to score holdout reviews, for the presence of safety and efficacy issues. We also score using conventional sentiment analysis techniques. Compared to traditional sentiment analysis techniques, we found that smoke term dictionaries were better suited to detect product concerns from online consumer reviews, and significantly outperformed the sentiment analysis techniques in uncovering both efficacy and safety concerns, across all product subcategories. Our research can be applied to the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry in order to detect safety and efficacy concerns, reducing risks that consumers face using these products. These findings can be highly beneficial to improving quality assurance and management in joint and muscle pain relief. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. After microvascular decompression to treat trigeminal neuralgia, both immediate pain relief and recurrence rates are higher in patients with arterial compression than with venous compression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Lei; Gu, Xiaoyan; Sun, Guan; Guo, Jun; Lin, Xin; Zhang, Shuguang; Qian, Chunfa

    2017-07-04

    We explored differences in postoperative pain relief achieved through decompression of the trigeminal nerve compressed by arteries and veins. Clinical characteristics, intraoperative findings, and postoperative curative effects were analyzed in 72 patients with trigeminal neuralgia who were treated by microvascular decompression. The patients were divided into arterial and venous compression groups based on intraoperative findings. Surgical curative effects included immediate relief, delayed relief, obvious reduction, and invalid result. Among the 40 patients in the arterial compression group, 32 had immediate pain relief of pain (80.0%), 5 cases had delayed relief (12.5%), and 3 cases had an obvious reduction (7.5%). In the venous compression group, 12 patients had immediate relief of pain (37.5%), 13 cases had delayed relief (40.6%), and 7 cases had an obvious reduction (21.9%). During 2-year follow-up period, 6 patients in the arterial compression group experienced recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia, but there were no recurrences in the venous compression group. Simple artery compression was followed by early relief of trigeminal neuralgia more often than simple venous compression. However, the trigeminal neuralgia recurrence rate was higher in the artery compression group than in the venous compression group.

  18. Periarticular infiltration for pain relief after total hip arthroplasty: a comparison with epidural and PCA analgesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandazi, Ageliki; Kanellopoulos, Ilias; Kalimeris, Konstantinos; Batistaki, Chrysanthi; Nikolakopoulos, Nikolaos; Matsota, Paraskevi; Babis, George C; Kostopanagiotou, Georgia

    2013-11-01

    Epidural and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) are established methods for pain relief after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Periarticular infiltration is an alternative method that is gaining ground due to its simplicity and safety. Our study aims to assess the efficacy of periarticular infiltration in pain relief after THA. Sixty-three patients undergoing THA under spinal anaesthesia were randomly assigned to receive postoperative analgesia with continuous epidural infusion with ropivacaine (epidural group), intraoperative periarticular infiltration with ropivacaine, clonidine, morphine, epinephrine and corticosteroids (infiltration group) or PCA with morphine (PCA group). PCA morphine provided rescue analgesia in all groups. We recorded morphine consumption, visual analog scale (VAS) scores at rest and movement, blood loss from wound drainage, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and adverse effects at 1, 6, 12, 24 h postoperatively. Morphine consumption at all time points, VAS scores at rest, 6, 12 and 24 h and at movement, 6 and 12 h postoperatively were lower in infiltration group compared to PCA group (p PCA group (p PCA with morphine after THA, providing better pain relief and lower opioid consumption postoperatively. Infiltration seems to be equally effective to epidural analgesia without having the potential side effects of the latter.

  19. Cytokine and neuropeptide levels are associated with pain relief in patients with chronically painful total knee arthroplasty: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jasvinder A; Noorbaloochi, Siamak; Knutson, Keith L

    2017-01-14

    There are few studies with an assessment of the levels of cytokines or neuropeptides as correlates of pain and pain relief in patients with painful joint diseases. Our objective was to assess whether improvements from baseline to 2-months in serum cytokine, chemokine and substance P levels were associated with clinically meaningful pain relief at 2-months post-injection in patients with painful total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Using data from randomized trial of 60 TKAs, we assessed the association of change in cytokine/chemokine/Substance P levels with primary study outcome, clinically important improvement in Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale at 2-months post-injection using Student's t-tests and Spearman's correlation coefficient (non-parametric). Patients were categorized as pain responders (20-point reduction or more on 0-100 WOMAC pain) vs. pain non-responders. Sensitivity analysis used 0-10 daytime pain numeric rating scale (NRS) instead of WOMAC pain subscale. In a pilot study, compared to non-responders (n = 23) on WOMAC pain scale at 2-months, pain responders (n = 12) had significantly greater increase in serum levels of IL-7, IL-10, IL-12, eotaxin, interferon gamma and TNF-α from baseline to 2-months post-injection (p coefficients ranging -0.37 to -0.51: IL-2, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-16, IL-12p, GCSF, IFN gamma, IP-10, MCP, MIP1b, TNF-α and VEGF (n = 35). Sensitivity analysis showed that substance P decreased significantly more from baseline to 2-months in the pain responders (0.54 ± 0.53; n = 10) than in the pain non-responders (0.48 ± 1.18; n = 9; p = 0.023) and that this change in serum substance P correlated significantly with change in daytime NRS pain, correlation coefficient was 0.53 (p = 0.021; n = 19). Findings should be interpreted with caution, since cytokine analyses were performed for a sub-group of the entire trial population. Serum cytokine, chemokine and Substance

  20. Using a New Measurement to Evaluate Pain Relief Among Cancer Inpatients with Clinically Significant Pain Based on a Nursing Information System: A Three-Year Hospital-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei-Yun; Chu, Chi-Ming; Sung, Chun-Sung; Ho, Shung-Tai; Wu, Yi-Syuan; Liang, Chun-Yu; Wang, Kwua-Yun

    2016-11-01

    Developing a new measurement index is the first step in evaluating pain relief outcomes. Although the percentage difference in pain intensity (%PID) is the most popular indicator, this indicator does not take into account the goal of pain relief. Therefore, the aims of this study were to develop a pain relief index (PRI) for outcome evaluation and to examine the index using demographic characteristics of cancer inpatients with clinically significant pain. Retrospective cohort study. A national hospital. All cancer inpatients. Pain intensity was assessed using a numerical rating scale, a faces pain scale or the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Behavioral Tool. Using a nursing information system, a pain score database containing data from 2011 through 2013 was analyzed. Cancer patients representing 93,812 hospitalizations were considered in this study. We focused on cancer patients for whom the worst pain intensity (WPI) was ≥ 4 points. PRI values of -62.02% to -72.55% were observed in the WPI ≥ 7 and 4 ≤ WPI ≤ 6 groups. Significant (P 65 years old, those who were admitted to the medicine or gynecology and those who had a hospital stay > 30 days. This hospital-based study demonstrated that the PRI is an effective and valid measure for evaluating outcome data using an electronic nursing information system. We will further define the meaningful range of percentage difference in PRI from various perspectives. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Value of TENS for relief of chronic low back pain with or without radicular pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchmuller, A; Navez, M; Milletre-Bernardin, M; Pouplin, S; Presles, E; Lantéri-Minet, M; Tardy, B; Laurent, B; Camdessanché, J P

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (TENS) in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Prospective, randomized, multicentre, single-blind study. Twenty-one French pain centres. Two hundred thirty-six consecutive adult patients consulting for chronic LBP, with or without radicular pain (mean age ± standard deviation: 53 ± 13 years; range: 28-86 years). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either active (n = 117) or sham (n = 119) TENS in four 1-h daily treatment sessions for 3 months. The primary outcome measured was improvement of functional status at 6 weeks (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire). Secondary outcome measures were improvement of functional status at 3 months, pain relief (weekly visual analogue scale assessments), positive functional repercussions of pain levels on quality of life, a diminution of the use of analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication, satisfaction with the overall treatment strategy and compliance. Functional status did not differ between the groups, whether at 6 weeks or 3 months (p = 0.351 at 6 weeks). A significant improvement between the first and last visual analogue scale assessments was observed in patients with either lumbar pain alone or lumbar and radicular pain treated with active TENS. Other outcome measures did not differ significantly between the two groups. There was no functional benefit of TENS in the treatment of patients with chronic LBP. © 2011 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

  2. Spinal Cord Stimulation Provides Pain Relief with Improved Psychosocial Function: Results from EMP3OWER.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Jason; Fabi, Alain; Candido, Kenneth; Knezevic, Nick; Creamer, Michael; Carayannopoulos, Alexios; Ghodsi, Abdi; Nelson, Christopher; Bennett, Matthew

    2016-12-01

    The EMP 3 OWER™ study evaluated spinal cord stimulation (SCS) safety and efficacy and the associated changes in psychosocial and functional outcomes. Upon informed consent and IRB approval, 620 eligible subjects were enrolled prior to SCS trial evaluation and were assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months post-implant. Patient-reported pain relief (PRP), numerical rating scale (NRS), satisfaction, quality of life (QOL), and pain disability index (PDI) were assessed at all follow-up visits while the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS), short form-36 (SF-36), short form-McGill pain questionnaire version 2 (SF-MPQ-2), and the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) were assessed at the 6- and 12-month follow-up visits. Device and/or procedure-related adverse events were also recorded and reported. Subjects reporting a PRP ≥ 50% were considered responders. Repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) examined the changes across time for all continuous measures. A total of 401 (71%) subjects received a permanent implant. Mean (±SD) patient-reported pain relief was 59.3% (±26.2), 59.2% (±28.9), and 58.2% (±32.0) at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. A majority of enrolled subjects were responders at 3 (75.5%), 6 (74.7%), and 12 months (69.7%). RMANOVA revealed a statistically significant change for NRS, PCS, PDI, SF-36, SF-MPQ-2, and STAI scores. At 3 months, the majority of subjects (85.7%) were either very satisfied or satisfied with their device, with similar results at 6 and 12 months. At 3 months, the majority of subjects (73.3%) reported greatly improved or improved QOL with similar results at 6 and 12 months. Spinal cord stimulation provided pain relief and significant improvement of patient psychological and functional outcome measures. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Pharmacological interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monk, Aoife B; Harrison, Jayne E; Worthington, Helen V; Teague, Annabel

    2017-11-28

    Pain is a common side effect of orthodontic treatment. It increases in proportion to the amount of force applied to the teeth, and the type of orthodontic appliance used can affect the intensity of the pain. Pain during orthodontic treatment has been shown to be the most common reason for people wanting to discontinue treatment, and has been ranked as the worst aspect of treatment. Although pharmacological methods of pain relief have been investigated, there remains some uncertainty among orthodontists about which painkillers are most suitable and whether pre-emptive analgesia is beneficial. We conducted this Cochrane Review to assess and summarize the international evidence relating to the effectiveness of analgesics for preventing this unwanted side effect associated with orthodontic treatment. The objectives of this review are to determine:- the effectiveness of drug interventions for pain relief during orthodontic treatment; and- whether there is a difference in the analgesic effect provided by different types, forms and doses of analgesia taken during orthodontic treatment. Cochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: the Cochrane Oral Health Trials Register (to 19 June 2017), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL;the Cochrane Library 2016, Issue 7), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 19 June 2017), Embase Ovid (1980 to 19 June 2017) and CINAHL EBSCO (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; 1937 to 19 June 2017). The US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched on the 19 June 2017 for ongoing studies. We placed no restrictions on language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relating to pain control during orthodontic treatment. Pain could be measured on a visual analogue scale (VAS), numerical

  4. Comparison of the effect of honey and mefenamic acid on the severity of pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiri Farahani, Ë Leila; Hasanpoor-Azghdy, Seyedeh Batool; Kasraei, Hengameh; Heidari, Tooba

    2017-08-01

    Primary dysmenorrhea starts simultaneously with menstruation or before it and usually continues for 48-72 h. As a prevalence disorder, it affects about 80-97% of women in the reproductive age. The conventional treatment modalities of primary dysmenorrhea are associated with complications and side effects. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge of the effect of honey on the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of honey on the severity of pain in women with dysmenorrhea. A randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted on 56 female students. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Groups I and II received honey and mefenamic acid in the 'first treatment period', respectively. In the 'second treatment period', the intervention methods were reversed between the groups. Samples recorded the severity of pain during the first 3 days of menstruation. There were no significant differences in the most severe level of pain in the first and second months of the first treatment period, and the first and second months of the second treatment period between the groups. Honey and the mefenamic acid capsules led to the same amount of pain relief in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Honey is suggested to be used for pain relief due to its lower side effects and pharmacological complications.

  5. Tramadol/paracetamol fixed-dose combination in the treatment of moderate to severe pain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pergolizzi Jr., Joseph V.; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Langford, Richard; Mellinghoff, Hans-Ulrich; Merchante, Ignacio Morón; Nalamachu, Srinivas; O'Brien, Joanne; Perrot, Serge; Raffa, Robert B.

    2012-01-01

    Pain is the most common reason patients seek medical attention and pain relief has been put forward as an ethical obligation of clinicians and a fundamental human right. However, pain management is challenging because the pathophysiology of pain is complex and not completely understood. Widely used

  6. Effects of music therapy and distraction cards on pain relief during phlebotomy in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydin, Diler; Sahiner, Nejla Canbulat

    2017-02-01

    To investigate three different distraction methods (distraction cards, listening to music, and distraction cards + music) on pain and anxiety relief in children during phlebotomy. This study was a prospective, randomized, controlled trial. The sample consisted of children aged 7 to 12years who required blood tests. The children were randomized into four groups, distraction cards, music, distraction cards + music, and controls. Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews with the children, their parents, and the observer before and after the procedure. The children's pain levels were assessed and reported by the parents and observers, and the children themselves who self-reported using Wong-Baker FACES. The children's anxiety levels were also assessed using the Children's Fear Scale. Two hundred children (mean age: 9.01±2.35years) were included. No difference was found between the groups in the self, parent, and observer reported procedural pain levels (p=0.72, p=0.23, p=0.15, respectively). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between groups in procedural child anxiety levels according to the parents and observer (p=0.092, p=0.096, respectively). Pain and anxiety relief was seen in all three methods during phlebotomy; however, no statistically significant difference was observed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Endogenous Opioid Inhibition of Chronic Low Back Pain Influences Degree of Back Pain Relief Following Morphine Administration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruehl, Stephen; Burns, John W.; Gupta, Rajnish; Buvanendran, Asokumar; Chont, Melissa; Schuster, Erik; France, Christopher R.

    2014-01-01

    Background and Objectives Factors underlying differential responsiveness to opioid analgesic medications used in chronic pain management are poorly understood. We tested whether individual differences in endogenous opioid inhibition of chronic low back pain were associated with magnitude of acute reductions in back pain ratings following morphine administration. Methods In randomized, counterbalanced order over three sessions, 50 chronic low back pain patients received intravenous naloxone (8mg), morphine (0.08 mg/kg), or placebo. Back pain intensity was rated pre-drug and again after peak drug activity was achieved using the McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (Sensory and Affective subscales, VAS intensity measure). Opioid blockade effect measures to index degree of endogenous opioid inhibition of back pain intensity were derived as the difference between pre-to post-drug changes in pain intensity across placebo and naloxone conditions, with similar morphine responsiveness measures derived across placebo and morphine conditions. Results Morphine significantly reduced back pain compared to placebo (MPQ-Sensory, VAS; P effects of opioid blockade on back pain intensity. However, individual differences in opioid blockade effects were significantly associated with degree of acute morphine-related reductions in back pain on all measures, even after controlling for effects of age, sex, and chronic pain duration (P morphine. Conclusions Morphine appears to provide better acute relief of chronic back pain in individuals with lower natural opioidergic inhibition of chronic pain intensity. Possible implications for personalized medicine are discussed. PMID:24553304

  8. Effect of laser on pain relief and wound healing of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suter, Valerie G A; Sjölund, Sophia; Bornstein, Michael M

    2017-05-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to assess a potential benefit of laser use in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). The primary outcome variables were pain relief, duration of wound healing and reduction in episode frequency. A PICO approach was used as a search strategy in Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases. After scanning and excluding titles, abstracts and full texts, 11 studies (ten RCTs and one non-randomised controlled trial) were included. Study selection and data extraction was done by two observers. Study participants varied between 7-90 for the laser and 5-90 for the control groups. Laser treatment included Nd:YAG laser ablation, CO 2 laser applied through a transparent gel (non-ablative) and diode laser in a low-level laser treatment (LLLT) mode. Control groups had placebo, no therapy or topical corticosteroid treatment. Significant pain relief immediately after treatment was found in five out of six studies. Pain relief in the days following treatment was recorded in seven studies. The duration of RAS wound healing was also reduced in five studies. However, criteria of evaluation differed between the studies. The episode frequency was not evaluated as only one study addressed this outcome parameter, but did not discriminate between the study (LLLT) and control (corticosteroid) groups. Jadad scores (ranging from 0 to 5) for quality assessment of the included studies range between 0 and 2 (mean = 1.0) for studies analysing pain relief and between 0 and 3 (mean = 1.1) for studies evaluating wound healing. The use of lasers (CO 2 laser, Nd:YAG laser and diode laser) to relieve symptoms and promote healing of RAS is a therapeutic option. More studies for laser applications are necessary to demonstrate superiority over topical pharmaceutical treatment and to recommend a specific laser type, wavelength, power output and applied energy (ablative versus photobiomodulation).

  9. Individual and sex-related differences in pain and relief responsiveness are associated with differences in resting-state functional networks in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galli, Giulia; Santarnecchi, Emiliano; Feurra, Matteo; Bonifazi, Marco; Rossi, Simone; Paulus, Martin P; Rossi, Alessandro

    2016-02-01

    Pain processing is associated with neural activity in a number of widespread brain regions. Here, we investigated whether functional connectivity at rest between these brain regions is associated with individual and sex-related differences in thermal pain and relief responsiveness. Twenty healthy volunteers (ten females) were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging in resting conditions. Half an hour after scanning, we administered thermal pain on the back of their right hand and collected pain and relief ratings in two separate runs of twelve stimuli each. Across the whole group, mean pain ratings were associated with decreased connectivity at rest between brain regions belonging to the default mode and the visual resting-state network. In men, pain measures correlated with increased connectivity within the visual resting-state network. In women, in contrast, decreased connectivity between this network and parietal and prefrontal brain regions implicated in affective cognitive control were associated with both pain and relief ratings. Our findings indicate that the well documented individual variability and sex differences in pain sensitivity may be explained, at least in part, by network dynamics at rest in these brain regions. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. A Novel Method for Pain Relief in Chronic Pancreatitis: an Old Drug in a New Pack: a Controlled Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pujahari, Aswini Kumar

    2017-12-01

    Most of pain-relieving agents in chronic pancreatitis are nonspecific and unpredictable. Omeprazole induces hypergastrinemia due to reduced gastric acidity. Raised serum gastrin, in turn, modulates to reduce secretin level. Secretin is responsible for secretion of almost 80 % bicarbonate-rich pancreatic juice from the ductular epithelium without affecting enzyme output. It is a prospective randomized study in patients with CT-confirmed chronic pancreatitis. The control group got the standard care and 60 mg of omeprazole twice daily was added to the test group. Absence of pain relief at 14 days was considered as failure. Pain relief, weight gain and any toxic effect of omeprazole were reviewed at 12 months. One hundred thirty-seven cases were included, with an age range of 19 to 72 years. (mean 42.67). The majority of them were alcoholic males. At 2 weeks, pain relief was noted in 47/69(68.1 %) and 63/65(96.96 %) in the control and omeprazole group, respectively. At the end of 1 year, the omeprazole group had greater weight gain (95 %) than the control group (69.5 %). All the pseudocysts in the omeprazole group and most in the control group resolved. No side effect of omeprazole was seen. The high-dose omeprazole (HDO) group of patients had significantly better pain relief in chronic pancreatitis than those treated with conventional therapy. A high number of cases gained weight in the HDO group than the controlled group. No patient had clinical, endoscopic, biochemical, or haematological toxicity of HDO. More studies are necessary.

  11. Comparison of the effect of aromatherapy with Jasminum officinale and Salvia officinale on pain severity and labor outcome in nulliparous women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaviani, Maasumeh; Maghbool, Shahla; Azima, Sara; Tabaei, Mohammad Hosein

    2014-01-01

    Background: Using non-pharmacological pain relief methods for reducing labor pain has always been one of the major concerns in obstetrics and gynecology. Objective: Comparing the effects of aromatherapy with jasmine and salvia on pain severity and labor outcome in nulliparous women. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 156 nulliparous women in labor were randomly selected and divided into salvia, jasmine, and control groups (52 in each group). The study duration was 6 months (from October 2009 to March 2010). Each group underwent aromatherapy using an incense mask for 15 min (distilled water for the control group). Pain severity was measured before and 30 and 60 min after the incense aromatherapy. Also, duration of the first and second stages of labor, first- and fifth-minute APGAR scores of the baby, and the frequency of labor type were measured and recorded in each group. Results: In comparison to the other groups, pain severity and duration of the first and second stages of labor were significantly lower in the aromatherapy group of salvia 30 min after the intervention (P = 0.001). However, no significant difference was found among the three groups regarding pain severity 60 min after the aromatherapy, first- and fifth-minute APGAR scores of the baby, and the frequency of labor type. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that aromatherapy with saliva had beneficial effects on pain relief, shortened the labor stages, and had no negative impact on the baby's APGAR score. PMID:25558267

  12. Silent and suffering: a pilot study exploring gaps between theory and practice in pain management for people with severe dementia in residential aged care facilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peisah C

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Carmelle Peisah,1–3 Judith Weaver,1 Lisa Wong,1 Julie-Anne Strukovski1 1Behaviour Assessment Management Service, Specialist Mental Health Services for Older People, Mental Health Drug and Alcohol, Northern Sydney Local Health District, 2University of Sydney, 3University of NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia Background: Pain is common in older people, particularly those in residential aged care facilities (RACF and those with dementia. However, despite 20 years of discourse on pain and dementia, pain is still undetected or misinterpreted in people with dementia in residential aged care facilities, particularly those with communication difficulties. Methods: A topical survey typology with semistructured interviews was used to gather attitudes and experiences of staff from 15 RACF across Northern Sydney Local Health District. Results: While pain is proactively assessed and pain charts are used in RACF, this is more often regulatory-driven than patient-driven (eg, prior to accreditation. Identification of pain and need for pain relief was ill defined and poorly understood. Both pharmacological and nonpharmacological regimes were used, but in an ad hoc, variable and unsystematic manner, with patient, staff, and attitudinal obstacles between the experience of pain and its relief.Conclusion: A laborious “pain communication chain” exists between the experience of pain and its relief for people with severe dementia within RACF. Given the salience of pain for older people with dementia, we recommend early, proactive consideration and management of pain in the approach to behaviors of concern. Individualized pain measures for such residents; empowerment of nursing staff as “needs interpreters”; collaborative partnerships with common care goals between patients where possible; RACF staff, doctors, and family carers; and more meaningful use of pain charts to map response to stepped pain protocols may be useful strategies to explore in clinical settings

  13. Medicines for back pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... You may need to be watched for side effects. NARCOTIC PAIN RELIEVERS Narcotics , also called opioid pain relievers, are used only for pain that is severe and is not helped by other types of painkillers. They work well for short-term relief. Do ...

  14. Efficacy of transverse tripolar spinal cord stimulator for the relief of chronic low back pain from failed back surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buvanendran, Asokumar; Lubenow, Timothy J

    2008-01-01

    Failed back surgery syndrome is a common clinical entity for which spinal cord stimulation has been found to be an effective mode of analgesia, but with variable success rates. To determine if focal stimulation of the dorsal columns with a transverse tripolar lead might achieve deeper penetration of the electrical stimulus into the spinal cord and therefore provide greater analgesia to the back. Case report. We describe a 42-year-old female with failed back surgery syndrome that had greater back pain than leg pain. The tripolar lead configuration was achieved by placing percutaneously an octapolar lead in the spinal midline followed by 2 adjacent quadripolar leads, advanced to the T7-T10 vertebral bodies. Tripolar stimulation pattern resulted in more than 70% pain relief in this patient during the screening trial, while stimulation of one or 2 electrodes only provided 20% pain relief. After implantation of a permanent tripolar electrode system with a single rechargeable battery, the pain relief was maintained for one year. This is case report describing a case of a patient with chronic low back pain with a diagnosis of failed back surgery syndrome in which transverse tripolar stimulation using an octapolar and 2 quadripolar leads appeared to be beneficial. The transverse tripolar system consists of a central cathode surrounded by anodes, using 3 leads. This arrangement may contribute to maximum dorsal column stimulation with minimal dorsal root stimulation and provide analgesia to the lower back.

  15. A self-administered method of acute pressure block of sciatic nerves for short-term relief of dental pain: a randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaolin; Zhao, Wanghong; Wang, Ye; Hu, Jiao; Chen, Qiu; Yu, Juncai; Wu, Bin; Huang, Rong; Gao, Jie; He, Jiman

    2014-08-01

    While stimulation of the peripheral nerves increases the pain threshold, chronic pressure stimulation of the sciatic nerve is associated with sciatica. We recently found that acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve inhibits pain. Therefore, we propose that, the pain pathology-causing pressure is chronic, not acute. Here, we report a novel self-administered method: acute pressure block of the sciatic nerves is applied by the patients themselves for short-term relief of pain from dental diseases. This was a randomized, single-blind study. Hospital patients. Patients aged 16-60 years with acute pulpitis, acute apical periodontitis, or pericoronitis of the third molar of the mandible experiencing pain ≥3 on the 11-point numerical pain rating scale. Three-minute pressure to sciatic nerves was applied by using the hands (hand pressure method) or by having the patients squat to force the thigh and shin as tightly as possible on the sandwiched sciatic nerve bundles (self-administered method). The primary efficacy variable was the mean difference in pain scores from the baseline. One hundred seventy-two dental patients were randomized. The self-administered method produced significant relief from pain associated with dental diseases (P ≤ 0.001). The analgesic effect of the self-administered method was similar to that of the hand pressure method. The self-administered method is easy to learn and can be applied at any time for pain relief. We believe that patients will benefit from this method. © 2014 The Authors. Pain Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Pain Medicine.

  16. Historical essay: An Arabic surgeon, Ibn al Quff's (1232–1286) account on surgical pain relief

    OpenAIRE

    Takrouri, Mohamad Said Maani

    2010-01-01

    This is a review of Ibn al Quff's account of surgical pain relief in his surgical book Al Omdah, in which he mentioned the word anesthetic (Al moukhadder) and the involvement of physician (al tabbaaee) to give mixture of drugs to prevent pain in a surgical condition to relieve the patient from pain or to make surgical management possible. Hich indicated one rare occasion to such description in Arabic medical texts. Methods of administration of these drugs were inhalation, ingestion and by rec...

  17. Permanent relief from intermittent cold stress-induced fibromyalgia-like abnormal pain by repeated intrathecal administration of antidepressants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukae Takehiro

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fibromyalgia (FM is characterized by chronic widespread pain, which is often refractory to conventional painkillers. Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that antidepressants are effective in treating FM pain. We previously established a mouse model of FM-like pain, induced by intermittent cold stress (ICS. Results In this study, we find that ICS exposure causes a transient increase in plasma corticosterone concentration, but not in anxiety or depression-like behaviors. A single intrathecal injection of an antidepressant, such as milnacipran, amitriptyline, mianserin or paroxetine, had an acute analgesic effect on ICS-induced thermal hyperalgesia at post-stress day 1 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, repeated daily antidepressant treatments during post-stress days 1-5 gradually reversed the reduction in thermal pain threshold, and this recovery was maintained for at least 7 days after the final treatment. In addition, relief from mechanical allodynia, induced by ICS exposure, was also observed at day 9 after the cessation of antidepressant treatment. In contrast, the intravenous administration of these antidepressants at conventional doses failed to provide relief. Conclusions These results suggest that the repetitive intrathecal administration of antidepressants permanently cures ICS-induced FM pain in mice.

  18. The efficacy of mechanical vibration analgesia for relief of heel stick pain in neonates: a novel approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baba, Lisa R; McGrath, Jacqueline M; Liu, Jiexin

    2010-01-01

    Hospitalized infants are often exposed to many painful procedures as a result of their illness or disease process. Untreated or poorly treated pain can have deleterious effects on normal nociceptive pain development as well as future development of pain pathways. Mechanical vibration has been found to be efficacious in adult and pediatric populations for the relief of mild-to-moderate acute and chronic pain. However, little is known about the efficacy of this intervention in the neonatal population. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mechanical vibration would be efficacious in the relief of pain associated with heel sticks in neonates. Heel sticks are one of the most common painful procedures during neonatal hospitalization. A random-sequencing crossover design was used with infants acting as their own controls. Newborn infants of 35 weeks' gestation or greater (N = 20) met the inclusion criteria for the study. Pain during heel stick was measured with the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale. The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale is a nonintrusive tool with extensive evidence of its reliability and validity in the neonatal population, when used by trained observers. Mechanical vibration produced an analgesic effect for infants who had previously experienced painful heel sticks that approached statistical significance. The apparent limitations of mechanical vibration as analgesia may be due to the concurrent use of sucrose and pacifier, the effects of order (ie, habituation), or type II error. Because vibration produced the predicted positive effect in some circumstances, further investigation in larger samples within a randomized clinical trial is warranted.

  19. Cryoanalgesia for relief of pain after thoracotomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maiwand, O; Makey, A R

    1981-05-30

    One hundred patients undergoing thoracotomy had their intercostal nerves blocked by cryoanalgesia before closure and the effect of this on their postoperative pain was evaluated. Of the 100 patients, 79 were free of pain, 12 had some discomfort, and nine reported severe pain necessitating narcotic analgesia (mean 1.5 injections per patient). Only five patients needed assisted removal of sputum, though eight showed retention of sputum or subsegmental collapse of lung radiographically. Overall, lack of pain and greater alertness much enhanced the value of physiotherapy, which resulted in a low incidence of complications and a smooth recovery. The technique of cryoanalgesia is simple, extremely effective, and apparently offers benefits not conferred by other methods of preventing pain after thoracotomy.

  20. Clinically relevant pain relief with an ibuprofen-releasing foam dressing

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fogh, Karsten; Andersen, Maibritt B; Bischoff-Mikkelsen, Morten

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this 6-week, 120-patient, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was to investigate if a foam dressing with ibuprofen provided clinically relevant pain relief (PAR) for exuding, painful venous leg ulcers in comparison with a similar foam dressing without ibuprofen. Primary......) and the corresponding number needed to treat (NNT). Wound-related parameters such as ulcer healing, ulcer area reduction, and peri-ulcer skin condition as well as adverse events were recorded during all 6 weeks of the investigation. PAR was significantly greater in the ibuprofen foam group than the comparator group (p...... = 0.0438). There were 34% responders in the ibuprofen foam group vs. 19% in the comparator group (NNT = 6.8). When evening data were analyzed separately to evaluate PAR over daytime, NNT was 5.3. Wound healing parameters and adverse events were comparable. In conclusion, in this study, the ibuprofen...

  1. The Effect of Magnesium Sulfate on Renal Colic Pain Relief; a Randomized Clinical Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abolfazl Jokar

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Renal colic can be managed by preventing the contraction movements of ureter muscles. By reducing acetylcholine in the nerve terminals, magnesium sulfate could be effective in this regard. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of magnesium sulfate on acute renal colic pain relief. Method: The present study was a double-blind clinical trial in which the patients suffering from acute renal colic were randomly divided into 2 groups of who either received standard protocol (intravenous infusion of 0.1 mg/Kg morphine sulfate, 30 mg of Ketorolac, and 100 ml normal saline as placebo/15 minutes or standard protocol plus 15 mg/Kg of intravenous magnesium sulfate 50%/100 ml normal saline/15 minutes. Severity of patients’ pain was measured by visual analogue scale (VAS at baseline, and 30 and 60 minutes after infusion. The collected data were analyzed using STATA statistical software. Results: 100 cases were randomly allocated to intervention or control group. The two groups were similar in baseline pain score and demographic characteristics. At 30 and 60 minutes, mean pain score was less in the intervention group compared to the control group. Moreover, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant regarding the additional amount of morphine, suggesting that the intervention group needed less additional morphine than the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that Magnesium sulfate can be used as an adjunct drug in treatment of patients suffering from renal colic. It not only alleviates the pain in the patients, but also diminishes the need for pain medications.

  2. Experience of adjunctive cannabis use for chronic non-cancer pain: findings from the Pain and Opioids IN Treatment (POINT) study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Degenhardt, Louisa; Lintzeris, Nicholas; Campbell, Gabrielle; Bruno, Raimondo; Cohen, Milton; Farrell, Michael; Hall, Wayne D

    2015-02-01

    There is increasing debate about cannabis use for medical purposes, including for symptomatic treatment of chronic pain. We investigated patterns and correlates of cannabis use in a large community sample of people who had been prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. The POINT study included 1514 people in Australia who had been prescribed pharmaceutical opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Data on cannabis use, ICD-10 cannabis use disorder and cannabis use for pain were collected. We explored associations between demographic, pain and other patient characteristics and cannabis use for pain. One in six (16%) had used cannabis for pain relief, 6% in the previous month. A quarter reported that they would use it for pain relief if they had access. Those using cannabis for pain on average were younger, reported greater pain severity, greater interference from and poorer coping with pain, and more days out of role in the past year. They had been prescribed opioids for longer, were on higher opioid doses, and were more likely to be non-adherent with their opioid use. Those using cannabis for pain had higher pain interference after controlling for reported pain severity. Almost half (43%) of the sample had ever used cannabis for recreational purposes, and 12% of the entire cohort met criteria for an ICD-10 cannabis use disorder. Cannabis use for pain relief purposes appears common among people living with chronic non-cancer pain, and users report greater pain relief in combination with opioids than when opioids are used alone. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Moxibustion for pain relief in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bo, Linna; Lao, Lixing; Chen, Jiao; Yu, Siyi; Yu, Zheng; Tang, Hongzhi; Yi, Ling; Wu, Xi; Yang, Jie; Liang, Fanrong

    2017-01-01

    Background Though moxibustion is frequently used to treat primary dysmenorrhea in China, relevant evidence supporting its effectiveness is still scanty. Methods This study was a pragmatic randomized, conventional drug controlled, open-labeled clinical trial. After initial screen, 152 eligible participants were averagely randomized to receive two different treatment strategies: Moxibustion and conventional drugs. Participants and practitioners were not blinded in this study. The duration of each treatment was 3 months. The primary outcome was pain relief measured by the Visual Analogue Scale. The menstrual pain severity was recorded in a menstrual pain diary. Results 152 eligible patients were included but only 133 of them eventually completed the whole treatment course. The results showed that the menstrual pain intensity in experimental group and control group was reduced from 6.38±1.28 and 6.41±1.29, respectively, at baseline, to 2.54±1.41 and 2.47±1.29 after treatment. The pain reduction was not significantly different between these two groups (P = 0.76), however; the pain intensity was significantly reduced relative to baseline for each group (P<0.01). Three months after treatment, the effectiveness of moxibustion sustained and started to be superior to the drug’s effect (-0.87, 95%CI -1.32 to -0.42, P<0.01). Secondary outcome analyses showed that moxibustion was as effective as drugs in alleviating menstrual pain-related symptoms. The serum levels of pain mediators, such as PGF2α, OT, vWF, β-EP, PGE2, were significantly improved after treatment in both groups (P<0.05). No adverse events were reported in this trial. Conclusions Both moxibustion and conventional drug showed desirable merits in managing menstrual pain, given their treatment effects and economic costs. This study as a pragmatic trial only demonstrates the effectiveness, not the efficacy, of moxibustion for menstrual pain. It can’t rule out the effect of psychological factors during

  4. 
Intrathecal analgesia by bupivacaine is not enhanced by coadministration of morphine in patients with severe cancer-related pain: a randomized double-blind cross-over study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reif, Ingalill; Wincent, Anders; Stiller, Carl-Olav

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this randomized double blind cross-over trial was to determine if patients with severe cancer-related pain and inadequate response to systemic opioids prefer intrathecal (IT) pain relief with a combination of bupivacaine and morphine or bupivacaine only. Adult patients with cancer-related pain (n = 23) scheduled for IT analgesia at the Pain Center at the Karo-linska University Hospital Solna, Stockholm, Sweden, were included. The optimal individual flow rate of IT bupivacaine (2 mg/mL) in addition to bolus doses was titrated and maintained for 4 days. Morphine (1 mg/mL) was added to bupivacaine either on day 2 or 4 according to a randomization protocol. Expression of pain relief preference for morphine instead of control (bupivacaine only) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were difference in pain intensity, pain relief, total use of bupivacaine per 24 hours and number of requested bolus doses. Eight patients dropped out during the 4-day study period for reasons not related to the trial. IT bupivacaine significantly decreased median (interquartile range) pain intensity from 5 (3 - 7) at baseline (before catheter insertion) to 1 (0 - 1) (p = 0.0001; Wilcoxon test). Only 1 patient of 15 with 4-day data expressed any preference for morphine. The addition of IT morphine did not result in any significant change of pain intensity, pain relief score, total use of bupivacaine per 24 hours, or number of requested bolus doses. These results suggest that patients with cancer-related pain treated with high doses of systemic opioids, may start IT treatment with an optimal dose of IT bupivacaine without morphine.
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  5. [The effects of preemptive dexketoprofen use on postoperative pain relief and tramadol consumption].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kara, Inci; Tuncer, Sema; Erol, Atilla; Reisli, Ruhiye

    2011-01-01

    In this study, the efficacy of preemptive dexketoprofen usage on postoperative pain relief and tramadol consumption was evaluated. Fifty American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)-I or ASA-II patients undergoing plastic surgery were randomized into two groups. Group 1 received dexketoprofen 25 mg and Group 2 received placebo tablets 1 hour (h) before surgery. All patients received a standard anesthetic protocol. At the end of the surgery, all patients received intravenous tramadol with Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) device. Pain scores was evaluated with visual analog scale during the postoperative 1st, 8th and 24th h. Tramadol consumption, adverse effects and patient satisfaction were recorded. The pain scores and tramadol consumption were significantly lower in Group 1 (pdexketoprofen reduced postoperative tramadol consumption and incidence of adverse events.

  6. Epidural Analgesia Versus Patient-Controlled Analgesia for Pain Relief in Uterine Artery Embolization for Uterine Fibroids: A Decision Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kooij, Sanne M. van der; Moolenaar, Lobke M.; Ankum, Willem M.; Reekers, Jim A.; Mol, Ben Willem J.; Hehenkamp, Wouter J. K.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: This study was designed to compare the costs and effects of epidural analgesia (EDA) to those of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCA) for postintervention pain relief in women having uterine artery embolization (UAE) for systematic uterine fibroids. Methods: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) based on data from the literature by constructing a decision tree to model the clinical pathways for estimating the effects and costs of treatment with EDA and PCA. Literature on EDA for pain-relief after UAE was missing, and therefore, data on EDA for abdominal surgery were used. Outcome measures were compared costs to reduce one point in visual analogue score (VAS) or numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain 6 and 24 h after UAE and risk for complications. Results: Six hours after the intervention, the VAS was 3.56 when using PCA and 2.0 when using EDA. The costs for pain relief in women undergoing UAE with PCA and EDA were €191 and €355, respectively. The costs for EDA to reduce the VAS score 6 h after the intervention with one point compared with PCA were €105 and €179 after 24 h. The risk of having a complication was 2.45 times higher when using EDA. Conclusions: The results of this indirect comparison of EDA for abdominal surgery with PCA for UAE show that EDA would provide superior analgesia for post UAE pain at 6 and 24 h but with higher costs and an increased risk of complications

  7. Intravenous flurbiprofen for post-thymectomy pain relief in patients with myasthenia gravis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Post-thymectomy pain in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients can inhibit breathing and coughing. Inappropriate usage of analgesics may exacerbate respiratory inhibition and even cause myasthenic crisis. Flurbiprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to control moderate postoperative pain and is not associated with respiratory inhibition. We hypothesized that flurbiprofen may provide post-thymectomy pain relief without increasing the risk of complications in MG patients. Methods Two hundred MG patients underwent extended thymectomy from March 2006 to December 2010 and were randomly allocated to a flurbiprofen group (110 patients, 50 mg intravenous flurbiprofen axetil) or a control group (90 patients, 100 mg intramuscular tramadol) as postoperative analgesia. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry (SpO2), and adverse effects were recorded before and up to 24 h after drug administration. Results There were no significant differences in the preoperative clinical characteristics of the flurbiprofen and control (tramadol) groups. Both flurbiprofen and tramadol significantly alleviated post-thymectomy pain (p flurbiprofen group had significantly lower VAS pain scores at 0.5 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 8 h after surgery (p flurbiprofen axetil provides safe and effective analgesia for MG patients. PMID:23020939

  8. A PLGA-PEG-PLGA Thermosensitive Gel Enabling Sustained Delivery of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride for Postoperative Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Xudong; Zeng, Huilin; Guo, Jiaping; Liu, Hong; Shi, Zhen; Chen, Huhai; Li, Dezong; Xie, Xiangyang; Kuang, Changchun

    2017-01-01

    Postoperative pain is a complex physiological response to disease and tissue injury. Moderate-to-severe pain typically occurs within 48 h after surgery. Amino amide local anesthetics are widely applied to manage postoperative pain, and they have high efficacy, a low risk for addiction and limited side effects. However, these anesthetics also have short half-lives, often necessitating continuous injection to obtain satisfactory pain relief. In the current work, we used a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-PLGA (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) temperature-sensitive gel to deliver a local anesthetic, ropivacaine hydrochloride (RP), to prolong its analgesic effect. We investigated the influence of polymer and drug concentration on gelation temperature and the in vitro drug release rate from the temperature-sensitive gel. RP-loaded PLGA-PEG-PLGA solution is a liquid at room temperature and forms a gel at temperatures slightly lower than body temperature. With regard to the gel's drug release rate, 37.5, 51.3 and 72.6% of RP was released at 12, 24 and 48 h, respectively. This in vitro drug release profile conformed to the Higuchi equation. To assess pain control efficacy when using the gel, we evaluated the mechanical paw withdrawal reflex threshold, thermal pain threshold and incision cumulative pain scores in a rat incisional model. The results showed that the anti-pain effect of a single injection of RP-loaded gel at the incision site lasted for 48 h, which is significantly longer than the effect produced by injection of RP solution alone. The use of RP-loaded thermosensitive gels could provide a promising method for managing postoperative pain.

  9. Mindfulness-Meditation-Based Pain Relief Is Not Mediated by Endogenous Opioids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeidan, Fadel; Adler-Neal, Adrienne L; Wells, Rebecca E; Stagnaro, Emily; May, Lisa M; Eisenach, James C; McHaffie, John G; Coghill, Robert C

    2016-03-16

    demonstrate that meditation-based pain relief does not require endogenous opioids. Therefore, the treatment of chronic pain may be more effective with meditation due to a lack of cross-tolerance with opiate-based medications. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/363391-07$15.00/0.

  10. Fluoroscopically Guided Sacroiliac Joint Injections: Comparison of the Effects of Intraarticular and Periarticular Injections on Immediate and Short-Term Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nacey, Nicholas C; Patrie, James T; Fox, Michael G

    2016-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether intraarticular sacroiliac joint injections provide greater immediate and short-term pain relief than periarticular sacroiliac joint injections do. The records of all fluoroscopically guided sacroiliac joint injections performed over a 4-year period were identified. Patients who received an injection of 0.5 mL of bupivacaine and 0.5 mL (20 mg) of triamcinolone and who had preinjection, immediate, and 1-week postinjection pain scores (0-10 numeric scale) were included. Images from the procedures were retrospectively reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists to determine intraarticular or periarticular administration of the injection with discrepancies resolved by consensus. One hundred thirteen injections in 99 patients (65 women, 34 men; mean age, 59.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. There were 55 intraarticular and 58 periarticular injections. The mean preinjection, immediate, and 1-week postinjection pain scores for the intraarticular injections were 6.0, 1.6, and 4.1 and for the periarticular injections were 6.1, 2.0, and 4.2. The mean immediate and 1-week postinjection pain reduction were statistically significant in both groups (p sacroiliac joint injections provide statistically significant immediate and 1-week postinjection pain relief, no significant difference in the degree of pain relief achieved with intraarticular and periarticular injections was noted.

  11. A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON LOCAL ANAESTHETIC INFILTRATION FOR POSTOPERATIVE PAIN RELIEF AFTER LAPAROSCOPY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Manoharan Chellapa

    2017-05-01

    L for 5 mm. The outcomes were then measured. Pain was measured using visual analogue score where patients were to verbally rate the pain into no pain = 0, light = 1, moderate = 2 or severe = 3. Pain scores were recorded at the third, sixth and twenty-four hours post-surgery. The time from wakeup post general anaesthesia to time of analgesic request was recorded. Postoperative pain for the first 24 hours was managed with the use of tramadol in a dose of 50 mg intravenously, which was provided based on pain score. Data was collected in a prospective manner and were analysed and compared with other studies. Data charting was done using MS Excel 2010. RESULTS A total of 50 patients were included in the study of which 22 were laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 28 were laparoscopic appendicectomy. The analgesic dosing requirement for patients who did not receive local anaesthetic infiltration was found to be higher. Pain scores at the third, sixth and twenty-four hours following surgery using visual analogue scores suggested patients who had local port site infiltration with bupivacaine had better pain relief. The overall outcome with regard to pain management for patients undergoing laparoscopic procedure were found to be favourable with the usage of a long-acting local anaesthetic agent in this study bupivacaine. CONCLUSION We report that though pain is the most common complaint following a laparoscopic procedure, it can be managed to a certain extent with the use of a long-acting local anaesthetic. In both groups, pain was recorded, but in the study group where bupivacaine was used. It was found to be effective in managing port site pain as evidenced by visual analogue scores. Since, the incisional pain dominated throughout the first twenty-four hours, longer lasting local anaesthetics producing analgesia for several days maybe desirable.

  12. Ibuprofen and/or paracetamol (acetaminophen) for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bailey, E.; Worthington, H.V.; van Wijk, A.; Yates, J.M.; Coulthard, P.; Afzal, Z.

    2013-01-01

    Background Both paracetamol and ibuprofen are commonly used analgesics for the relief of pain following the surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth (third molars). In 2010, a novel analgesic (marketed as Nuromol) containing both paracetamol and ibuprofen in the same tablet was launched in the United

  13. Improved Pain Relief With Burst Spinal Cord Stimulation for Two Weeks in Patients Using Tonic Stimulation: Results From a Small Clinical Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtney, Peter; Espinet, Anthony; Mitchell, Bruce; Russo, Marc; Muir, Andrew; Verrills, Paul; Davis, Kristina

    2015-07-01

    Conventional spinal cord stimulation (SCS) delivers a tonic waveform with consistent stream of pulses; burst delivers groups of pulses separated by short pulse-free periods. The current study compared the short-term safety and efficacy of burst with tonic stimulation in subjects already receiving SCS. At 4 IRB-approved sites, 22 subjects previously implanted with an SCS device for intractable, chronic pain gave informed consent and received burst stimulation for 14 days. Subjects reported average daily Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for overall, trunk, and limb pain using tonic stimulation and after 7 and 14 days of burst stimulation. Thoughts about pain were assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Areas of paresthesia were assessed during tonic and burst stimulation using body maps. Assessment of patient satisfaction and preferred stimulation occurred after 14 days of burst. Average daily overall VAS reduced 46% from a mean of 53.5 (±20.2) mm during tonic SCS to 28.5 (±18.1) mm during burst (p pain relief was the most common reason cited for preference. A majority of subjects reported improved pain relief using burst compared with tonic stimulation. Most subjects experienced less paresthesia during burst and preferred burst citing better pain relief. © 2015 The Authors. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Neuromodulation Society.

  14. Effect of Zingiber officinale R. rhizomes (ginger on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea: a placebo randomized trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahnama Parvin

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Zingiber officinale R. rhizome (ginger is a popular spice that has traditionally been used to combat the effects of various inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ginger on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea. Method This was a randomized, controlled trial. The study was based on a sample of one hundred and twenty students with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea. The students were all residents of the dormitories of Shahed University. They were randomly assigned into two equal groups, one for ginger and the other for placebo in two different treatment protocols with monthly intervals. The ginger and placebo groups in both protocols received 500 mg capsules of ginger root powder or placebo three times a day. In the first protocol ginger and placebo were given two days before the onset of the menstrual period and continued through the first three days of the menstrual period. In the second protocol ginger and placebo were given only for the first three days of the menstrual period. Severity of pain was determined by a verbal multidimensional scoring system and a visual analogue scale. Results There was no difference in the baseline characteristics of the two groups (placebo n = 46, ginger n = 56. The results of this study showed that there were significant differences in the severity of pain between ginger and placebo groups for protocol one (P = 0.015 and protocol two (P = 0.029. There was also significant difference in duration of pain between the two groups for protocol one (P = 0.017 but not for protocol two (P = 0.210. Conclusion Treatment of primary dysmenorrhea in students with ginger for 5 days had a statistically significant effect on relieving intensity and duration of pain. Trial registration IRCT201105266206N3

  15. EFFECT OF PREEMPTIVE MAGNESIUM SULPHATE ON PAIN RELIEF AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravi Vasupalli

    2016-09-01

    George Hospital, Vishakhapatnam. Randomisation done based on envelope method. Study period was between November 2013 to September 2015. Study contain Sixty patients with ASA Grade I and Grade II of both sexes undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in study and divided in two equal groups (n=30 in each group. Patients in magnesium group (group MS received I.V. MgSO4 50 mg/kg in 100 mL of 0.9% normal saline during preinduction time and patients in the control group (group NS received 100 mL of 0.9% normal saline. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Descriptive statistics was done for all data and suitable statistical tests of comparison were done. These included the mean and Standard Deviation (SD for quantitative variables. Data was also analysed by Student’s “t” unpaired test. Significance limit for all was set at P <0.05. RESULTS Statistically significant reduction of pain scores in early postoperative period was observed. Significant reduction of postoperative analgesic requirement during the first postoperative day was noted. Intraoperatively, there was significant reduction in mean heart rate as well as mean arterial pressure with MS group when compared to NS group. Less postoperative shivering and PONV observed in MS group. Severe bradycardia and/or hypotension did not occur during or after surgical procedure in any of study patient. CONCLUSIONS The present study evaluated preemptive analgesic efficacy of magnesium sulphate on pain relief after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It was concluded that magnesium sulphate at a dose of 50 mg/kg as a preemptive analgesic is safe. It has good postoperative synergistic effect with analgesics and reduces the postoperative tramadol consumption compared to normal saline group.

  16. The effect of mud therapy on pain relief in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hua; Zeng, Chao; Gao, Shu-guang; Yang, Tuo; Luo, Wei; Li, Yu-sheng; Xiong, Yi-lin; Sun, Jin-peng; Lei, Guang-hua

    2013-10-01

    A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effect of mud therapy on pain relief in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). A detailed search of PubMed®/MEDLINE® was undertaken to identify randomized controlled trials and prospective comparative studies published before 9 March 2013 that compared mud therapy with control group treatments in patients with knee OA. A quantitative meta-analysis of seven studies (410 patients) was performed. There was a significant difference between the groups in the visual analogue scale pain score (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.73) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain score (SMD -0.30), with differences in favour of mud therapy. Mud therapy is a favourable option for pain relief in patients with knee OA. Additional high-quality randomized controlled trials need to be conducted to explore this issue further and to confirm this conclusion.

  17. Salicylate Poisoning Potential of Topical Pain Relief Agents: From Age Old Remedies to Engineered Smart Patches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Ashleigh; McConville, Aaron; Fanthorpe, Laura; Davis, James

    2017-06-30

    The pain relief capabilities of methyl salicylate are well established and a multitude of over-the-counter products populate pharmacy shelves. Over-application of the topical preparation containing the drug, or its accidental ingestion, invariably result in salicylate poisoning and in severe cases can be fatal. The drug has been a regular feature of the US National Poison Database Survey over the past decade and continues to pose a risk to children and adults alike. The aim of the review has been to cast a spotlight on the drug and assess why its use remains problematic, how technology could offer more efficacious delivery regimes, and minimise the possibility of accidental or intentional misuse.

  18. Salicylate Poisoning Potential of Topical Pain Relief Agents: From Age Old Remedies to Engineered Smart Patches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashleigh Anderson

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The pain relief capabilities of methyl salicylate are well established and a multitude of over-the-counter products populate pharmacy shelves. Over-application of the topical preparation containing the drug, or its accidental ingestion, invariably result in salicylate poisoning and in severe cases can be fatal. The drug has been a regular feature of the US National Poison Database Survey over the past decade and continues to pose a risk to children and adults alike. The aim of the review has been to cast a spotlight on the drug and assess why its use remains problematic, how technology could offer more efficacious delivery regimes, and minimise the possibility of accidental or intentional misuse.

  19. Osteopathic manipulative treatment results in sustained relief from spinal pain in older patients: A pilot crossover study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pannunzio A

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment is commonly used to complement conventional treatment of back pain. The present study verified whether OMT, associated with training program, reduces spinal pain in older. A pilot randomized, double-blind crossover study was conducted at Sport Association of Milan, Italy. We recruited 19 subjects above 60 years old, with presence of SP for more than 3 weeks and with intensity score higher than 3 (NRS score. All patients underwent a multi-component group exercise program for older adults and were randomized in two groups: in the study group (SG OMT was added, while the control group (CG continued with the exercise only. After 6 weeks a crossover was applied to the 2 groups and OMT was added to CG, while SG continued with the exercise only. Self-reported measures: the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS was used at each time to evaluate treatment outcomes. At pre-crossover, SG had a significant improvement in pain perception (p<0.05, while CG had a not significate improvement in pain perception (p=0.33.At post-crossover, the SG remains relatively stable (p=0.37, while CG after OMT addition have a significant benefit on pain perception (p=0.001. At follow-up, pain improvement is sustained (p=0.32. OMT associated to exercise reduce spinal pain in older patients. Our study suggests that OMT associated to exercise leads to significant improvement on pain relief in patients with chronic SP in a short term and the exercise allows to maintain these improvements for several months

  20. Close correlation of herpes zoster-induced voiding dysfunction with severity of zoster-related pain: A single faculty retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Mizue; Takahashi, Ichiro; Honma, Masaru; Ishida-Yamamoto, Akemi

    2015-11-01

    Herpes zoster (HZ), a common vesiculo-erythematous skin disease associated with reactivation of varicella zoster virus in the cranial nerve, dorsal root, and autonomic ganglia, is accompanied by several related symptoms represented by postherpetic neuralgia. Among them, involvement of vesicorectal dysfunction is relatively rare. The vesicorectal symptom can usually be recovered in transient course, but is quite important in terms of impaired quality of life. Male individuals affected with HZ and skin lesions on sacral dermatome have been reported as independent risk factors of zoster-related voiding dysfunction. In this study, urinary symptoms were focused upon and six patients with zoster-related voiding dysfunction at a single faculty of dermatology in Japan from 2009 to 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients showed HZ lesions on the sacral area and the urinary symptom recovered in approximately 2 months (14 days to 7 months). The term of treatment for zoster-associated urinary dysfunction was positively correlated with that for zoster-related pain without significance (r = 0.661, P = 0.153). Average treatment term for pain relief of sacral HZ accompanied by voiding dysfunction (91.3 ± 76.44 days) was significantly longer than that of sacral HZ without urinary symptom (18.9 ± 20.42 days) (P = 0.032). These results suggested that zoster-related voiding dysfunction would mainly be involved in sacral HZ and closely associated with severity of zoster-related pain. Dermatologists should be aware that severe zoster-related pain accompanied by sacral HZ, which is related to prolonged treatment of pain relief, can be a predictive factor of voiding dysfunction. © 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  1. Epidural Analgesia Versus Patient-Controlled Analgesia for Pain Relief in Uterine Artery Embolization for Uterine Fibroids: A Decision Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kooij, Sanne M. van der, E-mail: s.m.vanderkooij@amc.uva.nl; Moolenaar, Lobke M.; Ankum, Willem M. [Academic Medical Centre, Department of Gynaecology (Netherlands); Reekers, Jim A. [Academic Medical Centre, Department of Radiology (Netherlands); Mol, Ben Willem J. [Academic Medical Centre, Department of Gynaecology (Netherlands); Hehenkamp, Wouter J. K. [VU University Medical Centre, Department of Gynaecology (Netherlands)

    2013-12-15

    Purpose: This study was designed to compare the costs and effects of epidural analgesia (EDA) to those of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCA) for postintervention pain relief in women having uterine artery embolization (UAE) for systematic uterine fibroids. Methods: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) based on data from the literature by constructing a decision tree to model the clinical pathways for estimating the effects and costs of treatment with EDA and PCA. Literature on EDA for pain-relief after UAE was missing, and therefore, data on EDA for abdominal surgery were used. Outcome measures were compared costs to reduce one point in visual analogue score (VAS) or numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain 6 and 24 h after UAE and risk for complications. Results: Six hours after the intervention, the VAS was 3.56 when using PCA and 2.0 when using EDA. The costs for pain relief in women undergoing UAE with PCA and EDA were Euro-Sign 191 and Euro-Sign 355, respectively. The costs for EDA to reduce the VAS score 6 h after the intervention with one point compared with PCA were Euro-Sign 105 and Euro-Sign 179 after 24 h. The risk of having a complication was 2.45 times higher when using EDA. Conclusions: The results of this indirect comparison of EDA for abdominal surgery with PCA for UAE show that EDA would provide superior analgesia for post UAE pain at 6 and 24 h but with higher costs and an increased risk of complications.

  2. Periarticular Morphine-Induced Sphincter of Oddi Spasm Causing Severe Pain and Bradycardia in an Awake Patient Under Spinal Anesthesia: An Important Diagnostic Consideration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koumpan, Yuri; Engen, Dale; Tanzola, Robert; Saha, Tarit

    2016-10-01

    Sphincter of Oddi spasm from opioids has been documented, presenting as severe epigastric pain and potentially overlooked in a differential diagnosis. We present a case of sphincter of Oddi spasm from periarticular morphine in a patient under spinal anesthesia, causing severe distress and treated effectively with glucagon. It is important for anesthesiologists using opioids to consider it as a cause of perioperative pain and be familiar with treatment as it may be refractory by conventional use of opioids for pain relief. It is also important to consider the systemic effects of periarticular absorption, as evident by our case.

  3. Intravenous flurbiprofen for post-thymectomy pain relief in patients with myasthenia gravis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Su Chunhua

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Post-thymectomy pain in myasthenia gravis (MG patients can inhibit breathing and coughing. Inappropriate usage of analgesics may exacerbate respiratory inhibition and even cause myasthenic crisis. Flurbiprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID that is commonly used to control moderate postoperative pain and is not associated with respiratory inhibition. We hypothesized that flurbiprofen may provide post-thymectomy pain relief without increasing the risk of complications in MG patients. Methods Two hundred MG patients underwent extended thymectomy from March 2006 to December 2010 and were randomly allocated to a flurbiprofen group (110 patients, 50 mg intravenous flurbiprofen axetil or a control group (90 patients, 100 mg intramuscular tramadol as postoperative analgesia. Visual analog scale (VAS pain score, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, pulse oximetry (SpO2, and adverse effects were recorded before and up to 24 h after drug administration. Results There were no significant differences in the preoperative clinical characteristics of the flurbiprofen and control (tramadol groups. Both flurbiprofen and tramadol significantly alleviated post-thymectomy pain (p p 2 in either group at all time points. Conclusions Post-thymectomy intravenous administration of flurbiprofen axetil provides safe and effective analgesia for MG patients.

  4. Predictive Nomogram for the Durability of Pain Relief From Gamma Knife Radiation Surgery in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, John T.; Nida, Adrian M.; Isom, Scott; Marshall, Kopriva; Bourland, John D.; Laxton, Adrian W.; Tatter, Stephen B.; Chan, Michael D.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To determine factors associated with the durability of stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS) for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods and Materials: Between 1999 and 2008, 446 of 777 patients with TN underwent SRS and had evaluable follow-up in our electronic medical records and phone interview records. The median follow-up was 21.2 months. The Barrow Neurologic Institute (BNI) pain scale was used to determine pre- and post-SRS pain. Dose-volume anatomical measurements, Burchiel pain subtype, pain quality, prior procedures, and medication usage were included in this retrospective cohort to identify factors impacting the time to BNI 4-5 pain relapse by using Cox proportional hazard regression. An internet-based nomogram was constructed based on predictive factors of durable relief pre- and posttreatment at 6-month intervals. Results: Rates of freedom from BNI 4-5 failure at 1, 3, and 5 years were 84.5%, 70.4%, and 46.9%, respectively. Pain relief was BNI 1-3 at 1, 3, and 5 years in 86.1%, 74.3%, and 51.3% of type 1 patients; 79.3%, 46.2%, and 29.3% of type 2 patients; and 62.7%, 50.2%, and 25% of atypical facial pain patients. BNI type 1 pain score was achieved at 1, 3, and 5 years in 62.9%, 43.5%, and 22.0% of patients with type 1 pain and in 47.5%, 25.2%, and 9.2% of type 2 patients, respectively. Only 13% of patients with atypical facial pain achieved BNI 1 response; 42% of patients developed post-Gamma Knife radiation surgery (GKRS) trigeminal dysfunction. Multivariate analysis revealed that post-SRS numbness (hazard ratio [HR], 0.47; P<.0001), type 1 (vs type 2) TN (HR, 0.6; P=.02), and improved post-SRS BNI score at 6 months (HR, 0.009; P<.0001) were predictive of a durable pain response. Conclusions: The durability of SRS for TN depends on the presenting Burchiel pain type, the post-SRS BNI score, and the presence of post-SRS facial numbness. The durability of pain relief can be estimated pre- and posttreatment by using our

  5. Predictive Nomogram for the Durability of Pain Relief From Gamma Knife Radiation Surgery in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lucas, John T., E-mail: johnthomas75@gmail.com [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States); Nida, Adrian M. [Biomedical Informatics Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina (United States); Isom, Scott [Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Section of Biostatistics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States); Marshall, Kopriva [Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States); Bourland, John D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States); Laxton, Adrian W.; Tatter, Stephen B. [Department of Neurosurgery, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States); Chan, Michael D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (United States)

    2014-05-01

    Purpose: To determine factors associated with the durability of stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS) for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods and Materials: Between 1999 and 2008, 446 of 777 patients with TN underwent SRS and had evaluable follow-up in our electronic medical records and phone interview records. The median follow-up was 21.2 months. The Barrow Neurologic Institute (BNI) pain scale was used to determine pre- and post-SRS pain. Dose-volume anatomical measurements, Burchiel pain subtype, pain quality, prior procedures, and medication usage were included in this retrospective cohort to identify factors impacting the time to BNI 4-5 pain relapse by using Cox proportional hazard regression. An internet-based nomogram was constructed based on predictive factors of durable relief pre- and posttreatment at 6-month intervals. Results: Rates of freedom from BNI 4-5 failure at 1, 3, and 5 years were 84.5%, 70.4%, and 46.9%, respectively. Pain relief was BNI 1-3 at 1, 3, and 5 years in 86.1%, 74.3%, and 51.3% of type 1 patients; 79.3%, 46.2%, and 29.3% of type 2 patients; and 62.7%, 50.2%, and 25% of atypical facial pain patients. BNI type 1 pain score was achieved at 1, 3, and 5 years in 62.9%, 43.5%, and 22.0% of patients with type 1 pain and in 47.5%, 25.2%, and 9.2% of type 2 patients, respectively. Only 13% of patients with atypical facial pain achieved BNI 1 response; 42% of patients developed post-Gamma Knife radiation surgery (GKRS) trigeminal dysfunction. Multivariate analysis revealed that post-SRS numbness (hazard ratio [HR], 0.47; P<.0001), type 1 (vs type 2) TN (HR, 0.6; P=.02), and improved post-SRS BNI score at 6 months (HR, 0.009; P<.0001) were predictive of a durable pain response. Conclusions: The durability of SRS for TN depends on the presenting Burchiel pain type, the post-SRS BNI score, and the presence of post-SRS facial numbness. The durability of pain relief can be estimated pre- and posttreatment by using our

  6. Comparison of impacts of friction massage, stretching exercises and analgesics on pain relief in primary fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanollahi A

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Stretching exercises and massage therapy are both suggested for pain relief in fibromyalgia syndrome. Previous studies have not proved their superiority over each other. This study compared the therapeutic effects of friction massage, stretching exercises, and analgesics on pain relief in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.Methods: We evaluated 129 female patients with the diagnosis of primary fibromyalgia visited at the physical medicine clinics of Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran, Iran during 2010- 2011. Patients were randomly divided into three groups: the first group received 400 mg ibuprofen P.O. (3 times per day and 25 mg nortriptyline (daily P.O. as analgesic, the second group was treated by friction massage and the third group performed stretching exercises. Patients were assessed three times (initially, after one and four weeks by visual analogue scale (VAS.Results: The mean age of participants was 60.46 years. The mean age in each treatment group was 46.66 years in medication group, 46.73 years in stretching group and 46.65 years in friction massage group. Changes in VAS score over 4 weeks were 2.4, 3.1 and 1.9, in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The changes in VAS were significantly different in the first and second groups rather than the controls (P<0.05.Conclusion: The effect of stretch exercise on pain relief was similar to analgesics, but it was more effective than friction massage. Moreover, the therapeutic effect of stretching exercise on pain relief upon four weeks was more permanent than friction massage but it was similar to analgesics.

  7. Multiple sites and actions of gabapentin-induced relief of ongoing experimental neuropathic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bannister, Kirsty; Qu, Chaoling; Navratilova, Edita; Oyarzo, Janice; Xie, Jennifer Yanhua; King, Tamara; Dickenson, Anthony H; Porreca, Frank

    2017-12-01

    Gabapentin (GBP) is a first-line therapy for neuropathic pain, but its mechanisms and sites of action remain uncertain. We investigated GBP-induced modulation of neuropathic pain following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in rats. Intravenous or intrathecal GBP reversed evoked mechanical hypersensitivity and produced conditioned place preference (CPP) and dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) selectively in SNL rats. Spinal GBP also significantly inhibited dorsal horn wide-dynamic-range neuronal responses to a range of evoked stimuli in SNL rats. By contrast, GBP microinjected bilaterally into the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), produced CPP, and elicited NAc DA release selectively in SNL rats but did not reverse tactile allodynia and had marginal effects on wide-dynamic-range neuronal activity. Moreover, blockade of endogenous opioid signaling in the rACC prevented intravenous GBP-induced CPP and NAc DA release but failed to block its inhibition of tactile allodynia. Gabapentin, therefore, can potentially act to produce its pain relieving effects by (a) inhibition of injury-induced spinal neuronal excitability, evoked hypersensitivity, and ongoing pain and (b) selective supraspinal modulation of affective qualities of pain, without alteration of reflexive behaviors. Consistent with previous findings of pain relief from nonopioid analgesics, GBP requires engagement of rACC endogenous opioid circuits and downstream activation of mesolimbic reward circuits reflected in learned pain-motivated behaviors. These findings support the partial separation of sensory and affective dimensions of pain in this experimental model and suggest that modulation of affective-motivational qualities of pain may be the preferential mechanism of GBP's analgesic effects in patients.

  8. Pregabalin versus oxcarbazepine in painful diabetic neuropathy in elderly population: Efficacy and safety in terms of pain relief, cognitive function, and overall quality of life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Syed H Amir

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: The treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN in elderly patients is challenging considering the adverse effects associated with long term use of drugs. Pregabalin has been recommended as the first line therapy for relief of neuropathic pain in such patients. However, the occurrence of side effects especially cognitive dysfunction and peripheral edema raised concerns during long term therapy in elderly population. Recently, few studies have highlighted the role of oxcarbazepine, a second generation antiepileptic, in PDN. This prospective, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group study was done to compare pregabaline and oxcarbazepine monotherapy in patients of PDN. Materials and Methods: 150 elderly patients of painful diabetic neuropathy, for at least 6 months of duration with an average baseline pain score ≥ 4 on 11 point numeric rating scale (NRS, were divided into two groups to receive either pregabalin 150 mg/day or oxcarbazepine 600 mg/day. Assessment of pain scores, cognitive functions and quality of life were performed at different time intervals during the course of treatment. Results: Patients in both the study groups showed significant reduction in pain scores from the baseline; however no significant differences in pain scores were noted between the two groups during the course of treatment. The incidence of cognitive dysfunction as measured by BCRS score was significantly more in pregabalin group while no significant changes were noted in oxcarbazepine group. The overall quality of life as demonstrated by SF12 scores was significantly better in both the study groups as compared to baseline. Conclusion: Oxcarbazepine can be used as an alternative to pregabalin in elderly patients with PDN considering the similar degree of pain relief and better cognitive profile.

  9. Ear acupuncture or local anaesthetics as pain relief during postpartum surgical repair: a randomised controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kindberg, S; Klünder, L; Strøm, J

    2009-01-01

    -hour hands-on training in the use of ear acupuncture. All midwives (n= 36) in the department had previous experience in using acupuncture for obstetric pain relief. Pain and wound healing were evaluated using validated scores. Data collection was performed by research assistants blinded towards...... treatment allocation. Randomisation was computer assisted. A total of 207 women were randomised to receive ear acupuncture (105) and local anaesthetics (102), respectively. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was pain during surgical repair. Secondary outcomes were wound healing at 24-48 hours and 14...... days postpartum, participant satisfaction, revision of wound or dyspareunia reported 6 months postpartum. Results Pain during surgical repair was more frequently reported by participants allocated to ear acupuncture compared with participants receiving local anaesthetics (89 versus 54%, P

  10. The Optimal Volume Fraction in Percutaneous Vertebroplasty Evaluated by Pain Relief, Cement Dispersion, and Cement Leakage: A Prospective Cohort Study of 130 Patients with Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture in the Thoracolumbar Vertebra.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Hai-Bo; Jing, Xiao-Shan; Liu, Yu-Zeng; Qi, Ming; Wang, Xin-Kuan; Hai, Yong

    2018-06-01

    To probe the relationship among cement volume/fraction, imaging features of cement distribution, and pain relief and then to evaluate the optimal volume during percutaneous vertebroplasty. From January 2014 to January 2017, a total of 130 patients eligible for inclusion criteria were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. According to the different degrees of pain relief, cement leakage, and cement distribution, all patients were allocated to 2 groups. Clinical and radiologic characteristics were assessed to identify independent factors influencing pain relief, cement leakage, and cement distribution, including age, sex, fracture age, bone mineral density, operation time, fracture level, fracture type, modified semiquantitative severity grade, intravertebral cleft, cortical disruption in the vertebral wall, endplate disruption, type of nutrient foramen, fractured vertebral body volume, intravertebral cement volume, and volume fraction. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of the cement volume/fraction and then to obtain the optional cut-off value. The preoperative visual analog scale scores in the responders versus nonresponders patient groups were 7.37 ± 0.61 versus 7.87 ± 0.92 and the postoperative VAS scores in the responders versus nonresponders were 2.04 ± 0.61 versus 4.33 ± 0.49 at 1 week. There were no independent factors influencing pain relief. There were 95 (73.08%) patients who experienced cement leakage, and cortical disruption in the vertebral wall and cement fraction percentage were identified as independent risk factors by binary logistic regression analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.935, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.214-7.092, P = 0.017); (adjusted OR 1.134, 95% CI 1.026-1.254, P = 0.014). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of volume fraction (VF%) was 0.658 (95% CI 0.549-0.768, P = 0.006 cement leakage was 21.545%, with a sensitivity of 69.50% and a

  11. Proximal fibular osteotomy: a new surgery for pain relief and improvement of joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohu; Wei, Lei; Lv, Zhi; Zhao, Bin; Duan, Zhiqing; Wu, Wenjin; Zhang, Bin; Wei, Xiaochun

    2017-02-01

    Objective To explore the effects of proximal fibular osteotomy as a new surgery for pain relief and improvement of medial joint space and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods From January 2015 to May 2015, 47 patients who underwent proximal fibular osteotomy for medial compartment osteoarthritis were retrospectively followed up. Preoperative and postoperative weight-bearing and whole lower extremity radiographs were obtained to analyse the alignment of the lower extremity and ratio of the knee joint space (medial/lateral compartment). Knee pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale, and knee ambulation activities were evaluated using the American Knee Society score preoperatively and postoperatively. Results Medial pain relief was observed in almost all patients after proximal fibular osteotomy. Most patients exhibited improved walking postoperatively. Weight-bearing lower extremity radiographs showed an average increase in the postoperative medial knee joint space. Additionally, obvious correction of alignment was observed in the whole lower extremity radiographs in 8 of 47 patients. Conclusions The present study demonstrates that proximal fibular osteotomy effectively relieves pain and improves joint function in patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis at a mean of 13.38 months postoperatively.

  12. The RESPITE trial: remifentanil intravenously administered patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) versus pethidine intramuscular injection for pain relief in labour: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Matthew; MacArthur, Christine; Gao Smith, Fang; Homer, Leanne; Handley, Kelly; Daniels, Jane

    2016-12-12

    The commonest opioid used for pain relief in labour is pethidine (meperidine); however, its effectiveness has long been challenged and the drug has known side effects including maternal sedation, nausea and potential transfer across the placenta to the foetus. Over a third of women receiving pethidine require an epidural due to inadequate pain relief. Epidural analgesia increases the risk of an instrumental vaginal delivery and its associated effects. Therefore, there is a clear need for a safe, effective, alternative analgesic to pethidine. Evidence suggests that remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) reduces epidural conversion rates compared to pethidine; however, no trial has yet investigated this as a primary endpoint. We are, therefore, comparing pethidine intramuscular injection to remifentanil PCA in a randomised controlled trial. Women in established labour, requesting systemic opioid pain relief, will be randomised to either intravenously administered remifentanil PCA (intervention) or pethidine intramuscular injection (control) in an unblinded, 1:1 individual randomised trial. Following informed consent, 400 women in established labour, who request systemic opioid pain relief, from NHS Trusts across England will undergo a minimised randomisation by a computer or automated telephone system to either pethidine or remifentanil. In order to balance the groups this minimisation is based on four parameters; parity (nulliparous versus multiparous), maternal age (Asian (Pakistani/Indian/Bangladeshi) versus Other) and induced versus spontaneous labour. The effectiveness of pain relief provided by each technique will be recorded every 30 min after time zero, until epidural placement, delivery or transfer to theatre, quantified by Visual Analogue Scale. Incidence of maternal side effects including sedation, delivery mode, foetal distress requiring delivery, neonatal status at delivery and rate of initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth

  13. PAIN RELIEF IN POLYTRAUMA PATIENTS

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    M. C. Rajesh

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Pain management in Polytrauma is a poorly-addressed concern at the time of active resuscitation. But, very often, pain assessment is also a challenge! Opioids belong to conventional analgesics of choice in any acute pain conditions. But, recently application of regional anaesthesia techniques and subanaesthetic doses of ketamine are satisfactorily employed. A clear understanding of neuropathic element of pain must be made as they require specific therapy. It must be emphasised that effective pain therapy is a multidisciplinary team work with active involvement of pain psychologist.

  14. Opioid-prescribing practices in chronic cancer pain in a tertiary care pain clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raghu S Thota

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Under treatment of pain is a recognized global issue. Opioid analgesic medication is the mainstay of treatment in cancer patients as per the World Health Organization (WHO pain relief ladder, yet 50% of cancer patients worldwide do not receive adequate pain relief or are undertreated. Aim: The aim of this study was to audit the ongoing opioid-prescribing practices in our tertiary cancer pain clinic during January-June 2010. Materials& Methods: The prescribed type of opioid, dose, dosing interval, and laxatives details were analyzed. Results: Five hundred pain files were reviewed and 435 were found complete for audit. Three hundred forty-eight (80% patients were prescribed opioids. Two hundred fifty-nine (74.4% received weak opioids while 118 (33.9% received strong opioids. A total of 195 (45% patients had moderate and 184 (42% had severe pain. Ninety-three (26.7% patients received morphine; however, only 31.5% (58 of 184 in severe pain received morphine as per the WHO pain ladder. Only 73 of 93 (78.4% patients received an adequate dose of morphine with an adequate dosing interval and only 27 (29% were prescribed laxatives with morphine. Conclusion: This study shows that the under treatment of pain and under dosing of opioids coupled with improper side effect management are major issues.

  15. Magnets for Pain Relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... NCCIH NCCIH At a Glance Mission and Vision Organizational Structure Director's Message Strategic Plans & Reports Budget & ... © Matthew Lester Magnets are often marketed for different types of pain, such as foot or back pain ...

  16. Pain Medications After Surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... be used for outpatient procedures or more-involved inpatient surgery. For pain relief lasting several hours, an ... surgical care, such as rest, ice packs, rehabilitative exercises and wound care. Ask to have written instructions ...

  17. The Effect of Entonox, Play Therapy and a Combination on Pain Relief in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohan, Simi; Nayak, Ruma; Thomas, Reju Joseph; Ravindran, Vinitha

    2015-12-01

    Pediatric pain is often undertreated/neglected due to time constraints, difficulties in timing of oral analgesics, fear of side effects of opioids and anxiolytics, and apprehension of additional pain in the use of local anesthetic injections. In this study, the researcher was prompted to choose rapidly acting interventions that were low dose and allowed the child to stay alert, suitable for a quick discharge. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Entonox, play therapy, and a combination to relieve procedural pain in children aged 4-15 years. The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial; the subjects were divided into four groups using a sequential allocation plan from 123 total subjects. Group A received Entonox, Group B received play therapy, Group C received both Entonox and play therapy, and Group D received existing standard interventions. The study was vetted by the departmental study review committee. The pain level was assessed using FLACC scale for children aged 4-9 years and the Wong Bakers Faces Pain Scale for children aged 10-15 years; scores ranged from 0 to 10. All the data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 with descriptive statistics and, inferential statistics. The mean pain scores were as follows: Entonox group, 2.87; Play therapy group, 4; combination group, 3; and control group, 5.87. When statistical testing was applied, a significant reduction in the pain score in all the three experimental groups when compared to the control group was found (p = .002), but not in the pain score among the three experimental groups (p = .350). The findings of this study indicated that all three interventions were effective in lowering pain scores when compared to the control group. Play therapy is as potent as Entonox in relieving procedural pain, though there was no additive effect on pain relief when play therapy and Entonox were combined. A protocol for age-related choice between play therapy and Entonox administration was introduced

  18. Postoperative pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kehlet, H; Dahl, J B

    1993-01-01

    also modify various aspects of the surgical stress response, and nociceptive blockade by regional anesthetic techniques has been demonstrated to improve various parameters of postoperative outcome. It is therefore stressed that effective control of postoperative pain, combined with a high degree......Treatment of postoperative pain has not received sufficient attention by the surgical profession. Recent developments concerned with acute pain physiology and improved techniques for postoperative pain relief should result in more satisfactory treatment of postoperative pain. Such pain relief may...

  19. The effect of sucrose as pain relief/comfort during immunisation of 15-month-old children in health care centres: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Despriee, Åshild Wik; Langeland, Eva

    2016-02-01

    To investigate the effect of 30% sucrose compared with a placebo (water) as pain relief and comfort during immunisation of 15-month-old children in health care centres. Children experience different levels of pain and distress during immunisation. Sweet solutions function as pain relief during immunisation for infants up to one year of age. However, there are few studies of older children. An experimental design in which the participants (15-month-old infants) were randomly assigned to an intervention group that received a 30% sugar solution or a control group that received a placebo (water). The study was performed at three health care centres in a large Norwegian municipality. The parents of all 15-month-old infants who were recommended for vaccination (for measles, mumps and rubella) between 5 September 2013 and 31 March 2014 were invited to have their infant participate. Duration of crying was the outcome measure. A total of 114 children were included (59 in the intervention group, 55 in the control group). The intervention group infants' crying was shorter (18 seconds mean) compared with the control group infants (33 seconds mean). The difference in crying duration between the groups was both statistically and clinically significant. This trial revealed that 30% sucrose orally has a calming and pain-relieving effect on 15-month-old infants during immunisation. Public health nurses should use a 30% sucrose solution for pain relief during immunisation of 15-month-old infants. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Successful management of a difficult cancer pain patient by appropriate adjuvant and morphine titration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiv PS Rana

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Morphine has been used for many years to relieve cancer pain. Oral morphine (in either immediate release or modified release form remains the analgesic of choice for moderate or severe cancer pain. The dose of oral morphine is titrated up to achieve adequate relief from pain with minimal side effects. Antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs, when used in addition to conventional analgesics, give excellent relief from cancer pain. Most cancer pain responds to pharmacological measures with oral morphine but some pain like neuropathic and bony pain, pain in children and elderly age group, and advanced malignancy pain are very difficult to treat. Here, we report the management of a similar patient of severe cancer pain and the difficulty that we came across during dose titration of oral morphine and adjuvant analgesic.

  1. Effective Relief of Pain and Associated Symptoms With Closed-Loop Spinal Cord Stimulation System: Preliminary Results of the Avalon Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russo, Marc; Cousins, Michael J; Brooker, Charles; Taylor, Nathan; Boesel, Tillman; Sullivan, Richard; Poree, Lawrence; Shariati, Nastaran Hesam; Hanson, Erin; Parker, John

    2018-01-01

    Conventional spinal cord stimulation (SCS) delivers a fixed-input of energy into the dorsal column. Physiologic effects such as heartbeat, respiration, spinal cord movement, and history of stimulation can cause both the perceived intensity and recruitment of stimulation to increase or decrease, with clinical consequences. A new SCS system controls stimulation dose by measuring the recruitment of fibers in the dorsal column and by using the amplitude of the evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) to maintain stimulation within an individualized therapeutic range. Safety and efficacy of this closed-loop system was evaluated through six-month postimplantation. Chronic pain subjects with back and/or leg pain who were successfully trialed received a permanent system (Evoke; Saluda Medical, Sydney, Australia). Ratings of pain (100-mm visual analogue scale [VAS] and Brief Pain Instrument [BPI]), quality of life (EuroQol instrument [EQ-5D-5L]), function (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI]), and sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) were collected at baseline and repeated three and six months after implantation. Fifty-one subjects underwent a trial procedure; permanent implants were placed in 36 subjects. The proportion of subjects with ≥50% relief was 92.6% (back) and 91.3% (leg) at three months, and 85.7% (back) and 82.6% (leg) at six months. The proportion with ≥80% pain relief was 70.4% (back) and 56.5% (leg) at three months, and 64.3% (back) and 60.9% (leg) at six months. Statistically significant improvements in mean BPI, EQ-5D-5L, ODI, and PSQI were also observed at both time points. The majority of subjects experienced profound pain relief at three and six months, providing preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of the closed-loop SCS system. The exact mechanism of action for these outcomes is still being explored, although one likely hypothesis holds that ECAP feedback control may minimize recruitment of Aβ nociceptors and Aδ fibers during daily

  2. Effect of paracetamol, dexketoprofen trometamol, lidocaine spray, pethidine & diclofenac sodium application for pain relief during fractional curettage: A randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acmaz, Gökhan; Bayraktar, Evrim; Aksoy, Hüseyin; Başer, Mürvet; Yilmaz, Mustafa Oğuz; Müderris, İptisam İpek

    2015-10-01

    Patients frequently experience pain of moderate to severe degree during gynaecologic procedures. This prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of preoperative oral dexketoprofen trometamol, intravenous paracetamol, lidocaine spray, pethidine and diclofenac sodium on fractional curettage procedure. A total of 144 multiparous women were randomly allocated to one of the six groups. The first group (control group) consisted of 22 participants and they did not receive any treatment. The second group had 26 participants receiving oral 25 mg dexketoprofen trometamol. The 23 participants of the third group received two puff lidocaine sprays on cervical mucosa. t0 he forth group consisted of 25 participants receiving 100 mg pethidine. In the fifth group, the 23 participants received 1000 mg intravenous paracetamol and the sixth group consisted of 25 participants receiving diclofenac sodium. Pethidine was the best choice for reducing pain score during curettage procedure (t2:intra-operative). All analgesic procedures were significantly effective in reducing pain during postoperative period (t3). Significant pain reduction was achieved for both intra- and postoperative period by using analgesics. The results of our study showed that lidocaine puffs provided the best pain relief than the other analgesics used. Therefore, lidocaine may be considered as the first choice analgesic in fractional curettage (NCT ID: 01993589).

  3. Higher dose rate Gamma Knife radiosurgery may provide earlier and longer-lasting pain relief for patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, John Y K; Sandhu, Sukhmeet; Miller, Denise; Solberg, Timothy; Dorsey, Jay F; Alonso-Basanta, Michelle

    2015-10-01

    Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) utilizes cobalt-60 as its radiation source, and thus dose rate varies as the fixed source decays over its half-life of approximately 5.26 years. This natural decay results in increasing treatment times when delivering the same cumulative dose. It is also possible, however, that the biological effective dose may change based on this dose rate even if the total dose is kept constant. Because patients are generally treated in a uniform manner, radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) represents a clinical model whereby biological efficacy can be tested. The authors hypothesized that higher dose rates would result in earlier and more complete pain relief but only if measured with a sensitive pain assessment tool. One hundred thirty-three patients were treated with the Gamma Knife Model 4C unit at a single center by a single neurosurgeon during a single cobalt life cycle from January 2006 to May 2012. All patients were treated with 80 Gy with a single 4-mm isocenter without blocking. Using an output factor of 0.87, dose rates ranged from 1.28 to 2.95 Gy/min. The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)-Facial was administered before the procedure and at the first follow-up office visit 1 month from the procedure (mean 1.3 months). Phone calls were made to evaluate patients after their procedures as part of a retrospective study. Univariate and multivariate linear regression was performed on several independent variables, including sex, age in deciles, diagnosis, follow-up duration, prior surgery, and dose rate. In the short-term analysis (mean 1.3 months), patients' self-reported pain intensity at its worst was significantly correlated with dose rate on multivariate analysis (p = 0.028). Similarly, patients' self-reported interference with activities of daily living was closely correlated with dose rate on multivariate analysis (p = 0.067). A 1 Gy/min decrease in dose rate resulted in a 17% decrease in pain intensity at its worst and a 22% decrease

  4. A candidate gene study of serotonergic pathway genes and pain relief during treatment with escitalopram in patients with neuropathic pain shows significant association to serotonin receptor2C (HTR2C)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brasch-Andersen, Charlotte; Møller, Malik U; Christiansen, Lene

    2011-01-01

    the association between polymorphisms in genes involved in the serotonergic pathway and the effect of escitalopram on peripheral neuropathic pain. METHODS: We genotyped 34 participants from a placebo-controlled trial of escitalopram in peripheral neuropathic pain for polymorphisms in five genes: the serotonin.......047), with 75% carrying the C allele being responders. The same tendency was seen in women. Similarly, carriership of the C allele at rs6318 was associated with better pain relief during treatment with escitalopram [odds ratio (OR) 15.5, p = 0.014)] Furthermore, there was a tendency of better relief...... with increasing number of short alleles for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (OR 5.7, p = 0.057). None of the other polymorphisms showed a significant association with treatment response to escitalopram. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that variation in the HTR2C gene is associated...

  5. Single dose oral piroxicam for acute postoperative pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, R Andrew; Edwards, Jayne; Loke, Yoon; Derry, Sheena; McQuay, Henry J

    2014-01-01

    Background This is an updated version of the original Cochrane review published in Issue 2, 2000. Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with analgesic properties, and is used mainly for treating rheumatic disorders. Some drugs have been directly compared against each other within a trial setting to determine their relative efficacies, whereas other have not. It is possible, however, to compare analgesics indirectly by examining the effectiveness of each drug against placebo when used in similar clinical situations. Objectives To determine the analgesic efficacy and adverse effects of single-dose piroxicam compared with placebo in moderate to severe postoperative pain. To compare the effects of piroxicam with other analgesics. Search methods Published studies were identified from systematic searching of MEDLINE, Biological Abstracts, EMBASE, CENTRAL and the Oxford Pain Relief Database in December 2007. Additional studies were identified from the reference lists of retrieved reports. Selection criteria The following inclusion criteria were used: full journal publication, randomised placebo controlled trial, double-blind design, adult participants, postoperative pain of moderate to severe intensity at the baseline assessment, postoperative administration of oral or intramuscular piroxicam. Data collection and analysis Summed pain intensity and pain relief data were extracted and converted into dichotomous information to yield the number of participants obtaining at least 50% pain relief. This was used to calculate estimates of relative benefit and number-needed-to-treat-to-benefit (NNT) for one participant to obtain at least 50% pain relief. Information was collected on adverse effects and estimates of relative risk and number-needed-to-treat-to-harm (NNH) were calculated. Main results In this update no further studies were found. The original search identified three studies (141 participants) which compared oral piroxicam 20 mg with placebo and

  6. Neurotransmitters behind pain relief with transcranial magnetic stimulation - positron emission tomography evidence for release of endogenous opioids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamusuo, S; Hirvonen, J; Lindholm, P; Martikainen, I K; Hagelberg, N; Parkkola, R; Taiminen, T; Hietala, J; Helin, S; Virtanen, A; Pertovaara, A; Jääskeläinen, S K

    2017-10-01

    Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at M1/S1 cortex has been shown to alleviate neuropathic pain. To investigate the possible neurobiological correlates of cortical neurostimulation for the pain relief. We studied the effects of M1/S1 rTMS on nociception, brain dopamine D2 and μ-opioid receptors using a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blinded crossover study design and 3D-positron emission tomography (PET). Ten healthy subjects underwent active and sham rTMS treatments to the right M1/S1 cortex with E-field navigated device. Dopamine D2 and μ-receptor availabilities were assessed with PET radiotracers [ 11 C]raclopride and [ 11 C]carfentanil after each rTMS treatment. Thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST), contact heat evoked potential (CHEP) and blink reflex (BR) recordings were performed between the PET scans. μ-Opioid receptor availability was lower after active than sham rTMS (P ≤ 0.0001) suggested release of endogenous opioids in the right ventral striatum, medial orbitofrontal, prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices, and left insula, superior temporal gyrus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and precentral gyrus. There were no differences in striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability between active and sham rTMS, consistent with lack of long-lasting measurable dopamine release. Active rTMS potentiated the dopamine-regulated habituation of the BR compared to sham (P = 0.02). Thermal QST and CHEP remained unchanged after active rTMS. rTMS given to M1/S1 activates the endogenous opioid system in a wide brain network associated with processing of pain and other salient stimuli. Direct enhancement of top-down opioid-mediated inhibition may partly explain the clinical analgesic effects of rTMS. Neurobiological correlates of rTMS for the pain relief are unclear. rTMS on M1/S1 with 11 C-carfentanyl-PET activates endogenous opioids. Thermal and heat pain thresholds remain unchanged. rTMS induces top-down opioid-mediated inhibition

  7. Progress on Botulinum Toxin Type A-Induced Pain Relief in the Field of Plastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Xiaona; Chen, Guocheng; Ren, Pengjie; Yang, Yan; Fan, Fei

    2017-11-01

    To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of Botulinum Toxin Type A (BTX-A) injections relieve pain in the field of plastic surgery and postoperative rehabilitation, and discuss the analgesic mechanism of BTX- A in plastics and related research progress. From appearance to September 1, 2016, PUBMED, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched, using the key words related to "Botulinum Toxin Type A" and "Pain." Furtherly, nonplastic surgery-related literature was excluded by manual screening. Eleven literatures met the inclusion criteria, including 6 prospective controlled cohorts, 4 patient series, and 1 retrospective cohort. These studies involved Lower Limb, Breast, Hallux, Amputees, and Temporomandibular joint disk disfigurement and enrolled 402 patients. Among the patients, 360 received intraoperative BTX-A injection at the time of the main surgical procedure, 16 injected postoperatively and 26 did not undergo surgery. And 85.32% reported pain alleviation and 69.96% got favorable side effects and no one occurred major adverse effects. But 1.83% accepted injections more than once. Mechanism analysis explained these studies' results and demonstrated the analgesic effectiveness of BTX-A in plastics with nociceptive pain, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain. The results suggest that BTX-A may induce postoperative pain associated with plastic surgeries relief. But the available data of outcome assessment involved in this review are inconsistent and failed to meet methodological rigor. And pain alleviations are influenced by many factors. So further randomized controlled clinical trials with large sample sizes are needed to support this practice, determine standard usage methods, and establish corresponding specification systems.

  8. A survey of Chinese nurses' guidance to parents in children's postoperative pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Hong-Gu; Pölkki, Tarja; Pietilä, Anna-Maija; Vehviläinen-Julkunen, Katri

    2005-10-01

    The aim of the study was to describe parental guidance provided by Chinese nurses regarding non-pharmacological methods in children's surgical pain relief as well as factors related to this. Parental involvement in children's pain management has been acknowledged and encouraged in recent years. However, parents' lack of related information has been pointed out and little is known about how parents are guided to use non-pharmacological methods to relieve the pain. A previously validated European questionnaire survey was conducted in 2002. Structured questionnaires were distributed to all 187 nurses working at 12 surgical wards in five hospitals of Fujian Province, China. The average response rate was 98%. The results show that nurses informed parents of the majority of cognitive information. The most commonly guided non-pharmacological methods were distraction, positive reinforcement, comforting/reassurance, positioning and relaxation. Nurses' background factors, including age, education, nursing position, professional work experience, number of their own children and experiences of earlier hospitalizations of their children, were significantly related to their perceptions regarding parental guidance. Chinese nurses provided much guidance to parents on non-pharmacological methods. However, the results show that sensory information and physical methods were poorly conveyed to parents, which needs future attention to reinforce parents' active role in pain management. This study provides new information on Chinese nurses' guiding parents to use non-pharmacological methods in pain alleviation, thereby contributing to the body of knowledge on this subject. Furthermore, the study makes the respondents aware of the importance of involving parents in their child's pain management.

  9. Preoperative hypoalgesia after cold pressor test and aerobic exercise is associated with pain relief six months after total knee replacement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaegter, Henrik Bjarke; Handberg, Gitte; Emmeluth, Claus

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Chronic pain after total knee replacement (TKR) is not uncommon. Preoperative impaired conditioning pain modulation (CPM) has been used to predict chronic postoperative pain. Interestingly, exercises reduce pain sensitivity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This pilot study...... investigated the association between exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) and CPM on post-TKR pain relief. METHODS: Before and six months post-TKR, 14 patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis performed the cold pressor test on the non-affected leg and two exercise conditions (bicycling and isometric knee...... at the affected leg improved post-TKR compared with pre-TKR (PCPM and bicycling EIH assessed by the increase in cPTT correlated with reduction in NRS pain scores post-TKR (PCPM and EIH responses after TKR were significantly correlated with reduction in NRS pain scores...

  10. A Chinese medicine warm compress (Wen Jing Zhi Tong Fang), combined with WHO 3-step analgesic ladder treatment for cancer pain relief: A comparative randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Peiling; Li, Liuning; Hong, Hongxi; Zhang, Liwen; He, Chunxia; Chai, Xiaoshu; Liu, Bai; Chen, Zhijian

    2018-03-01

    This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Chinese medicine warm compress (CMWC) on back meridians in relieving cancer pain, reducing adjuvant analgesic doses and adverse reactions, and improving the quality of life (QOL). A total of 62 patients (age range 39-82 years) diagnosed with a malignant tumor and suffering from cancer-related pain were randomly divided into a treatment group (group A) and a control group (group B) (n = 31 for each). The patients in both groups were administered appropriate drugs for 2 cycles of 7-day treatments according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 3-step ladder for cancer pain relief in adults. In addition, a CMWC was given to patients in group A. Pain relief was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at various time points before and after interventions in each group. Alteration of analgesic doses, adverse reactions, performance status (PS), and QOL were evaluated and any differences between groups A and B evaluated. VAS scores at various time points after treatment were significantly decreased compared with the baseline level in group A. Overall response rate was significantly improved in group A compared with group B (70.97% vs 29.03%, P pain relief efficacy in various locations were found in group A after treatment vs before treatment (P pain with reduced doses, less adverse reactions, and improved QOL.

  11. Historical essay: An Arabic surgeon, Ibn al Quff's (1232–1286) account on surgical pain relief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takrouri, Mohamad Said Maani

    2010-01-01

    This is a review of Ibn al Quff's account of surgical pain relief in his surgical book Al Omdah, in which he mentioned the word anesthetic (Al moukhadder) and the involvement of physician (al tabbaaee) to give mixture of drugs to prevent pain in a surgical condition to relieve the patient from pain or to make surgical management possible. Hich indicated one rare occasion to such description in Arabic medical texts. Methods of administration of these drugs were inhalation, ingestion and by rectal suppositories. The drugs used in anesthetic sponges include all the drugs that are recorded in the modern literature of anesthesia. They are as follows: opium, mandrake, Hyocymus albus, belladonna, Cannabis sativus, Cannabis indica, wild lettuce. The anesthetic sponge, mentioned in many references as an inhalation method, may be of symbolic value to surgery. PMID:25885079

  12. The value of short-term pain relief in predicting the long-term outcome of 'indirect' cervical epidural steroid injections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joswig, Holger; Neff, Armin; Ruppert, Christina; Hildebrandt, Gerhard; Stienen, Martin Nikolaus

    2018-05-01

    The predictive value of short-term arm pain relief after 'indirect' cervical epidural steroid injection (ESI) for the 1-month treatment response has been previously demonstrated. It remained to be answered whether the long-term response could be estimated by the early post-interventional pain course as well. Prospective observational study, following a cohort of n = 45 patients for a period of 24 months after 'indirect' ESI for radiculopathy secondary to a single-level cervical disk herniation (CDH). Arm and neck pain on the visual analog scale (VAS), health-related quality of life with the Short Form-12 (SF-12), and functional outcome with the Neck Pain and Disability (NPAD) Scale were assessed. Any additional invasive treatment after a single injection (second injection or surgery) defined treatment outcome as 'non-response'. At 24 months, n = 30 (66.7%) patients were responders and n = 15 (33.3%) were non-responders. Non-responders exited the follow-up at 1 month (n = 10), at 3 months (n = 4), and at 6 months (n = 1). No patients were injected again or operated on between the 6- and 24-month follow-up. Patients with favorable treatment response at 24 months had significantly lower VAS arm pain (p  50% short term pain reduction was not a reliable predictor of the 24-month responder status. SF-12 and NPAD scores were better among treatment responders in the long term. Patients who require a second injection or surgery after 'indirect' cervical ESI for a symptomatic CDH do so within the first 6 months. Short-term pain relief cannot reliably predict the long-term outcome.

  13. Dexketoprofen/tramadol 25 mg/75 mg: randomised double-blind trial in moderate-to-severe acute pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, R A; McQuay, H J; Tomaszewski, J; Raba, G; Tutunaru, D; Lietuviete, N; Galad, J; Hagymasy, L; Melka, D; Kotarski, J; Rechberger, T; Fülesdi, B; Nizzardo, A; Guerrero-Bayón, C; Cuadripani, S; Pizà-Vallespir, B; Bertolotti, M

    2016-01-22

    Dexketoprofen trometamol plus tramadol hydrochloride is a new oral combination of two analgesics, which have different mechanisms of action for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain. Randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo and active-controlled, single and multiple-dose study to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of dexketoprofen/tramadol 25 mg/75 mg in comparison with the single agents (dexketoprofen 25 mg and tramadol 100 mg) in moderate to severe acute pain after abdominal hysterectomy. Patients received seven consecutive doses of study drug within a 3-day period, each dose separated by an 8-hour interval. A placebo arm was included during the single-dose phase to validate the pain model. Efficacy assessments included pain intensity, pain relief, patient global evaluation and use of rescue medication. The primary endpoint was the mean sum of pain intensity differences over the first 8 h (SPID8). The efficacy analysis included 606 patients, with a mean age of 48 years (range 25-73). The study results confirmed the superiority of the combination over the single agents in terms of the primary endpoint (p pain, as confirmed by the single-dose efficacy, repeated-dose sustained effect and good safety profile observed. EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT number 2012-004545-32, registered 04 October 2012); Clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT01904149, registered 17 July 2013).

  14. Perception of Labour Pain among Rural Women Presenting to A ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Childbirth results in severe pain for many women. In many hospitals in Resource-Limited Countries (RLCs), women endure the pain of labour with little or no pain relief. There have not been any studies done within 36 hours of a recent delivery to determine how rural Kenyan women perceive the pain of labour, ...

  15. High-Frequency Stimulation of Dorsal Column Axons: Potential Underlying Mechanism of Paresthesia-Free Neuropathic Pain Relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arle, Jeffrey E; Mei, Longzhi; Carlson, Kristen W; Shils, Jay L

    2016-06-01

    Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) treats neuropathic pain through retrograde stimulation of dorsal column axons and their inhibitory effects on wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons. Typical SCS uses frequencies from 50-100 Hz. Newer stimulation paradigms use high-frequency stimulation (HFS) up to 10 kHz and produce pain relief but without paresthesia. Our hypothesis is that HFS preferentially blocks larger diameter axons (12-15 µm) based on dynamics of ion channel gates and the electric potential gradient seen along the axon, resulting in inhibition of WDR cells without paresthesia. We input field potential values from a finite element model of SCS into an active axon model with ion channel subcomponents for fiber diameters 1-20 µm and simulated dynamics on a 0.001 msec time scale. Assuming some degree of wave rectification seen at the axon, action potential (AP) blockade occurs as hypothesized, preferentially in larger over smaller diameters with blockade in most medium and large diameters occurring between 4.5 and 10 kHz. Simulations show both ion channel gate and virtual anode dynamics are necessary. At clinical HFS frequencies and pulse widths, HFS preferentially blocks larger-diameter fibers and concomitantly recruits medium and smaller fibers. These effects are a result of interaction between ion gate dynamics and the "activating function" (AF) deriving from current distribution over the axon. The larger fibers that cause paresthesia in low-frequency simulation are blocked, while medium and smaller fibers are recruited, leading to paresthesia-free neuropathic pain relief by inhibiting WDR cells. © 2016 International Neuromodulation Society.

  16. Trial of Music, Sucrose, and Combination Therapy for Pain Relief during Heel Prick Procedures in Neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Swapnil R; Kadage, Shahajahan; Sinn, John

    2017-11-01

    To compare the effectiveness of music, oral sucrose, and combination therapy for pain relief in neonates undergoing a heel prick procedure. This randomized, controlled, blinded crossover clinical trial included stable neonates >32 weeks of postmenstrual age. Each neonate crossed over to all 3 interventions in random order during consecutive heel pricks. A video camera on mute mode recorded facial expressions, starting 2 minutes before until 7 minutes after the heel prick. The videos were later analyzed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) scale once per minute by 2 independent assessors, blinded to the intervention. The PIPP-R scores were compared between treatment groups using Friedman test. For the 35 participants, the postmenstrual age was 35 weeks (SD, 2.3) with an average weight of 2210 g (SD, 710). The overall median PIPP-R scores following heel prick over 6 minutes were 4 (IQR 0-6), 3 (IQR 0-6), and 1 (IQR 0-3) for the music, sucrose, and combination therapy interventions, respectively. The PIPP-R scores were significantly lower at all time points after combination therapy compared with the groups given music or sucrose alone. There was no difference in PIPP-R scores between the music and sucrose groups. In relatively stable and mature neonates, the combination of music therapy with sucrose provided better pain relief during heel prick than when sucrose or music was used alone. Recorded music in isolation had a similar effect to the current gold standard of oral sucrose. www.anzctr.org.au ACTRN12615000271505. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. COMPARING THE EFFECT OF INTRAMUSCULAR INJETION OF PETHIDINE AND DICLOFENAC SUPPOSITORY IN RELIEF OF PAIN FOLLOWING LAMINECTOMY SURGERY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. R Emamhadi

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available "nPain, particularly after surgery, can create a variety of side effects including delay in wound healing. Different drugs such as pethidine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for relieving patient's pain after surgery. The purpose of this research was to compare effect of pethidine vs. diclofenac (D suppository in relief of pain after laminectomy. A total of 100 patients who underwent laminectomy entered this study. They were divided into pethidine and diclofenac groups. The patients' pain score was measured with visual analog scale (VAS method. The mean pain score 24 hours after surgery was 2.8 ± 2.0 in pethidine group and 4.46 ± 2.30 in diclofenac group. There was a significant statistical difference between pain score after surgery in two groups (P < 0.05. Nausea was the most common side effect observed in pethidine group (20% and epigastric pain was the most common one in diclofenac group (18%. There wasn't any statistical significant difference between side effects in these two groups. It seems that pethidine injection is more effective than diclofenac suppository in relieving pain after laminectomy.

  18. Low pain intensity after opioid withdrawal as a first step of a comprehensive pain rehabilitation program predicts long-term nonuse of opioids in chronic noncancer pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krumova, Elena K; Bennemann, Philipp; Kindler, Doris; Schwarzer, Andreas; Zenz, Michael; Maier, Christoph

    2013-09-01

    In specialized pain clinics there is an increasing number of patients with severe chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) despite long-term opioid medication. Few clinical studies show short-term pain relief after opioid withdrawal (OW). We have evaluated the relation between pain intensity after OW and long-term opioid nonuse. One hundred two consecutive patients with severe CNCP despite opioid medication (mean treatment duration, 43 mo) reported pain intensity (numerical rating scale, 0 to 10), Pain Disability Index, mood (CES-D), and quality of life (Short Form 36) before, shortly, and 12 to 24 months after inpatient OW. Total opioid withdrawal (n = 78) or significant dose reduction (DR; n = 24, mean reduction, 82%) was performed after individual decision. Opioid intake 12 to 24 months later, respectively dose increase ≥ 100% (DR group), was considered relapse. T tests, multivariable analysis of variance, logistic regression. After OW current pain intensity significantly decreased on an average by 41% (6.4 ± 2.4 vs. 3.8 ± 2.5), maximal and average pain by 18% and 24%, respectively. Twelve to 24 months later 42 patients (41%) relapsed (31 of the total opioid withdrawal group, 6 of the DR group, 5 lost). Patients without later relapse showed significantly lower pain scores than the later relapsed patients already shortly after OW (5.0 ± 2.2 vs. 5.9 ± 2.1) and 12 to 24 months later (5.5 ± 2.4 vs. 6.5 ± 2.0). There was a significant relation between relapse probability and pain intensity immediately after OW. In many patients with severe CNCP, despite opioid medication, sustainable pain relief can be achieved if OW is included in the rehabilitation program. Consequently, we recommend OW for opioid-resistant CNCP before any opioid escalation. Lower pain intensity shortly after OW may predict the long-term opioid nonuse probability.

  19. Pain management : Internationally a nursing responsibility

    OpenAIRE

    Petrini, Marcia, A

    1999-01-01

    Pain management by nurses internationally has increased with the awareness of the importance of relief from pain in the healing process. Studies of the physiological mechanisms of pain and the impact on healing havepromoted the recognition for pain relief

  20. Single dose oral flurbiprofen for acute postoperative pain in adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultan, Asquad; McQuay, Henry J; Moore, R Andrew; Derry, Sheena

    2014-01-01

    Background Flurbiprofen is a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), related to ibuprofen and naproxen, used to treat acute and chronic painful conditions. There is no systematic review of its use in acute postoperative pain. Objectives To assess efficacy, duration of action, and associated adverse events of single dose oral flurbiprofen in acute postoperative pain in adults. Search methods We searched Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Oxford Pain Relief Database for studies to January 2009. Selection criteria Randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trials of single dose orally administered flurbiprofen in adults with moderate to severe acute postoperative pain. Data collection and analysis Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Pain relief or pain intensity data were extracted and converted into the dichotomous outcome of number of participants with at least 50% pain relief over 4 to 6 hours, from which relative risk (RR) and number needed to treat to benefit (NNT) were calculated. Numbers of participants using rescue medication over specified time periods, and time to use of rescue medication, were sought as additional measures of efficacy. Information on adverse events and withdrawals were collected. Main results Eleven studies compared flurbiprofen (699 participants) with placebo (362 participants) in studies lasting 6 to 12 hours. Studies were of adequate reporting quality, and most participants had pain following dental extractions. The dose of flurbiprofen used was 25 mg to 100 mg, with most information for 50 mg and 100 mg. The NNT for at least 50% pain relief over 4 to 6 hours for flurbiprofen 50 mg compared with placebo (692 participants) was 2.7 (2.3 to 3.3) and for 100 mg (416 participants) it was 2.5 (2.0 to 3.1). With flurbiprofen 50 mg and 100 mg 65% to 70% of participants experienced at least 50% pain relief, compared with 25% to 30% with placebo. Rescue medication was used by 25

  1. Effectiveness of hyaluronic acid in post-tonsillectomy pain relief and wound healing: a prospective, double-blind, controlled clinical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hancı, Deniz; Altun, Huseyin

    2015-09-01

    To find the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid in post-tonsillectomy pain relief and wound healing. Fifty patients were included in this prospective, double-blind, controlled clinical study (20 males, 30 females mean age of 13.56 years). Hyaluronic acid was applied to one side and the other side was used as a control during tonsillectomy. Therefore, the same patient evaluated and scored the post-tonsillectomy pain, excluding individual bias. Results indicated that patients had significantly lower pain scores for hyaluronic acid treated side (pwound in the hyaluronic acid side was almost completely healed, indicating that the healing was faster with hyaluronic acid compared to control side (pwound healing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  2. A comparison of intraperitoneal bupivacaine-tramadol with bupivacaine-magnesium sulphate for pain relief after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective, randomised study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anurag Yadava

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: In laparoscopic surgeries, intraperitoneal instillation of local anaesthetics and opioids is gaining popularity, for better pain relief. This study compared the quality and duration of post-operative analgesia using intraperitoneal tramadol plus bupivacaine (TB or magnesium plus bupivacaine (MB. Methods: In this study, 186 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into two groups: group TB received intraperitoneal tramadol with bupivacaine and group MB received intraperitoneal magnesium sulphate (MgSO 4 with bupivacaine. The visual analogue scale (VAS to assess pain, haemodynamic variables and side effects were noted and compared at different time points. The primary outcome was to compare the analgesic efficacy and duration of pain relief. The secondary outcomes included comparison of haemodynamic parameters and side effects among the two groups. The data analysis was carried out with unpaired Student′s t-test and Chi-square test using software SPSS 20.0 version. Results: The mean of VAS pain score after 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h of surgery was more in TB group compared to MB group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05. The total rescue analgesia consumption in 24 h after surgery was 2.4 g (mean of paracetamol in TB group and 1.4 g (mean of paracetamol in MB group which was statistically significant (P < 0.05. There were no statistically significant differences in the secondary outcomes. Conclusion: Intraperitoneal instillation of bupivacaine-MgSO 4 renders patients relatively pain-free in first 24 h after surgery, with longer duration of pain-free period and less consumption of rescue analgesic as compared to bupivacaine-tramadol combination.

  3. Pain relief by transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation with bidirectional modulated sine waves in patients with chronic back pain: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimoji, Koki; Takahashi, Norio; Nishio, Yasuyuki; Koyanagi, Mika; Aida, Sumihisa

    2007-01-01

    Objectives.  Newly developed bidirectional modulated sine waves (BMW) might provide some derived benefit to patients with low back pain. Pain relief by transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) with BMWs was tested. Materials and Methods.  Analgesic effects of BMWs and conventional bidirectional pulsed waves on chronic back pain in 28 patients were compared, and effects of repeated TENS using BMWs on chronic back pain were investigated in 21 patients by means of a randomized double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group method. Pain intensity was assessed using numerical rating scale (NRS). Results.  There was significant immediate reduction in NRS in patients receiving BMWs, and 60 min after treatment compared to sham TENS. Weekly repeated treatments using massage and TENS with BMWs for 5 weeks resulted in a decrease of NRS, but there were no significant differences between the TENS plus massage and sham TENS plus massage groups. Conclusions.  This study shows that TENS with BMWs significantly inhibits chronic back pain, and treatment effects are attained within a day. The results also suggest that there were no statistically significant long-term effects of TENS with BMW in the repeated treatment.

  4. Pain relief effect of breast feeding and music therapy during heel lance for healthy-term neonates in China: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jiemin; Hong-Gu, He; Zhou, Xiuzhu; Wei, Haixia; Gao, Yaru; Ye, Benlan; Liu, Zuguo; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi

    2015-03-01

    to test the effectiveness of breast feeding (BF), music therapy (MT), and combined breast feeding and music therapy (BF+MT) on pain relief in healthy-term neonates during heel lance. randomised controlled trial. in the postpartum unit of one university-affiliated hospital in China from August 2013 to February 2014. among 288 healthy-term neonates recruited, 250 completed the trial. All neonates were undergoing heel lancing for metabolic screening, were breast fed, and had not been fed for the previous 30 minutes. all participants were randomly assigned into four groups - BF, MT, BF+MT, and no intervention - with 72 neonates in each group. Neonates in the control group received routine care. Neonates in the other three intervention groups received corresponding interventions five minutes before the heel lancing and throughout the whole procedure. Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), latency to first cry, and duration of first crying. mean changes in NIPS scores from baseline over time was dependent on the interventions given. Neonates in the BF and combined BF+MT groups had significantly longer latency to first cry, shorter duration of first crying, and lower pain mean score during and one minute after heel lance, compared to the other two groups. No significant difference in pain response was found between BF groups with or without music therapy. The MT group did not achieve a significantly reduced pain response in all outcome measures. BF could significantly reduce pain response in healthy-term neonates during heel lance. MT did not enhance the effect of pain relief of BF. healthy-term neonates should be breast fed to alleviate pain during heel lance. There is no need for the additional input of classical music on breast feeding in clinic to relieve procedural pain. Nurses should encourage breast feeding to relieve pain during heel lance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Outcome of CT-guided vertebroplasty in outpatients with severe vertebral compression fractures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braun, Markus; Gevargez, Athour; Lange, Silke; Leeuwen, Peter van; Groenemeyer, Dietrich H.W.

    2008-01-01

    To determine the safety and efficacy of computed tomography (CT)/fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for the treatment of painful severe osteoporotic compression fractures. In 26 patients with osteoporotic severe and non-severe compression fractures experiencing pain, 55 PVP were performed. Pain relief and improvement of function were estimated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Pain Disability Index (PDI) and Hannover functional ability questionnaire (FFbH) at follow-up examinations at a median of 3 (1-31) days and 6.5 (1-18) months after PVP. Pain relief (VAS and PDI) was significant at first and second follow-up. The improvement of function (FFbH) was statistically significant at the second follow-up. Severity of the compression fractures did not influence these results. There were no clinical complications and no patient required follow-up surgery. PVP is a safe and effective treatment of pain even in severe osteoporotic vertebral body compression fractures. The advantages of CT-guidance in combination with fluoroscopy technique are a minimally invasive precise procedure with high visualization and with low risk, performed cost effective on out patient basis in local anesthesia, leading to an early recovery of individual independence. (orig.)

  6. Pain severity and the economic burden of neuropathic pain in the United States: BEAT Neuropathic Pain Observational Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schaefer C

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Caroline Schaefer,1 Alesia Sadosky,2 Rachael Mann,3 Shoshana Daniel,4 Bruce Parsons,2 Michael Tuchman,5 Alan Anschel,6 Brett R Stacey,7 Srinivas Nalamachu,8 Edward Nieshoff9 1Covance Market Access Services Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, 2Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY, 3Covance Market Access Services Inc., San Diego, CA, 4Covance Market Access Services Inc., Conshohocken, PA, 5Palm Beach Neurological Center, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, 6Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 7Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 8International Clinical Research Institute, Overland Park, KS, 9Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USABackground: As with many chronic conditions, patients with neuropathic pain (NeP are high consumers of health care resources. However, limited literature exists on the economic burden of NeP, including its impact on productivity. The aim of this study was to characterize health care resource utilization, productivity, and costs associated with NeP by pain severity level in US adults.Methods: Subjects (n=624 with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, human immunodeficiency virus-related peripheral NeP, post-trauma/post-surgical NeP, spinal cord injury with NeP, chronic low back pain with NeP, and small fiber neuropathy were recruited during routine office visits to US community-based general practitioners and specialists. Clinicians captured clinical characteristics, NeP-related medications, and health care resource utilization based on 6-month retrospective medical chart review. Subjects completed questionnaires on demographics, pain/symptoms, costs, and productivity. Brief Pain Inventory pain severity scores were used to classify subjects by mild, moderate, or severe pain. Annualized NeP-related costs (adjusted for covariates were estimated, and differences across pain severity groups were evaluated.Results: In total, 624 subjects were recruited (mean age 55.5±13.7 years; 55.4% male

  7. Pre-emptive analgesia with paracetamol (acetaminophen) in postoperative pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afhami, M.R.; Hassanzadeh, J.P.; Panahea, J.R.

    2007-01-01

    To evaluate efficacy and safety of preoperative paracetamol for postoperative pain relief. The study population consisted of 40 adult female patients scheduled for tubectomy as an elective surgery who were in ASA class I. Patients were allocated randomly to receive 325mg of acetaminophen orally half an hour before surgery. Pain was assessed by verbal rating scale in three situations (resting, moving and coughing). Data was collection done using the questionnaire and data analysis done using descriptive statistical methods. The patients who received oral paracetamol experienced moderate and mild pain in 50% of the cases when they were in resting position. Feeling mild and moderate pain with movement was in 40% and 60% respectively. While coughing, 100% of the cases felt only moderate pain and none experienced severe pain. Administration of a single dose of acetaminophen in preoperative period is effective for acute postoperative pain relief. (author)

  8. Genetic Predisposition to Poor Opioid Response in Preterm Infants: Impact of KCNJ6 and COMT Polymorphisms on Pain Relief After Endotracheal Intubation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elens, Laure; Norman, Elisabeth; Matic, Maja; Rane, Anders; Fellman, Vineta; van Schaik, Ron H N

    2016-08-01

    Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved in pain control might predispose to exaggerated sensitivity or difference in opioid analgesic effect. The relevance of the KCNJ6 -1250G>A (rs6517442, c.-1787G>A) and the catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT) c.472G>A (rs4680, ValMet) single-nucleotide polymorphisms were studied in preterm infants needing intubation and randomized to a premedication strategy including remifentanil (n = 17) or morphine (n = 17). Pain was scored with Astrid Lindgren and Lund Children's Hospital Pain Assessment Scale every 30 minutes for 6 hours. The pain relief provided by the opioids was compared between the different KCNJ6 and COMT genotypes. Infants homozygous for the KCNJ6 -1250A allele had an increased duration after intubation to achieve a score indicating no pain compared with infants with the A/G or G/G genotypes (182 ± 30, 109 ± 29, and 60 ± 21 minutes, respectively; Logrank = 7.5, P = 0.006). Similarly, the duration was increased in individuals with the COMT Val/Val alleles compared with Val/Met and Met/Met (285 ± 37, 137 ± 25, and 63 ± 15 minutes, respectively; Logrank = 14.4, P = 0.0021). Cox proportional hazards analysis confirmed that the variation in both genes was independently associated with susceptibility to respond to therapy. We conclude that the KCNJ6 -1250A and COMT Val alleles are predisposing preterm newborns to diminished opioid-induced pain relief.

  9. Effect of Different Analgesics on Pain Relief During Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yesil, S; Polat, F; Ozturk, U; Dede, O; Imamoglu, MA; Bozkirli, I

    2014-01-01

    Background/aim: The aim of this study was  to compare  three drugs for pain relief during shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). Materials and Methods: Seventy six male patients that were treated for renal stones with SWL were included in this study. They were randomized into four groups. A different treatment protocol was used for each group.  Intramuscular (IM) diclofenac 75mg was given in group 1 (n=20), dexketoprofen, 50mg, IM in group 2 (n=20) and hyoscine 10 mg plus paracetamol 500mg, orally in group 3 (n=20). In group 4 (control, n=16) saline solution   was given 30 min before SWL. Pain during SWL was assessed using the 10-score linear visual analogue pain scale (VAS) and was compared among groups. Age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), stone size, stone location, duration of SWL, total shock waves performed and mean energy level (kV) for each patient were recorded. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean patients’ age was 45.4 ± 12.9 years. The highest VAS value was observed in Group 4 (8.4 ± 1), and the lowest  in Group 1 (6.25 ± 2.2).  Statistically significant  difference was noted  only when Group 1 and Group 4 were compared. The remaining groups provided similar results and there were no significant statistical differences according to VAS values. Other parameters were similar  in all groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study shows that reducing the pain with a single dose injection of intramuscular diclofenac sodium before SWL is superior compared to others. PMID:25336870

  10. Pain leads the way: the development of evidence-based medicine for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiffen, Phil; Moore, Andrew

    2016-07-01

    This paper describes the development of evidence based methods in pain medicine since the 1980s at the Pain Research Department of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University. Pain medicine can be said to have led the way in terms of developing registers of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and in developing appropriate methodology for assessing clinical trials and developing metanalytical techniques. This paper tells the story of that development which occurred in conjunction with the development of the Cochrane Collaboration. Pain has a larger body of evidence than many medical specialties with more than 30,000 RCTs and over 2,500 published systematic reviews. Our work continues to raise methodological challenges and a number of key ones are described: Size: We have added to the existing literature to show that small studies overestimate treatment effects. We consider studies with less than 50 participants per treatment group to be at high risk of bias. Mean pain scores: We have shown these to be unhelpful and misleading. We illustrate that response to analgesics is a U-shaped curve with a larger proportion of participants having either a poor response or a good response. Imputation: We discuss the problems of current methods. Tiers of evidence: We propose a way to assess evidence for pain studies. Duplicate publication of data can lead to inflated benefits in systematic reviews. In addition we touch on fraud, pharmaceutical company funding. The final sections cover developments in several areas of pain medicine, and suggest some developments going forward.

  11. Brief cognitive interventions for burn pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haythronthwaite, J A; Lawrence, J W; Fauerbach, J A

    2001-01-01

    This study tested the efficacy of 2 brief cognitive interventions in supplementing regular medical treatment for pain during burn dressing change. Forty-two burn inpatients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: sensory focusing, music distraction, and usual care. Patients reported pain, pain relief satisfaction with pain control, and pain coping strategies. The sensory focusing group reported greater pain relief compared to the music distraction group and a reduction in remembered pain compared to the usual care group, although group differences were not observed on serial pain ratings. In addition, after controlling for burn size and relevant covariates, regression analyses indicated that catastrophizing predicted pain, memory for pain, and satisfaction with pain control. Refinement of the sensory focusing intervention is warranted to reduce catastrophic thinking and improve pain relief

  12. Nutraceuticals and osteoarthritis pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Angela; Leong, Daniel J; Cardoso, Luis; Sun, Hui B

    2018-02-24

    Arthritis is a chronic disease of joints. It is highly prevalent, particularly in the elderly, and is commonly associated with pain that interferes with quality of life. Because of its chronic nature, pharmacological approaches to pain relief and joint repair must be safe for long term use, a quality many current therapies lack. Nutraceuticals refer to compounds or materials that can function as nutrition and exert a potential therapeutic effect, including the relief of pain, such as pain related to arthritis, of which osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form. Of interest, nutraceuticals have recently been shown to have potential in relieving OA pain in human clinical trials. Emerging evidence indicates nutraceuticals may represent promising alternatives for the relief of OA pain. In this paper, we will overview OA pain and the use of nutraceuticals in OA pain management, focusing on those that have been evaluated by clinical trials. Furthermore, we discuss the biologic and pharmacologic actions underlying the nutraceutical effects on pain relief based on the potential active ingredients identified from traditional nutraceuticals in OA pain management and their potential for drug development. The review concludes by sharing our viewpoints that future studies should prioritize elucidating the mechanisms of action of nutraceuticals in OA and developing nutraceuticals that not only relieve OA pain, but also mitigate OA pathology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The role of purinergic receptors in cancer-induced bone pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falk, Sarah; Uldall, Maria; Heegaard, Anne-Marie

    2012-01-01

    Cancer-induced bone pain severely compromises the quality of life of many patients suffering from bone metastasis, as current therapies leave some patients with inadequate pain relief. The recent development of specific animal models has increased the understanding of the molecular and cellular...

  14. Pain and the ethics of pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, R B

    1984-01-01

    In this article I clarify the concepts of 'pain', 'suffering', 'pains of body', 'pains of soul'. I explore the relevance of an ethic to the clinical setting which gives patients a strong prima facie right to freedom from unnecessary and unwanted pain and which places upon medical professionals two concomitant moral obligations to patients. First, there is the duty not to inflict pain and suffering beyond what is necessary for effective diagnosis, treatment and research. Next, there is the duty to do all that can be done to relieve all the pain and suffering which can be alleviated. I develop in some detail that individuality of pain sensitivity must be taken into account in fulfilling these obligations. I explore the issue of the relevance of informed consent and the right to refuse treatment to the matter of pain relief. And I raise the question of what conditions, if any, should override the right to refuse treatment where pain relief is of paramount concern.

  15. Intravenous sufentanil and morphine for post-cardiac surgery pain relief using patient-controlled analgesia (pca) device: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alavi, S.M.; Kish, R.F.; Farsad, F.; Imani, F.; Sheikhvatan, M.

    2010-01-01

    Selection of the best analgesic technique in patients undergoing major surgeries can result in lower morbidity and satisfactory postoperative pain relief. In the present study, we tried to compare the effect of morphine and sufentanil on postoperative pain severity and hemodynamic changes by using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device in patients who were candidate for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). It was a randomized double-blinded clinical trial in which 120 patients aged 30-65 years, ASA physical status I-III, candidate for CABG in Shahid Rajaee hospital in Tehran were included. Before anesthesia, patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups to receive sufentanil (n=40), morphine (n=40) or normal saline (n=40). After tracheal extubation at intensive care unit, PCA was started by, sufentanil 4mg for the first group, morphine 2mg for the second group and normal saline, at same volume for the third group, intravenously with 10 minute lockout interval. Postoperative pain was evaluated by VAS scale, 1, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours after extubation and systolic blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, PCO2 and PO2 were recorded 24 hours after extubation. VAS scores at rest revealed significantly less pain for patients in sufentanil and morphine groups than normal saline group, throughout the twenty-four hours after operation (P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the means of VAS scores between sufentanil and morphine groups. Among studied hemodynamic parameters, only systolic blood pressure was reduced more in morphine than sufentanil group (P<0.001). After CABG surgery, administration of intravenous sufentanil and morphine using PCA can lead to similar reduction of postoperative pain severity. (author)

  16. Dysmenorrhea and self-care strategies in Iranian female students: a regression modeling of pain severity and underlying factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaderi, Fariba; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Mohseni Bandpei, Mohammad Ali

    2016-07-18

    Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecologic condition experienced by menstruating women and has significant medical and psychosocial impacts. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the problems related to menstruation, self-care strategies and their relations with pain severity in female students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. This cross sectional study was carried out among 197 unmarried and healthy female medical students during April 2013 to July 2013. A standardized questionnaire was given to participants to complete, which included questions about demographic information, prevalence and severity of pain, self-care strategies and its effectiveness. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 98.4% (95% confidence interval=97.6%-99.2%). Almost 76% (149) of students reported limitation of daily activities. The most common method for relief pain were: taking analgesics (64.3%), rest (61.9%), taking herbal medicine (11.7%), and applying hot compress on area of pain (22.3%). Obtaining information about self-care strategies offered from family and friends 79 (41%) were more common than scientific articles 56 (28.7%) and the Internet 43 (22%). Significant relations were observed between self-care strategies' scales and pain severity. The results indicated that dysmenorrhea was highly prevalent among female medical students and is a major problem affecting their life. A variety of treatments is available for dysmenorrhea but most of the participants did not seek medical advice and they used self-care strategies. However, further studies focusing on health education and routine screening for menstrual problems are recommended.

  17. The neurolytic celiac plexus block using CT guidance through anterior abdominal approach to control the cancer pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Jie; Yang Ning; Liu Wei; Jin Zhengyu; Zhao Yupei; Cai Lixing

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of neurolytic celiac plexus block (Ncb) using CT guidance through anterior abdominal approach. Methods: The clinical data of 24 patients who were given NCPB because of the suffering of upper abdominal and back pain caused by pancreatic carcinoma and other cancer in advanced stage were retrospectively analyzed. The therapeutic effect was evaluated with complete pain relief and partial pain relief. Results: The effective rate and complete pain relief rate in short period ( 3 months) were 71.4% and 14.3% respectively. No severe complications occurred. Conclusion: NCPB guided by CT through anterior abdominal approach is an effective, safe and simple method to control the upper abdominal and back pain caused by cancer

  18. Preoperative analgesics for additional pain relief in children and adolescents having dental treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashley, Paul F; Parekh, Susan; Moles, David R; Anand, Prabhleen; MacDonald, Laura C I

    2016-08-08

    Fear of dental pain is a major barrier to treatment for children who need dental care. The use of preoperative analgesics has the potential to reduce postoperative discomfort and intraoperative pain. We reviewed the available evidence to determine whether further research is warranted and to inform the development of prescribing guidelines. This is an update of a Cochrane review published in 2012. To assess the effects of preoperative analgesics for intraoperative or postoperative pain relief (or both) in children and adolescents undergoing dental treatment without general anaesthesia or sedation. We searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 5 January 2016), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library 2015, Issue 12), MEDLINE via OVID (1946 to 5 January 2016), EMBASE via OVID (1980 to 5 January 2016), LILACS via BIREME (1982 to 5 January 2016) and the ISI Web of Science (1945 to 5 January 2016). We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing trials to 5 January 2016. There were no restrictions regarding language or date of publication in the searches of the electronic databases. We handsearched several specialist journals dating from 2000 to 2011.We checked the reference lists of all eligible trials for additional studies. We contacted specialists in the field for any unpublished data. Randomised controlled clinical trials of analgesics given before dental treatment versus placebo or no analgesics in children and adolescents up to 17 years of age. We excluded children and adolescents having dental treatment under sedation (including nitrous oxide/oxygen) or general anaesthesia. Two review authors assessed titles and abstracts of the articles obtained from the searches for eligibility, undertook data extraction and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. We assessed the quality of the

  19. Current advances in orthodontic pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Hu; Wang, Yan; Jian, Fan; Liao, Li-Na; Yang, Xin; Lai, Wen-Li

    2016-01-01

    Orthodontic pain is an inflammatory pain that is initiated by orthodontic force-induced vascular occlusion followed by a cascade of inflammatory responses, including vascular changes, the recruitment of inflammatory and immune cells, and the release of neurogenic and pro-inflammatory mediators. Ultimately, endogenous analgesic mechanisms check the inflammatory response and the sensation of pain subsides. The orthodontic pain signal, once received by periodontal sensory endings, reaches the sensory cortex for pain perception through three-order neurons: the trigeminal neuron at the trigeminal ganglia, the trigeminal nucleus caudalis at the medulla oblongata and the ventroposterior nucleus at the thalamus. Many brain areas participate in the emotion, cognition and memory of orthodontic pain, including the insular cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, locus coeruleus and hypothalamus. A built-in analgesic neural pathway—periaqueductal grey and dorsal raphe—has an important role in alleviating orthodontic pain. Currently, several treatment modalities have been applied for the relief of orthodontic pain, including pharmacological, mechanical and behavioural approaches and low-level laser therapy. The effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief has been validated, but its effects on tooth movement are controversial. However, more studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of other modalities. Furthermore, gene therapy is a novel, viable and promising modality for alleviating orthodontic pain in the future. PMID:27341389

  20. Dose escalation by image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy leads to an increase in pain relief for spinal metastases: a comparison study with a regimen of 30 Gy in 10 fractions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jinlan; Xiao, Jianghong; Peng, Xingchen; Duan, Baofeng; Li, Yan; Ai, Ping; Yao, Min; Chen, Nianyong

    2017-12-22

    Under the existing condition that the optimum radiotherapy regimen for spinal metastases is controversial, this study investigates the benefits of dose escalation by image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) with 60-66 Gy in 20-30 fractions for spinal metastases. In the dose-escalation group, each D50 of planning gross tumor volume (PGTV) was above 60 Gy and each Dmax of spinal cord planning organ at risk volume (PRV) was below 48 Gy. The median biological effective dose (BED) of Dmax of spinal cord was lower in the dose-escalation group compared with that in the 30-Gy group (69.70 Gy vs. 83.16 Gy, p pain responses were better in the dose-escalation group than those in the 30-Gy group ( p = 0.005 and p = 0.024), and the complete pain relief rates were respectively 73.69% and 34.29% ( p = 0.006), 73.69% and 41.38% ( p = 0.028) in two compared groups. In the dose-escalation group, there is a trend of a longer duration of pain relief, a longer overall survival and a lower incidence of acute radiation toxicities. No late radiation toxicities were observed in both groups. Dosimetric parameters and clinical outcomes, including pain response, duration of pain relief, radiation toxicities and overall survival, were compared among twenty-five metastatic spinal lesions irradiated with the dose-escalation regimen and among forty-four lesions treated with the 30-Gy regimen. Conventionally-fractionated IG-IMRT for spinal metastases could escalate dose to the vertebral lesions while sparing the spinal cord, achieving a better pain relief without increasing radiation complications.

  1. Pain relief and quality of life following radiotherapy for bone metastases: a randomised trial of two fractionation schedules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaze, Mark N.; Kelly, Charles G.; Kerr, Gillian R.; Cull, Ann; Cowie, Valerie J.; Gregor, Anna; Howard, Grahame C.W.; Rodger, Alan

    1997-01-01

    Background: The optimum dose and fractionation schedule for the palliative irradiation of painful bone metastases is controversial. Purpose: To compare the efficacy, side-effects and effect on quality of life of two commonly used radiotherapy schedules in the management of painful bone metastases. Materials and methods: In a prospective trial, 280 patients were randomised to receive either a single 10 Gy treatment or a course of 22.5 Gy in five daily fractions for the relief of localised metastatic bone pain. Results: Response rates have been calculated from 240 assessable treated sites of pain. The overall response rates were 83.7% (single treatment) and 89.2% (five fractions). The complete response rates were 38.8% (single treatment) and 42.3% (five fractions). The median duration of pain control was 13.5 weeks (single treatment) and 14.0 weeks (five fractions). None of these differences was statistically significant. There were no differences between the groups in the effect of treatment on a variety of quality of life parameters. Conclusions: It is concluded that a single 10 Gy treatment is as effective as a course of 22.5 Gy in five fractions in the management of painful bone metastases

  2. Cerebral interactions of pain and reward and their relevance for chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Becker, Susanne; Gandhi, Wiebke; Schweinhardt, Petra

    2012-06-29

    Pain and reward are opponent, interacting processes. Such interactions are enabled by neuroanatomical and neurochemical overlaps of brain systems that process pain and reward. Cerebral processing of hedonic ('liking') and motivational ('wanting') aspects of reward can be separated: the orbitofrontal cortex and opioids play an important role for the hedonic experience, and the ventral striatum and dopamine predominantly process motivation for reward. Supported by neuroimaging studies, we present here the hypothesis that the orbitofrontal cortex and opioids are responsible for pain modulation by hedonic experience, while the ventral striatum and dopamine mediate motivational effects on pain. A rewarding stimulus that appears to be particularly important in the context of pain is pain relief. Further, reward, including pain relief, leads to operant learning, which can affect pain sensitivity. Indirect evidence points at brain mechanisms that might underlie pain relief as a reward and related operant learning but studies are scarce. Investigating the cerebral systems underlying pain-reward interactions as well as related operant learning holds the potential of better understanding mechanisms that contribute to the development and maintenance of chronic pain, as detailed in the last section of this review. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. National audit of the quality of pain relief provided in emergency departments in Aotearoa, New Zealand: The PRiZED 1 Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-04-01

    Pain is a common feature of ED presentations and the timely provision of adequate analgesia is important for patient care. However, there is currently no New Zealand data with respect to this indicator of care quality. The present study aimed to provide a baseline for the quality of care with respect to the provision of timely and adequate analgesia in New Zealand EDs. The present study is a secondary analysis of data initially collected for the Shorter Stays in Emergency Department Study, using a retrospective chart review of 1685 randomly selected ED presentations (2006-2012) from 26 New Zealand public hospital EDs. Of the 1685 charts randomly selected, 1547 (91%) were reviewed from 21 EDs. There were 866 ED presentations with painful conditions, of whom 132 (15%) did not have pain recorded, 205 (24%) did not receive pain relief and 19 (2%) did not have time of analgesia documented leaving 510 (59%) for the analysis of time to analgesia. Four hundred and fifty-seven (53%) did not have pain well documented sufficiently to assess adequacy, leaving 277 (32%) for the analysis of adequacy of analgesia. The median (interquartile range) time to analgesia was 62 (30-134) min and the provision of adequate analgesia was 141/277 (51%, 95% CI: 45-57%); however, there was some variation between hospitals for both outcomes. Although these outcomes are on a par with other countries, this baseline audit has shown both poor documentation and variation in the provision of timely and adequate pain relief in New Zealand EDs, with room for improvement with respect to this quality indicator. © 2017 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  4. The Pain of Labour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labor, Simona

    2008-01-01

    Labour is an emotional experience and involves both physiological and psychological mechanisms. The pain of labour is severe but despite this its memory diminishes with time. Labour pain has two components: visceral pain which occurs during the early first stage and the second stage of childbirth, and somatic pain which occurs during the late first stage and the second stage. The pain of labour in the first stage is mediated by T10 to L1 spinal segments, whereas that in the second stage is carried by T12 to L1, and S2 to S4 spinal segments. Pain relief in labour is complex and often challenging without regional analgesia. Effective management of labour pain plays a relatively minor role in a woman's satisfaction with childbirth. PMID:26526404

  5. Sustained relief of pain from osteosynthesis surgery of rib fracture by using biodegradable lidocaine-eluting nanofibrous membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yi-Hsun; Hsu, Yung-Heng; Chou, Ying-Chao; Fan, Chin-Lung; Ueng, Steve W N; Kau, Yi-Chuan; Liu, Shih-Jung

    2016-10-01

    Various effective methods are available for perioperative pain control in osteosynthesis surgery, but they are seldom applied intraoperatively. The aim of this study was to evaluate a biodegradable poly([d,l]-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)/lidocaine nanofibrous membrane for perioperative pain control in rib fracture surgery. Scanning electron microscopy showed high porosity of the membrane, and an ex vivo high-performance liquid chromatography study revealed an excellent release profile for both burst and controlled release of lidocaine within 30days. Additionally, the PLGA/lidocaine nanofibrous membrane was applied in an experimental rabbit rib osteotomy model. Implantation of the membrane around the osteotomized rib during osteosynthesis surgery resulted in a significant increase in weight gain, food and water consumption, and daily activity compared to the study group without the membrane. In addition, all osteotomized ribs were united. Thus, application of the PLGA/lidocaine nanofibrous membrane may be effective for sustained relief of pain in oeteosynthesis surgery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Preoperative widespread pain sensitization and chronic pain after hip and knee replacement: a cohort analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wylde, Vikki; Sayers, Adrian; Lenguerrand, Erik; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael; Pyke, Mark; Beswick, Andrew D.; Dieppe, Paul; Blom, Ashley W.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Chronic pain after joint replacement is common, affecting approximately 10% of patients after total hip replacement (THR) and 20% of patients after total knee replacement (TKR). Heightened generalized sensitivity to nociceptive input could be a risk factor for the development of this pain. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether preoperative widespread pain sensitivity was associated with chronic pain after joint replacement. Data were analyzed from 254 patients receiving THR and 239 patients receiving TKR. Pain was assessed preoperatively and at 12 months after surgery using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Pain Scale. Preoperative widespread pain sensitivity was assessed through measurement of pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the forearm using an algometer. Statistical analysis was conducted using linear regression and linear mixed models, and adjustments were made for confounding variables. In both the THR and TKR cohort, lower PPTs (heightened widespread pain sensitivity) were significantly associated with higher preoperative pain severity. Lower PPTs were also significantly associated with higher pain severity at 12 months after surgery in the THR cohort. However, PPTs were not associated with the change in pain severity from preoperative to 12 months postoperative in either the TKR or THR cohort. These findings suggest that although preoperative widespread pressure pain sensitivity is associated with pain severity before and after joint replacement, it is not a predictor of the amount of pain relief that patients gain from joint replacement surgery, independent of preoperative pain severity. PMID:25599300

  7. Effect of the Raga Ananda Bhairavi in Post Operative Pain Relief Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Thirumurthy Sathish; Muthuraman, M; Krishnakumar, R

    2014-10-01

    Music is considered as an universal language and has influences the human existence at various levels.In recent years music therapy has evolved as a challenge of research with a clinical approach involving science and art. Music therapy has been used for various therapeutic reasons like Alzheimer's disease,Hypertension and mental disorders to name a few. We conducted a study to establish the effect of the classical ragam Anandhabhairavi on post operative pain relief. A randomized controlled study involving 60 patients who were to undergo surgery was conducted at PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research,Coimbatore.30 patients selected at random and were exposed to the ragam Anandhabhairavi which was played in their room pre operatively (from the day they got admitted for surgery) and 3 days post operatively. The control group did not listen to the music during their stay in the hospital. An observation chart was attached in which the requirement of analgesics by the patient was recorded. On completion of the study and on analysis,the ragam Anandhabhairavi had a significant effect in post operative pain management which was evidenced by the reduction in analgesic requirement by 50 % in those who listened to the ragam.A significant p value of <0.001 was obtained.

  8. Activation of mesocorticolimbic reward circuits for assessment of relief of ongoing pain: a potential biomarker of efficacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Jennifer Y; Qu, Chaoling; Patwardhan, Amol; Ossipov, Michael H; Navratilova, Edita; Becerra, Lino; Borsook, David; Porreca, Frank

    2014-08-01

    Preclinical assessment of pain has increasingly explored operant methods that may allow behavioral assessment of ongoing pain. In animals with incisional injury, peripheral nerve block produces conditioned place preference (CPP) and activates the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward pathway. We hypothesized that activation of this circuit could serve as a neurochemical output measure of relief of ongoing pain. Medications commonly used clinically, including gabapentin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), were evaluated in models of post-surgical (1 day after incision) or neuropathic (14 days after spinal nerve ligation [SNL]) pain to determine whether the clinical efficacy profile of these drugs in these pain conditions was reflected by extracellular dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell. Microdialysis was performed in awake rats. Basal DA levels were not significantly different between experimental groups, and no significant treatment effects were seen in sham-operated animals. Consistent with clinical observation, spinal clonidine produced CPP and produced a dose-related increase in net NAc DA release in SNL rats. Gabapentin, commonly used to treat neuropathic pain, produced increased NAc DA in rats with SNL but not in animals with incisional, injury. In contrast, ketorolac or naproxen produced increased NAc DA in animals with incisional but not neuropathic pain. Increased extracellular NAc DA release was consistent with CPP and was observed selectively with treatments commonly used clinically for post-surgical or neuropathic pain. Evaluation of NAc DA efflux in animal pain models may represent an objective neurochemical assay that may serve as a biomarker of efficacy for novel pain-relieving mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Cancer pain management-current status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deepak Thapa

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer pain is still one of the most feared entities in cancer and about 75% of these patients require treatment with opioids for severe pain. The cancer pain relief is difficult to manage in patients with episodic or incidental pain, neuropathic pain, substance abuse and with impaired cognitive or communication skills. This non-systematic review article aims to discuss reasons for under treatment, tools of pain assessment, cancer pain and anxiety and possibly carve new approaches for cancer pain management in future. The current status of World Health Organization analgesic ladder has also been reviewed. A thorough literature search was carried out from 1998 to 2010 for current status in cancer pain management in MEDLINE, WHO guidelines and published literature and relevant articles have been included.

  10. Comparison of different administration of ketamine and intravenous tramadol hydrochloride for postoperative pain relief and sedation after pediatric tonsillectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yenigun, Alper; Et, Tayfun; Aytac, Sirin; Olcay, Betul

    2015-01-01

    Tonsillectomy is the oldest and most frequently performed surgical procedure practiced by ear, nose, and throat physicians. In this study, our aim was to compare the analgesic effects of peritonsillar, rectal, as well as intravenous infiltration of ketamine and intravenous tramadol hydrochloride infiltration for postoperative pain relief and sedation after tonsillectomy in children. This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of peritonsillar, intravenous, and rectal infiltration of ketamine in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. One hundred twenty children who were categorized under American Society of Anesthesiologists classes I to II were randomized to 4 groups of 30 members each. Group 1 received intravenous (IV) ketamine (0.5 mg/kg), group 2 received rectal ketamine (0.5 mg/kg), group 3 received local peritonsillar ketamine (2 mg/kg), and the control group received IV tramadol hydrochloride infiltration (2 mg/kg). Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale scores and Wilson sedation scale were recorded at minutes 1, 15, 30, 60 as well as hours 2, 12, and 24 postoperatively. The patients were interviewed on the day after the surgery to assess the postoperative pain and sedation. All the routes of infiltration of ketamine were as effective as those of tramadol hydrochloride (P > 0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between IV infiltrations and all groups during the assessments at hours 6 and 24. The analgesic efficacy of IV ketamine was found especially higher at hours 6 and 24 (P(6) = 0.045, P(24) = 0.011). Perioperative, low-dose IV, rectal, or peritonsillar ketamine infiltration provides efficient pain relief without any adverse effects in children who would undergo adenotonsillectomy.

  11. Prices need no preferences: social trends determine decisions in experimental markets for pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlaev, Ivo; Seymour, Ben; Chater, Nick; Winston, Joel S; Yoshida, Wako; Wright, Nicholas; Symmonds, Mkael; Dolan, Ray

    2014-01-01

    A standard view in health economics is that, although there is no market that determines the "prices" for health states, people can nonetheless associate health states with monetary values (or other scales, such as quality adjusted life year [QALYs] and disability adjusted life year [DALYs]). Such valuations can be used to shape health policy, and a major research challenge is to elicit such values from people; creating experimental "markets" for health states is a theoretically attractive way to address this. We explore the possibility that this framework may be fundamentally flawed-because there may not be any stable values to be revealed. Instead, perhaps people construct ad hoc values, influenced by contextual factors, such as the observed decisions of others. The participants bid to buy relief from equally painful electrical shocks to the leg and arm in an experimental health market based on an interactive second-price auction. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental conditions where the bids by "others" were manipulated to follow increasing or decreasing price trends for one, but not the other, pain. After the auction, a preference test asked the participants to choose which pain they prefer to experience for a longer duration. Players remained indifferent between the two pain-types throughout the auction. However, their bids were differentially attracted toward what others bid for each pain, with overbidding during decreasing prices and underbidding during increasing prices. Health preferences are dissociated from market prices, which are strongly referenced to others' choices. This suggests that the price of health care in a free-market has the capacity to become critically detached from people's underlying preferences. 2014 APA, all rights reserved

  12. Decongestants: OTC Relief for Congestion

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... CorrectlyPain Relievers: Understanding Your OTC OptionsAntacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid RefluxOTC Cough ... Loss and Diet Plans Nutrients and Nutritional Info Sugar and Sugar Substitutes Exercise and Fitness Exercise Basics ...

  13. The study of controlling intractable upper abdominal pain caused by cancer through neurolytic celiac plexus block guided by CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui Hengwu; Tian Jianming; Wang Peijun; Chen Aihua; Zuo Changjing; Xiao Yi; Wang Minjie; Fan Yuelan

    1999-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of neurolytic celiac plexus block (NCPB) and to analyze the factors related to the degree of pain relief. Methods: Forty-two patients who had intractable upper abdominal pain or accompanying referred back pain from cancer of pancreas, liver, stomach, colon and bile duct received bilateral alcohol neurolytic celiac plexus blocks under CT guidance. The results of pain relief were classified into 0-III grade. The spread of neurolytic solution (with contrast material) was observed through 3D reconstruction. Results: During the 3 months follow-up, the total effective rates of pain relief in 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months were 92.86%, 88.10%, 85.00% and 80.56% respectively. Satisfactory pain relief results were obtained when the neurolytic solution encircled the aorta adequately from two sides. There were no severe complications in any case. Conclusion: NCPB guided by CT proves to be an effective and safe means of controlling intractable upper abdominal cancer pain and should be popularized

  14. Single-dose radiotherapy for painful bone metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kal, H.B.

    1999-01-01

    Background: External beam radiotherapy is frequently applied for palliative treatment of painful bone lesions with a variety of fractionation schemes. There is a continuous interest to administer only 1 or a few dose fractions for inducing pain relief. Methods: A review of the literature was made with the aim to determine whether a treatment can be deduced that is simple and effective. The linear-quadratic (L-Q) concept was applied to compare reported therapy schemes which each other for the iso-effect pain relief. Results: Single-dose and fractionated radiotherapy resulted in partial or complete pain relief in about 80% of the patients. Complete responses have been observed in about 43% of the patients. For patients responding to treatment, the duration of pain relief is at least 3 to 4 months with reported duration of up to 1 year or even longer. Conclusion: Based on this review of literature data concerning randomized trials a treatment with a single dose of 8 Gy is effective for inducing pain relief. (orig.) [de

  15. Spinal cord stimulation of dorsal columns in a rat model of neuropathic pain: evidence for a segmental spinal mechanism of pain relief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smits, H; van Kleef, M; Joosten, E A

    2012-01-01

    Although spinal cord stimulation (SCS) of the dorsal columns is an established method for treating chronic neuropathic pain, patients still suffer from a substantial level of pain. From a clinical perspective it is known that the location of the SCS is of pivotal importance, thereby suggesting a segmental spinal mode of action. However, experimental studies suggest that SCS acts also through the modulation of supraspinal mechanisms, which might suggest that the location is unimportant. Here we investigated the effect of the rostrocaudal location of SCS stimulation and the effectiveness of pain relief in a rat model of chronic neuropathic pain. Adult male rats (n=45) were submitted to a partial ligation of the sciatic nerve. The majority of animals developed tactile hypersensitivity in the nerve lesioned paw. All allodynic rats were submitted to SCS (n=33) for 30 minutes (f=50 Hz; pulse width 0.2 ms). In one group (n=16) the electrodes were located at the level where the injured sciatic nerve afferents enter the spinal cord (T13), and in a second group (n=17) the electrodes were positioned at more rostral levels (T11) as verified by X-ray. A repositioning experiment of electrodes from T12 to T13 was performed in 2 animals. Our data demonstrate that SCS of the dorsal columns at the level where the injured fibers enter the spinal cord dorsal horn result in a much better pain-relieving effect than SCS at more rostral levels. From this we conclude that SCS in treatment of neuropathic pain acts through a segmental spinal site of action. Copyright © 2011 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Limited effect of thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy in the treatment of severe chronic pancreatitis pain: a prospective long-term analysis of 75 cases.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buscher, H.C.J.L.; Schipper, E.; Wilder-Smith, O.H.G.; Jansen, J.B.M.J.; Goor, H. van

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Bilateral thoracoscopic splanchnicectomy is a minimally invasive method of treating pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis. It offers good, short-term pain relief, but long-term success is difficult to predict. We analyze long-term results and identify factors predicting success of

  17. Ketamine for pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jonkman, Kelly; Dahan, Albert; van de Donk, Tine; Aarts, Leon; Niesters, Marieke; van Velzen, Monique

    2017-01-01

    The efficacy of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine as an analgesic agent is still under debate, especially for indications such as chronic pain. To understand the efficacy of ketamine for relief of pain, we performed a literature search for relevant narrative and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We retrieved 189 unique articles, of which 29 were deemed appropriate for use in this review. Ketamine treatment is most effective for relief of postoperative pain, causing reduced opioid consumption. In contrast, for most other indications (that is, acute pain in the emergency department, prevention of persistent postoperative pain, cancer pain, and chronic non-cancer pain), the efficacy of ketamine is limited. Ketamine’s lack of analgesic effect was associated with an increase in side effects, including schizotypical effects. PMID:28979762

  18. Perna canaliculus Lipid Complex PCSO-524™ Demonstrated Pain Relief for Osteoarthritis Patients Benchmarked against Fish Oil, a Randomized Trial, without Placebo Control

    OpenAIRE

    Zawadzki, Marek; Janosch, Claudia; Szechinski, Jacek

    2013-01-01

    Osteoarthritis (OA) typically generates pain, reduced mobility and reduced quality of life. Most conventional treatments for osteoarthritis, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and simple analgesics, have side effects. PCSO-524?, a non polar lipid extract from the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and has been shown to reduce inflammation in both animal studies and patient trials. This OA trial examined pain relief changes in relation to qualit...

  19. Treatment of the pain caused by cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakano, Masao

    1979-01-01

    Relief of pain caused by cancerous invasion is one of the most important role of radiotherapy. Telecobalt has improved the palliative effects for cancer pain, because of its sufficient depth dose. Supervoltage x-ray generated from Linac has expanded indications of treatment for cancer pain by the shortening of treatment time due to high dose rate. Intraoperative electron beam therapy is useful in the case of carcinoma of the pancreas suffering severe pain. Fast neutron therapy is clearly more effective than supervoltage x-ray for pain caused by the invasion of radioresistant cancer. Pelvic angiography is useful for diagnosis of pain focus caused by illiac lymph node metastasis. (author)

  20. Usefulness of K-Point Injection for the Nonspecific Neck Pain in So-Called K-Point Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Jeong Jae; Ahn, Myun Whan; Ahn, Hyo Sae; Lee, Sung Jun; Lee, Dong Yeol

    2016-12-01

    Shoichi Kokubun introduced his successful experience with local anesthetic injection at the occipital insertion of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in K-point syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term effectiveness of K-point injection and investigate factors affecting treatment results. K-point injection was performed in 58 patients with K-point syndrome at Yeungnam University Medical Center. The syndrome was associated with cervical whiplash injury in 10 patients and was of nonspecific origin in the rest. One milliliter of 2% lidocaine mixed with 1 milliliter of dexamethasone was injected in 50 patients and 2 milliliters of 1% lidocaine alone in the rest. Initially, the severity of local tenderness at the K-point and other tender points was examined and the degree of immediate pain relief effect was assessed within 1 hour after injection. Early effect within 1 month after the injection and current effect were evaluated in 27 patients using a modified Kim's questionnaire with regard to the duration of improvement, degree of improvement in pain and daily living activities, and satisfaction. Of the total 58 patients, 44 (75.8%) apparently had immediate pain relief after K-point injection. The only factor associated with successful immediate pain relief was the whiplash injury associated with traffic accident (TA). The early pain control effect was associated with the immediate effect. The current effect was associated with the early effect alone. Satisfaction with the K-point injection was related to early successful pain relief. K-point injection would be useful for early pain relief in nonspecific neck pain syndrome so called K-point syndrome, but not for current pain relief. Especially, it was very effective for early pain control in the whiplash injury associated with TA.

  1. Improving pain assessment and managment in stroke patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesbitt, Julian; Moxham, Sian; Ramadurai, Gopinath; Williams, Lucy

    2015-01-01

    Stroke patients can experience a variety of pain. Many stroke patients have co-morbidities such as osteoporosis, arthritis or diabetes causing diabetic neuropathy. As well as pain from other long term conditions, stroke patients can experience central post-stroke pain, headaches, and musculoskeletal issues such as hypertonia, contractures, spasticity, and subluxations. These stroke patients can also have communication difficulties in the form of expressive dysphasia and/or global aphasia. Communication difficulties can result in these patients not expressing their pain and therefore not having it assessed, leading to inadequate pain relief that could impact their rehabilitation and recovery. By implementing an observational measurement of pain such as the Abbey pain scale, patients with communication difficulties can have their pain assessed and recorded. Initially 30% of patients on the acute stroke ward did not have their pain assessed and adequately recorded and 15% of patients had inadequate pain relief. The patient was assessed if they were in pain and therefore not receiving adequate pain relief by measuring their pain on the Abbey pain scale. After introducing the Abbey pain scale and creating a nurse advocate, an improvement was shown such that only 5% of patients did not have their pain recorded and all had adequate pain relief.

  2. 26 CFR 1.6015-1 - Relief from joint and several liability on a joint return.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... they claim losses attributable to H's limited partnership interest in Partnership A. In January 2006... 26 Internal Revenue 13 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Relief from joint and several liability on a... joint and several liability on a joint return. (a) In general. (1) An individual who qualifies and...

  3. Grading the intensity of nondental orofacial pain: identification of cutoff points for mild, moderate, and severe pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brailo V

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Vlaho Brailo,1 Joanna M Zakrzewska2 1Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; 2Facial Pain Unit, Division of Diagnostic, Surgical and Medical Sciences, Eastman Dental Hospital, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust/University College London, London, UK Background: When assessing pain in clinical practice, clinicians often label pain as mild, moderate, and severe. However, these categories are not distinctly defined, and are often used arbitrarily. Instruments for pain assessment use more sophisticated scales, such as a 0–10 numerical rating scale, and apart from pain intensity assess pain-related interference and disability. The aim of the study was to identify cutoff points for mild, moderate, and severe nondental orofacial pain using a numerical rating scale, a pain-related interference scale, and a disability measurement. Materials and methods: A total of 245 patients referred to the Facial Pain Unit in London were included in the study. Intensity and pain-related interference were assessed by the Brief Pain Inventory. Pain-related disability was assessed by the Chronic Graded Pain Scale. Average pain intensity (0–10 was classified into nine schemes with varying cutoff points of mild, moderate, and severe pain. The scheme with the most significant intergroup difference, expressed by multivariate analysis of variance, provided the cutoffs between mild, moderate, and severe pain. Results: The combination that showed the greatest intergroup differences for all patients was scheme 47 (mild 1–4, moderate 5–7, severe 8–10. The same combination provided the greatest intergroup differences in subgroups of patients with temporomandibular disorder and chronic idiopathic facial pain, respectively. Among the trigeminal neuralgia patients alone, the combination with the highest intergroup differences was scheme 48 (mild 1–4, moderate 5–8, severe 9–10. Conclusion: The cutoff points established in

  4. Durapain in symptomatic treatment of severe acute pain: a post-marketing, prospective, multicenter, observational study – PRIME study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shah K

    2017-05-01

    developed three adverse reactions (burning sensation in urine, giddiness, and urine retention other than GI events. No serious adverse drug reactions were reported during the study period. Conclusion: Tramadol hydrochloride/diclofenac sodium is an effective and well-tolerated treatment in Indian patients with severe acute pain. Treatment with tramadol hydrochloride/diclofenac sodium provides significant pain relief on day 2 and maintained until day 5 without any serious adverse reactions. Keywords: Durapain, severe acute pain, tramadol and diclofenac combination

  5. Preemptive Epidural Analgesia for Postoperative Pain Relief Revisited: Comparison of Combination of Buprenorphine and Neostigmine with Combination of Buprenorphine and Ketamine in Lower Abdominal Surgeries, A Double-blind Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choubey, Sanjay; Singh, Raj Bahadur

    2017-01-01

    Postoperative pain relief provides subjective comfort to patient in addition to blunting of autonomic and somatic reflex responses to pain, subsequently enhancing restoration of function by allowing the patient to breathe, cough, and move easily. The aim is to evaluate and compare the effects of neostigmine + buprenorphine and ketamine + buprenorphine for preemptive epidural analgesia for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing abdominal surgeries under general anesthesia (GA). A double-blind randomized trial. A total of 60 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Classes I and II patients undergoing abdominal surgeries under GA were taken up for the study. They were randomly allocated into two groups, Group A and Group B of thirty patients each. Preemptive epidural analgesia for postoperative pain relief was provided by a combination of neostigmine 1 μg/kg + buprenorphine 2 μg/kg in Group A patients and ketamine 1 mg/kg + buprenorphine 2 μg/kg in Group B patients after induction of GA but before surgical incision. Postoperatively, vital parameters, pain score, requirement of top up doses, and side effects in the two groups were observed and recorded at 2, 4, 6, 10, 18, and 22 h. Mean values within each of the Group A and Group B were compared using one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). Mean values between Group A and Group B were compared using double analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA). Group A patients had a significant analgesia (visual analog scale [VAS] pain scores reduced significantly from 54.6 ± 6.3 at 2 h to 8.1 ± 8.9 at 22 h postoperatively). Group B patients had significant analgesia too (VAS pain scores reduced significantly from 36 ± 12.5 at 2 h to 5.3 ± 10.9 at 22 h postoperatively). There was however no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the degree of postoperative analgesia on comparison of VAS scores, effect on vital parameters, and incidence of side effects. Either of the two

  6. Etoricoxib improves osteoarthritis pain relief, joint function, and quality of life in the extreme elderly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Nan Huang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Etoricoxib is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, with a lower risk of gastrointestinal toxicity compared to traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs. We evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability of etoricoxib in extremely elderly patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis (OA. A prospective, single-center, single-arm study was conducted, enrolling 19 extremely elderly men with OA (mean age 85.9, range 79-96 years, who responded inadequately to NSAIDs or other analgesics. Patients were switched to etoricoxib, 60 mg once daily for 4 weeks, without prior medication washout. Data were recorded before and after etoricoxib treatment. The primary endpoint was improvement in pain, assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC after the 4-week treatment. Other endpoints included the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI-SF, Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM, Short Form 36 (SF36, and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D. Safety and tolerability were assessed by collecting adverse events data. Pain and disability scores measured by WOMAC index were lower after treatment (pain, p ≤ 0.001; disability, p = 0.020. BPI-SF showed a significant improvement in joint function when walking and performing normal work (walking, p = 0.021; normal work, p = 0.030. SF36 scores improved for 7 out of 11 items after etoricoxib treatment (#1, p = 0.032; #4, p = 0.026; #5, p = 0.017; #6, p = 0.008; #7, p = 0.009; #8, p = 0.013; and #10, p = 0.038. EQ-5D showed a significant improvement in visual analogue scale scores (p = 0.036. TSQM results demonstrated a higher patient perception of overall satisfaction. No adverse events were reported. Pain relief, joint function, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction improved significantly in elderly patients with OA after etoricoxib administration.

  7. The Effect of Non-Pharmacological Methods of Labor Pain Relief on Mothers’ Perceived Stress: ARandomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojghan Mirghafourvand

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Childbirth is the most stressful event for the women both mentally and physically affecting their physiological and psychological indicators during labour. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of non-pharmacological methods of labor pain relief in mothers’ perceived stress conducted in Alavi hospital of Ardabil, 2013.  Methods: In this double blind randomized controlled trial, 320 mothers were allocated into two groups by stratified block randomization . The intervention group (n=158 received continuous support throughout the labour process, positioning and movement, music, aromatherapy, showering andconsumption of a light diet or water.The control group received only a routine care. The perceived stress scale (PSS was employed to collect data in three stages at the beginning of the active phase, before the intervention, six hours after birth and then eight weeks postpartum. The two groupswere compared using General Linear Model with controlling the baseline scores. Results: There were 14 participants loss to follow-up. The mean of perceived stress score in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group at 6 hours [adjusted mean difference: -1.0 (95% confidence interval: -0.01 to -1.9]. However, there was no difference between two groups in terms of perceived stress score at 8 weeks postpartum (p=0.692.  Conclusion: Non-pharmacological methods of labor pain relief are an effective intervention for reducing perceived stress level in mothers during labor and therefore use of this intervention is recommended.

  8. Reports of "satisfactory relief" by IBS patients receiving usual medical care are confounded by baseline symptom severity and do not accurately reflect symptom improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitehead, William E; Palsson, Olafur S; Levy, Rona L; Feld, Andrew D; VonKorff, Michael; Turner, Marsha

    2006-05-01

    Treatment trials for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) usually define a responder as a patient who reports satisfactory relief or adequate relief of symptoms at the end of the trial. However, these measures have not been adequately validated. (1) Compare a binary satisfactory relief measure to alternative ways of defining a treatment responder. (2) Determine whether baseline IBS symptom severity or psychological distress influence the sensitivity of these outcome measures. A total of 350 patients (81% females, average age 50 yr) who had a medical diagnosis of IBS and satisfied Rome II criteria, were recruited from Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound. At baseline the Irritable Bowel Severity Scale (IBSS) was used to assess symptom severity and to classify patients as mild, moderate, or severe. Psychological distress and IBS-specific quality of life (IBS-QOL) were also assessed. After 6 months treatment with standard medical care, IBSS and IBS-QOL were reassessed, and patients were asked whether they had experienced satisfactory relief and whether they were somewhat or markedly better. Initial severity of IBS significantly affected the proportion who reported satisfactory relief (mild, 72%; moderate, 53%; severe, 44%) and the proportion who were somewhat or markedly better (mild, 62%; moderate, 44%; severe, 38%), but did not affect the proportion with a 50% reduction in symptoms (mild, 26%; moderate, 25%; severe, 23%). Although mild patients were the most likely to report satisfactory relief, they showed no average decrease in symptom severity or improvement in IBS-QOL. Conversely, severe patients, who were the least likely to report satisfactory relief, had the largest reductions in IBS symptom severity and the largest improvements in IBS-QOL. Psychological distress had no significant effect on the responder rate after adjusting for IBS symptom severity. These data from a descriptive study suggest that satisfactory relief is confounded with initial IBS symptom

  9. Transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation in musculoskeletal pain of acute spinal cord injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, R R; Meyer, P R; Cerullo, L J

    1980-01-01

    Cervical, thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbar fractures associated with physiologic complete or incomplete spinal cord injuries frequently have severe soft-tissue injury as well as severe pain associated with the site or area of injury. Transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation has proved effective in the treatment of various causes of severe acute and chronic intractable pains. We applied this modality to a group of 20 patients who had acute spinal cord injuries and pain associated with severe, extensive soft-tissue injury. Its advantages include ease of application, lack of major complications, increased intestinal peristalsis, and avoidance of narcotic analgesic medications. It also produced significant (greater than 50%) pain relief in 75% of patients treated by transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation.

  10. Buprenorphine-naloxone therapy in pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Kelly Yan; Chen, Lucy; Mao, Jianren

    2014-05-01

    Buprenorphine-naloxone (bup/nal in 4:1 ratio; Suboxone; Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Incorporation, Richmond, VA) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for outpatient office-based addiction treatment. In the past few years, bup/nal has been increasingly prescribed off-label for chronic pain management. The current data suggest that bup/nal may provide pain relief in patients with chronic pain with opioid dependence or addiction. However, the unique pharmacological profile of bup/nal confers it to be a weak analgesic that is unlikely to provide adequate pain relief for patients without opioid dependence or addiction. Possible mechanisms of pain relief by bup/nal therapy in opioid-dependent patients with chronic pain may include reversal of opioid-induced hyperalgesia and improvement in opioid tolerance and addiction. Additional studies are needed to assess the implication of bup/nal therapy in clinical anesthesia and perioperative pain management.

  11. Chinese adaptation and validation of the patellofemoral pain severity scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheung, Roy T H; Ngai, Shirley P C; Lam, Priscillia L; Chiu, Joseph K W; Fung, Eric Y H

    2013-05-01

    This study validated the Patellofemoral Pain Severity Scale translated into Chinese. The Chinese Patellofemoral Pain Severity Scale was translated from the original English version following standard forward and backward translation procedures recommended by the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. The survey was then conducted in clinical settings by a questionnaire comprising the Chinese Patellofemoral Pain Severity Scale, Kujala Scale and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. Eighty-four Chinese reading patients with patellofemoral pain were recruited from physical therapy clinics. Internal consistency of the translated instrument was measured by Cronbach alpha. Convergent validity was examined by Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rho) tests by comparing its score with the validated Chinese version of the Kujala Scale and the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index while the test-retest reliability was evaluated by administering the questionnaires twice. Cronbach alpha values of individual questions and their overall value were above 0.85. Strong association was found between the Chinese Patellofemoral Pain Severity Scale and the Kujala Scale (rho = -0.72, p coefficient = 0.98) was demonstrated. The Chinese translated version of the Patellofemoral Pain Severity Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for patients with patellofemoral pain.

  12. Pronociceptive pain modulation in patients with painful chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahman-Averbuch, Hadas; Yarnitsky, David; Granovsky, Yelena; Sprecher, Elliot; Steiner, Mariana; Tzuk-Shina, Tzahala; Pud, Dorit

    2011-08-01

    Several chemotherapy agents induce polyneuropathy that is painful for some patients, but not for others. We assumed that these differences might be attributable to varying patterns of pain modulation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pain modulation in such patients. Twenty-seven patients with chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy were tested for detection thresholds (cold, warm, and mechanical) in both the forearm and foot, as well as for heat pain threshold, mechanical temporal summation (TS), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM; also known as the diffuse noxious inhibitory control-like effect), which were tested in the upper limbs. Positive correlations were found between clinical pain levels and both TS (r=0.52, P=0.005) and CPM (r=0.40, P=0.050) for all patients. In addition, higher TS was associated with less efficient CPM (r=0.56, P=0.004). The group of patients with painful polyneuropathy (n=12) showed a significantly higher warm detection threshold in the foot (P=0.03), higher TS (P<0.01), and less efficient CPM (P=0.03) in comparison to the group with nonpainful polyneuropathy. The painfulness of polyneuropathy is associated with a "pronociceptive" modulation pattern, which may be primary to the development of pain. The higher warm sensory thresholds in the painful polyneuropathy group suggest that the severity of polyneuropathy may be another factor in determining its painfulness. Copyright © 2011 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral pregabalin for relief of shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nutthachote, Pattiya; Sirayapiwat, Porntip; Wisawasukmongchol, Wirach; Charuluxananan, Somrat

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the efficacy of pregabalin for the relief of postoperative shoulder pain after laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification I). Tertiary referral center, university hospital. Fifty-six women undergoing elective laparoscopic gynecologic surgery between June 2012 and March 2013. Women in the study group received 75 mg pregabalin 2 hours before surgery and then every 12 hours for 2 doses, and women in the control group received an identical capsule and the same dosage of placebo. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for shoulder pain and surgical pain at 24 and 48 hours after surgery were evaluated as primary outcome. Postoperative analgesics used and drug-related adverse events were also monitored. Patients in the pregabalin group had significantly lower postoperative VAS scores for shoulder pain at 24 hours, compared with the placebo group (median, 23.14 [range, 13.67-32.61] vs. 37.22 [27.75-46.64]; p = .04), and required less analgesic (p = .01). There were no significant differences in VAS scores for surgical pain and adverse events between the 2 groups (p = .56). Perioperative administration of 75 mg pregabalin significantly reduced postoperative laparoscopic shoulder pain and amount of analgesic used. Copyright © 2014 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Cannabis and Pain: A Clinical Review

    OpenAIRE

    Hill, Kevin P.; Palastro, Matthew D.; Johnson, Brian; Ditre, Joseph W.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: Cannabis has been used for medical purposes across the world for centuries. As states and countries implement medical and recreational cannabis policies, increasing numbers of people are using cannabis pharmacotherapy for pain. There is a theoretical rationale for cannabis' efficacy for pain management, although the subjective pain relief from cannabis may not match objective measurements of analgesia. As more patients turn to cannabis for pain relief, there is a need f...

  15. The Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib delays pain-related behaviour and conserves bone in a rat model of cancer-induced bone pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Appel, Camilla Kristine; Gallego-Pedersen, Simone; Andersen, Line

    2017-01-01

    Pain is a severe and debilitating complication of metastatic bone cancer. Current analgesics do not provide sufficient pain relief for all patients, creating a great need for new treatment options. The Src kinase, a non-receptor protein tyrosine kinase, is implicated in processes involved in cancer......-induced bone pain, including cancer growth, osteoclastic bone degradation and nociceptive signalling. Here we investigate the role of dasatinib, an oral Src kinase family and Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in an animal model of cancer-induced bone pain. Daily administration of dasatinib (15 mg/kg, p...

  16. Spinal interleukin-10 therapy to treat peripheral neuropathic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milligan, Erin D; Penzkover, Kathryn R; Soderquist, Ryan G; Mahoney, Melissa J

    2012-01-01

      Current research indicates that chronic peripheral neuropathic pain includes a role for glia and the actions of proinflammatory factors. This review briefly discusses the glial and cytokine responses that occur following peripheral nerve damage in support of utilizing anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) therapy to suppress chronic peripheral neuropathic pain. SPINAL NONVIRAL INTERLEUKIN-10 GENE THERAPY:  IL-10 is one of the most powerful endogenous counter-regulators of proinflammatory cytokine function that acts in the nervous system. Subarachnoid (intrathecal) spinal injection of the gene encoding IL-10 delivered by nonviral vectors has several advantages over virally mediated gene transfer methods and leads to profound pain relief in several animal models. NONVIRAL GENE DELIVERY:  Lastly, data are reviewed that nonviral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) encapsulated by a biologically safe copolymer, poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA), thought to protect DNA, leads to significantly improved therapeutic gene transfer in animal models, which additionally and significantly extends pain relief.   The impact of these early studies exploring anti-inflammatory genes emphasizes the exceptional therapeutic potential of new biocompatible intrathecal nonviral gene delivery approaches such as PLGA microparticles. Ultimately, ongoing expression of therapeutic genes is a viable option to treat chronic neuropathic pain in the clinic. © 2012 International Neuromodulation Society.

  17. Parental Perceptions about Pain and Pain Management Practices in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Pain management in neonates remains sub-optimal in sub-Saharan countries like Kenya due to lack of resources to procure pharmacological analgesics. There, however, exist low-cost, mother-driven pain management strategies such as breastfeeding and kangaroo care that can be used for pain relief in ...

  18. Defining patient-based minimal clinically important effect sizes: a study in palliative radiotherapy for painful unresectable pelvic recurrences from rectal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Rebecca K.S.; Gafni, Amiram; Whelan, Tim; Franssen, Edmee; Fung, Karen

    2002-01-01

    Purpose: To measure patient-based minimal clinically important effect sizes (minimal incremental benefit that an individual would require to accept one treatment option over another) for pain relief between two contrasting palliative radiotherapy regimens for painful pelvic recurrences from rectal cancer. Methods and Materials: Forty-three patients with a history of cancer pain without prior pelvic radiotherapy participated in decision aid-facilitated trade-off exercises. The clinical scenario and treatment options of a 5-day vs. a 20-day course of radiotherapy were described. The duration of pain relief for the 20-day regimen was increased until the respondents' preferences switched to the 20-day regimen. The exercises were repeated for different probabilities of benefit and pain intensity at the time of decision making. Results: When the probability of pain relief was unchanged, the median switch point for the duration of pain relief was 6.7 and 7.2 months for severe and mild pain, respectively. The cumulative percentage frequency curve for the switch points approximated a sigmoid distribution. Conclusion: Determining the minimal clinically important effect sizes for symptom relief for palliative therapies is feasible. This type of information can be used to incorporate patient values into clinical trial designs. Modification of this method can be used to improve our understanding of shared (physician and patient) decision making

  19. Neuropathic Pain Experiences of Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Chin-Ching; Lin, Hung-Ru; Tsai, Ming-Dar; Tsay, Shiow-Luan

    2017-11-09

    Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common, severe problem that affects spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Only SCI patients truly understand the impact and extent of this type of pain. The aim of this study was to understand the NP experienced by SCI patients and the influence of this type of pain on their daily life. A qualitative design was used. An interview guide including a semistructured questionnaire and in-depth interviews was conducted with SCI patients with NP in a neurorehabilitation department at a medical center in northern Taiwan. The data were collected using a purposive sampling method. Content analysis was performed on the interview data, which were obtained from 13 SCI patients with NP. Three themes and eight subthemes were identified that described the NP experience of the participants and the influence of NP on their daily life. The three themes included elusive pain (changing and individual pain sensations, erratically haunting threat, and phantom limb sensations), complicated feelings about pain (converting depression into an active attitude toward life, having feelings of anticipation and anxiety about future pain relief, and facing and experiencing pain), and renewed hope (bravely fighting pain and seeking pain relief methods). This study revealed three important themes of NP experienced by SCI patients, including elusive pain, complicated feelings about pain, and renewed hope. Nurses should understand the nature of NP, provide a thorough pain assessment, and design a proper pain management plan to care effectively for patients with NP.

  20. Static magnetic therapy does not decrease pain or opioid requirements: a randomized double-blind trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cepeda, M Soledad; Carr, Daniel B; Sarquis, Tony; Miranda, Nelcy; Garcia, Ricardo J; Zarate, Camilo

    2007-02-01

    A growing multibillion dollar industry markets magnetic necklaces, bracelets, bands, insoles, back braces, mattresses, etc., for pain relief, although there is little evidence for their efficacy. We sought to evaluate the effect of magnetic therapy on pain intensity and opioid requirements in patients with postoperative pain. We designed a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. One-hundred-sixty-five patients older than 12 yr of age were randomized to magnetic (n = 81) or sham therapy (n = 84) upon reporting moderate-to-severe pain in the postanesthesia care unit. Devices were placed over the surgical incision and left in place for 2 h. Patients rated their pain intensity on a 0-10 scale every 10 min and received incremental doses of morphine until pain intensity was Magnetic therapy lacks efficacy in controlling acute postoperative pain intensity levels or opioid requirements and should not be recommended for pain relief in this setting.

  1. Microsurgical spinothalamic chordotomy in the treatment of cancer pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slavik, E; Ivanović, S; Grujisić, D; Djurović, B; Nikolić, I

    2005-01-01

    Advances in cancer treatment continue to lengthen survival among cancer patients. As patients live longer, the need for effective pain control has gained increased importance for improving quality of life. In patients who do not respond to all available conservative methods of therapy for cancer pain, surgical methods have been applied; one of them is the open high thoracic spinothalamic chordotomy. We present a group of 86 patients suffering from nociceptive cancer pain, caused by compression of lumbosacral plexus. All patients were treated by microsurgical open high thoracic spinothalamic chordotomy. These patients did not respond to any available conservative treatment. Immediately after surgery 68 (79%) patients had total pain relief. Of the remaining 18 (21%) patients, significant pain relief was achieved in 9 (10%), while in the remaining 9 patients this procedure had no effect. After a 6-month follow-up, total pain relief remained in 62 (72%) and significant pain relief in 10 (17%) of the patients. From 62 of patients with well-defined unilateral pain treated by "moderately deep" chordotomy, total pain relief was achieved in 53 (85%), lasting for 6 months in 49 (79%) of them. These results show that microsurgical chordotomy can achieve total control of intractable cancer pain in the majority (79%) of patients, especially in those with well-defined unilateral pain (85%), indicating the usefullness of this surgical approach in the treatment of nociceptive cancer pain.

  2. Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeidan, Fadel; Vago, David

    2016-01-01

    Pain is a multidimensional experience that involves sensory, cognitive, and affective factors. The constellation of interactions between these factors renders the treatment of chronic pain challenging and financially burdensome. Further, the widespread use of opioids to treat chronic pain has led to an opioid epidemic characterized by exponential growth in opioid misuse and addiction. The staggering statistics related to opioid use highlight the importance of developing, testing, and validating fast-acting nonpharmacological approaches to treat pain. Mindfulness meditation is a technique that has been found to significantly reduce pain in experimental and clinical settings. The present review delineates findings from recent studies demonstrating that mindfulness meditation significantly attenuates pain through multiple, unique mechanisms—an important consideration for the millions of chronic pain patients seeking narcotic-free, self-facilitated pain therapy. PMID:27398643

  3. Results of Percutaneous Balloon Compression in Trigeminal Pain Syndromes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grewal, Sanjeet S; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Garcia, Oscar; Quinones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Reimer, Ronald; Wharen, Robert E

    2018-06-01

    To investigate initial pain relief and subsequent recurrence after percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) and describe its association with the nature of trigeminal pain, previous procedures, or other clinical factors. A total of 222 patients with medically refractory trigeminal pain treated with PBC at Mayo Clinic Florida between 1998 and 2017 were enrolled into this study. Patients were divided into those with typical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and those with atypical trigeminal pain. The postprocedural rate of pain recurrence and associations between patient characteristics and recurrence were studied. One hundred fifty-two patients had TN and 70 patients had atypical pain. At the last follow-up, 158 patients had excellent pain relief, 37 had good pain relief, 11 had fair pain relief, and 16 had poor pain relief. The median duration of follow-up was 31.1 months. Patients with atypical pain were less likely to have an excellent result compared with patients with typical pain (61.4% vs. 82.9%; P < 0.001). Recurrence was observed in 103 patients (46.4%) and was associated with previous procedures (hazard ratio, 1.658; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-2.49; P = 0.017). Other clinical factors were not significant. Our study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of PBC, with 88% of patients pain-free at last follow-up. Patients with atypical pain have worse outcomes, and patients with previous procedures have a higher risk of recurrence. Repeat surgery does not decrease efficacy. We recommend conservative parameter selection at the initial procedure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Pain Management: Knowledge and Attitudes of Senior Nursing Students and Practicing Registered Nurses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messmer, Sherry

    2009-01-01

    Despite scientific advances in pain management, inadequate pain relief in hospitalized patients continues to be an on-going phenomenon. Although nurses do not prescribe medication for pain, the decision to administer pharmacological or other interventions for pain relief is part of nursing practice. Nurses play a critical role in the relief of…

  5. Comparing Transcervical Intrauterine Lidocaine Instillation with Rectal Diclofenac for Pain Relief During Outpatient Hysteroscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sussan S. Mohammadi

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: There are a number of potential advantages to performing hysteroscopy in an outpatient setting. However, the ideal approach, using local uterine anesthesia or rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has not been determined. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of intrauterine lidocaine instillation with rectal diclofenac for pain relief during diagnostic hysteroscopy. Methods: We conducted a double-blind randomized controlled trial on 70 nulliparous women with primary infertility undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy. Subjects were assigned into one of two groups to receive either 100mg of rectal diclofenac or 5mL of 2% intrauterine lidocaine. The intensity of pain was measured by a numeric rating scale 0–10. Pain scoring was performed during insertion of the hysteroscope, during visualization of the intrauterine cavity, and during extrusion of the hysteroscope. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to the mean pain score during intrauterine visualization (p=0.500. The mean pain score was significantly lower during insertion and extrusion of the hysteroscope in the diclofenac group (p=0.001 and p=0.030, respectively. Nine patients in the lidocaine group and five patients in diclofenac group needed supplementary intravenous propofol injection for sedation (p=0.060. Conclusions: Rectal diclofenac appears to be more effective than intrauterine lidocaine in reducing pain during insertion and extrusion of hysteroscope, but there are no significant statistical and clinical differences between the two methods with regard to the mean pain score during intrauterine inspection.

  6. Drugs for relief of pain in patients with sciatica: systematic review and meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maher, Chris G; Ferreira, Manuela L; Ferreira, Paulo H; Hancock, Mark; Oliveira, Vinicius C; McLachlan, Andrew J; Koes, Bart

    2012-01-01

    Objective To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of analgesic and adjuvant pain drugs typically administered in primary care for the management of patients with sciatica. Design Systematic review. Data source International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL, and LILACS. Study selection Randomised controlled trials assessing the efficacy and tolerability of drugs versus placebo or other treatment for sciatica. Data extraction Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed methodological quality using the PEDro scale. Pain and disability outcomes were converted to a common 0 to 100 scale. Data were pooled with a random effects model, and the GRADE approach was used in summary conclusions. Results Twenty three published reports met the inclusion criteria. The evidence to judge the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, and opioid analgesics ranged from moderate to low quality. Most of the pooled estimates did not favour the active treatment over placebo. The pooled results of two trials of corticosteroids (mean difference in overall and leg pain −12.2, 95% confidence interval −20.9 to −3.4) and a single trial of the anticonvulsant gabapentin for chronic sciatica (mean difference in overall pain relief −26.6, −38.3 to −14.9) showed some benefits but only in the short term. The median rate of adverse events was 17% (interquartile range 10-30%) for the active drugs and 11% (3-23%) for placebo. Trial limitations included failure to use validated outcome measures, lack of long term follow-up, and small sample size. Conclusions As the existing evidence from clinical trials is of low quality, the efficacy and tolerability of drugs commonly prescribed for the management of sciatica in primary care is unclear. PMID:22331277

  7. Partners' Overestimation of Patients' Pain Severity: Relationships with Partners' Interpersonal Responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Junghaenel, Doerte U; Schneider, Stefan; Broderick, Joan E

    2017-09-26

    The present study examined whether concordance between patients' and their partners' reports of patient pain severity relates to partners' social support and behavioral responses in couples coping with chronic pain. Fifty-two couples completed questionnaires about the patient's pain severity. Both dyad members also rated the partner's social support and negative, solicitous, and distracting responses toward the patient when in pain. Bivariate correlations showed moderate correspondence between patient and partner ratings of pain severity (r = 0.55) and negative (r = 0.46), solicitous (r = 0.47), and distracting responses (r = 0.53), but lower correspondence for social support (r = 0.28). Twenty-eight couples (54%) were concordant in their perceptions of patient pain; partners overestimated pain in 14 couples (27%), and partners underestimated pain in 10 couples (19%). Couple concordance in pain perceptions was not related to patients' reports; however, it significantly predicted partners' reports: Partners who overestimated pain reported giving more social support (β = 0.383, P = 0.016), fewer negative responses (β = -0.332, P = 0.029), and more solicitous responses (β = 0.438, P = 0.016) than partners who were in agreement or who underestimated pain. Partner overestimation of pain severity is associated with partner-reported but not with patient-reported support-related responses. This finding has important clinical implications for couple interventions in chronic pain. © 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  8. Pain Management in the Emergency Chain: The Use and Effectiveness of Pain Management in Patients With Acute Musculoskeletal Pain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pierik, Jorien; IJzerman, Maarten Joost; Gaakeer, Menno I.; Berben, Sivera A.; Eenennaam, Fred L.; van Vugt, Arie B.; Doggen, Catharina Jacoba Maria

    2015-01-01

    Objective While acute musculoskeletal pain is a frequent complaint in emergency care, its management is often neglected, placing patients at risk for insufficient pain relief. Our aim is to investigate how often pain management is provided in the prehospital phase and emergency department (ED) and

  9. Radiation therapy for painful bone metastases. Aiming at optimal treatment schedules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murakami, Ryuji; Saito, Ryuichi; Miyazaki, Toshiyuki; Takahashi, Mutsumasa

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the pain relief obtained by radiation therapy for painful bone metastases, with a special regard to general condition. Between June 1998 and May 2000, 54 patients with 86 painful bone metastases were treated with radiation therapy whose effects could be evaluated for a minimum period of 6 months or until death. Treatment schedules were 3 Gy/fraction/day (30-36 Gy/10-12 fractions) in usual cases (61 lesions), 4-8 Gy/fraction/day (8-20 Gy/1-5 fractions) in patients with a poor general condition (9 lesions), and 2 Gy/fraction/day (40-50 Gy/20-25 fractions) in lesions with a large radiation field (16 lesions). Complete pain relief without medication (CR) was achieved in 40 lesions (47%). Significant predictors for CR were primary site (p=0.0003), performance status (p=0.0060), pain score (p=00190), narcotic score (p<0.0001), and prognosis (p<0.0001), but no difference was found in CR among treatment schedules. No evidence of severe radiation-induced complication was seen. General condition (performance status and prognosis) has an influence on pain relief. Compared with the daily 2 Gy protocol, the daily 3 Gy protocol has the advantage of shorter treatment time. The treatment schedule should be assessed in patients with a large radiation field and/or poor general condition. Especially for the patients with poor general condition, combined pain medication should be considered. (author)

  10. Low degree of satisfactory individual pain relief in post-operative pain trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geisler, A; Dahl, J B; Karlsen, A P H; Persson, E; Mathiesen, O

    2017-01-01

    The majority of clinical trials regarding post-operative pain treatment focuses on the average analgesic efficacy, rather than on efficacy in individual patients. It has been argued, that in acute pain trials, the underlying distributions are often skewed, which makes the average unfit as the only way to measure efficacy. Consequently, dichotomised, individual responder analyses using a predefined 'favourable' response, e.g. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scores ≤ 30, have recently been suggested as a more clinical relevant outcome. We re-analysed data from 16 randomised controlled trials of post-operative pain treatment and from meta-analyses of a systematic review regarding hip arthroplasty. The predefined success criterion was that at least 80% of patients in active treatment groups should obtain VAS < 30 at 6 and 24 h post-operatively. In the analysis of data from the randomised controlled trials, we found that at 6 h post-operatively, 50% (95% CI: 31-69) of patients allocated to active treatment reached the success criterion for pain at rest and 14% (95% CI: 5-34) for pain during mobilisation. At 24 h post-operatively, 60% (95% CI: 38-78) of patients allocated to active treatment reached the success criterion for pain at rest, and 15% (95% CI: 5-36) for pain during mobilisation. Similar results were found for trials from the meta-analyses. Our results indicate that for conventional, explanatory trials of post-operative pain, individual patient's achievement of a favourable response to analgesic treatment is rather low. Future pragmatic clinical trials should focus on both average pain levels and individual responder analyses in order to promote effective pain treatment at the individually patient level. © 2016 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Advanced Concepts and Controversies in Emergency Department Pain Management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motov, Sergey M; Nelson, Lewis S

    2016-06-01

    Pain is the most common complaint for which patients come to the emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians are responsible for pain relief in a timely, efficient, and safe manner in the ED. The improvement in our understanding of the neurobiology of pain has balanced the utilization of nonopioid and opioid analgesia, and simultaneously has led to more rational and safer opioid prescribing practices. This article reviews advances in pain management in the ED for patients with acute and chronic pain as well as describes several newer strategies and controversies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Pain and Policy Studies Group: Two Decades of Working to Address Regulatory Barriers to Improve Opioid Availability and Accessibility Around the World.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cleary, James F; Maurer, Martha A

    2018-02-01

    For two decades, the Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG), a global research program at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, has worked passionately to fulfill its mission of improving pain relief by achieving balanced access to opioids worldwide. PPSG's early work highlighted the conceptual framework of balance leading to the development of the seminal guidelines and criteria for evaluating opioid policy. It has collaborated at the global level with United Nations agencies to promote access to opioids and has developed a unique model of technical assistance to help national governments assess regulatory barriers to essential medicines for pain relief and amend existing or develop new legislation that facilitates appropriate and adequate opioid prescribing according to international standards. This model was initially applied in regional workshops and individual country projects and then adapted for PPSG's International Pain Policy Fellowship, which provides long-term mentoring and support for several countries simultaneously. The PPSG disseminates its work online in several ways, including an extensive Web site, news alerts, and through several social media outlets. PPSG has become the focal point for expertise on policy governing drug control and medicine and pharmacy practice related to opioid availability and pain relief. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Work and back pain: a prospective study of psychological, social and mechanical predictors of back pain severity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, J O; Knardahl, S

    2012-07-01

    Studies relating occupational psychological and social factors to back pain have traditionally investigated a small number of exposure factors. The current study explored longitudinally a comprehensive set of specific psychological/social and mechanical work factors as predictors of back pain severity (defined as the product of back pain intensity and duration). Employees from 28 organizations in Norway, representing a wide variety of occupations, were surveyed with a follow-up period of 2 years. Several designs were tested: (1) cross-sectional analyses at baseline and follow-up; (2) prospective analyses with baseline exposure; (3) prospective analyses with average exposure over time [(T1+T2)/2]; and (4) prospective analyses with measures of change in exposure from T1 to T2. A total of 2808 employees responded at both time points. Fourteen psychological/social and two mechanical exposures were measured. Odds ratios (ORs) were computed by ordinal logistic regressions. Several psychological/social factors predicted back pain severity. After adjustment for age, sex, skill level, back pain severity at T1 and other exposure factors estimated to be potential confounders, the most consistent predictors of back pain were the protective factors decision control [lowest OR 0.68; 99% confidence interval (CI): 0.49-0.95], empowering leadership (lowest OR 0.59; 99% CI: 0.38-0.91) and fair leadership (lowest OR 0.54; 99% CI: 0.34-0.87). Some of the most important predictors included in this study were factors that have previously received little attention in back pain research. This emphasizes the importance of extending the list of factors possibly contributing to back pain. © 2011 National Institute of Occupational Health, Norway European Journal of Pain © 2011 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

  14. Tramadol/paracetamol fixed-dose combination in the treatment of moderate to severe pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pergolizzi, Joseph V; van de Laar, Mart; Langford, Richard; Mellinghoff, Hans-Ulrich; Merchante, Ignacio Morón; Nalamachu, Srinivas; O’Brien, Joanne; Perrot, Serge; Raffa, Robert B

    2012-01-01

    Pain is the most common reason patients seek medical attention and pain relief has been put forward as an ethical obligation of clinicians and a fundamental human right. However, pain management is challenging because the pathophysiology of pain is complex and not completely understood. Widely used analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol (acetaminophen) have been associated with adverse events. Adverse event rates are of concern, especially in long-term treatment or at high doses. Paracetamol and NSAIDs are available by prescription, over the counter, and in combination preparations. Patients may be unaware of the risk associated with high dosages or long-term use of paracetamol and NSAIDs. Clinicians should encourage patients to disclose all medications they take in a “do ask, do tell” approach that includes patient education about the risks and benefits of common pain relievers. The ideal pain reliever would have few risks and enhanced analgesic efficacy. Fixed-dose combination analgesics with two or more agents may offer additive or synergistic benefits to treat the multiple mechanisms of pain. Therefore, pain may be effectively treated while toxicity is reduced due to lower doses. One recent fixed-dose combination analgesic product combines tramadol, a centrally acting weak opioid analgesic, with low-dose paracetamol. Evidence-based guidelines recognize the potential value of combination analgesics in specific situations. The current guideline-based paradigm for pain treatment recommends NSAIDs for ongoing use with analgesics such as opioids to manage flares. However, the treatment model should evolve how to use low-dose combination products to manage pain with occasional use of NSAIDs for flares to avoid long-term and high-dose treatment with these analgesics. A next step in pain management guidelines should be targeted therapy when possible, or low-dose combination therapy or both, to achieve maximal efficacy with

  15. Roller-coaster Ride to, Relief From TMJ | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... on a roller coaster ride, seeking relief from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, which causes pain and, sometimes, dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles of the neck, head, and face. She has endured: excruciating pain ...

  16. Ketamine in the treatment of acute pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brinck, Elina; Kontinen, Vesa

    2017-01-01

    Ketamine is an old anesthetic agent that relieves pain by reducing central sensitization in the central nervous system. This is advantageous for patients suffering from severe pain prior to surgery or are using a strong opioid. The S enantiomer of ketamine used for anesthesia is more powerful than racemic ketamine. The ideal dose of ketamine for pain relief is not yet known, and its adverse effects on the central nervous system, including hallucinations, sedation, and diplopia have limited its use in pain management. The significance of these effects at low doses is probably less than expected, particularly if benzodiazepines or an alpha-2 agonist, such as dexmedetomidine, are administered in addition to ketamine.

  17. Time to significant pain reduction following DETP application vs placebo for acute soft tissue injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanchick, J; Magelli, M; Bodie, J; Sjogren, J; Rovati, S

    2010-08-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provide fast and effective acute pain relief, but systemic administration has increased risk for some adverse reactions. The diclofenac epolamine 1.3% topical patch (DETP) is a topical NSAID with demonstrated safety and efficacy in treatment of acute pain from minor soft tissue injuries. Significant pain reduction has been observed in clinical trials within several hours following DETP application, suggesting rapid pain relief; however, this has not been extensively studied for topical NSAIDs in general. This retrospective post-hoc analysis examined time to onset of significant pain reduction after DETP application compared to a placebo patch for patients with mild-to-moderate acute ankle sprain, evaluating the primary efficacy endpoint from two nearly identical studies. Data from two double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled studies (N = 274) of safety and efficacy of the DETP applied once daily for 7 days for acute ankle sprain were evaluated post-hoc using statistical modeling to estimate time to onset of significant pain reduction following DETP application. Pain on active movement on a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) recorded in patient diaries; physician- and patient-assessed tolerability; and adverse events. DETP treatment resulted in significant pain reduction within approximately 3 hours compared to placebo. Within-treatment post-hoc analysis based on a statistical model suggested significant pain reduction occurred as early as 1.27 hours for the DETP group. The study may have been limited by the retrospective nature of the analyses. In both studies, the DETP was well tolerated with few adverse events, limited primarily to application site skin reactions. The DETP is an effective treatment for acute minor soft tissue injury, providing pain relief as rapidly as 1.27 hours post-treatment. Statistical modeling may be useful in estimating time to onset of pain relief for comparison of topical

  18. Dysregulation of Pain- and Emotion-Related Networks in Trigeminal Neuralgia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanyang Zhang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Classical trigeminal neuralgia (TN is a severe neuropathic facial pain disorder associated with increased risks of anxiety and depression. Converging evidence suggests that chronic pain pathophysiology involves dysfunctional pain-related and emotion-related networks. However, whether these systems are also among the culprit networks for TN remains unclear. Here, we aimed to assess TN-related anatomical and functional brain anomalies in pain-related and emotion-related networks. We investigated differences in gray matter (GM volume and the related resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC between 29 classical TN patients and 34 matched healthy controls. Relationships between brain measurement alterations, clinical pain and emotional states were identified. A longitudinal observation was further conducted to determine whether alterations in the brain could renormalize following pain relief. Reduced GM volumes in the bilateral amygdala, periaqueductal gray (PAG and right insula were found in TN patients compared with healthy control subjects. Whole-brain rsFC analyses with the four above-mentioned anatomical regions as seeds identified three significantly altered functional circuits, including amygdala-DLPFC, amygdala-mPFC and amygdala-thalamus/putamen circuitry. The amygdala-DLPFC and amygdala-mPFC circuits were associated with clinical pain duration and emotional state ratings, respectively. Further longitudinal analysis found that rsFC strength abnormalities in two fronto-limbic circuits (left amygdala/left DLPFC and right amygdala/right PFC were resolved after pain relief. Together, structural and functional deficits in pain-related and emotion-related networks were associated with TN patients, as demonstrated by our multimodal results. Pain relief had protective effects on brain functional connectivity within fronto-limbic circuits. Our study provides novel insights into the pathophysiology of TN, which may ultimately facilitate advances in

  19. Dopaminergic tone does not influence pain levels during placebo interventions in patients with chronic neuropathic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skyt, Ina; Moslemi, Kurosh; Baastrup, Cathrine; Grosen, Kasper; Benedetti, Fabrizio; Petersen, Gitte L; Price, Donald D; Hall, Kathryn T; Kaptchuk, Ted J; Svensson, Peter; Jensen, Troels S; Vase, Lene

    2017-10-23

    Placebo effects have been reported in patients with chronic neuropathic pain. Expected pain levels and positive emotions are involved in the observed pain relief, but the underlying neurobiology is largely unknown. Patients with neuropathic pain are highly motivated for pain relief, and as motivational factors such as expectations of reward, as well as pain processing in itself, are related to the dopaminergic system, it can be speculated that dopamine release contributes to placebo effects in neuropathic pain. Nineteen patients with neuropathic pain after thoracic surgery were tested during a placebo intervention consisting of open and hidden applications of the pain-relieving agent lidocaine (2 mL) and no treatment. The dopamine antagonist haloperidol (2 mg) and the agonist levodopa/carbidopa (100/25 mg) were administered to test the involvement of dopamine. Expected pain levels, desire for pain relief, and ongoing and evoked pain were assessed on mechanical visual analog scales (0-10). Significant placebo effects on ongoing (P ≤ 0.003) and evoked (P ≤ 0.002) pain were observed. Expectancy and desire accounted for up to 41.2% and 71.5% of the variance in ongoing and evoked pain, respectively, after the open application of lidocaine. We found no evidence for an effect of haloperidol and levodopa/carbidopa on neuropathic pain levels (P = 0.071-0.963). Dopamine seemed to influence the levels of expectancy and desire, yet there was no evidence for indirect or interaction effects on the placebo effect. This is the first study to suggest that dopamine does not contribute to placebo effects in chronic neuropathic pain.

  20. Prevalence of Burnout Among Pain Medicine Physicians and Its Potential Effect upon Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Oncologic Pain or Chronic Pain of Nononcologic Origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riquelme, Irene; Chacón, José-Ignacio; Gándara, Alba-Violeta; Muro, Inmaculada; Traseira, Susana; Monsalve, Vicente; Soriano, José-Francisco

    2018-01-19

    To evaluate the prevalence of burnout among physicians treating patients with chronic pain and to assess the potential relationships between the presence of burnout and patients' clinical outcomes such as pain relief, satisfaction with pain control, and quality of life. An observational, prospective, and noncomparative study. Pain medicine clinics. Physicians from medical departments involved in the management of chronic pain. Patients aged ≥18 years who exhibited moderate chronic pain lasting at least three months. Physicians were evaluated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Patients were evaluated with the Charlson Comorbidity Index, the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and ad hoc instruments for evaluating satisfaction with pain control, the extent to which the treatment met patients' expectations, and subjective impressions of improvement. Of the 301 physician participants, 22 (7.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.9 to 10.8) met the criteria of burnout. Burnout was higher among physicians from pain units, while none of the 35 primary care physicians reported burnout. The presence of burnout was positively associated with patients' pain relief (odds ratio [OR] = 1.423, 95% CI = 1.090 to 1.858) but not with satisfaction with pain control or quality of life. Of the remaining independent variables, being treated by pain unit physicians was significantly associated with worse pain relief (OR = 0.592, 95% CI = 0.507 to 0.691), lower satisfaction (β = -0.680, 95% CI = -0.834 to -0.525), and worse quality of life (β = -4.047, 95% CI = -5.509 to -2.585) compared with being treated by physicians from other specialties (e.g., traumatologists, oncologists, etc.). Our study shows a lack of negative or clinically relevant (as shown by the negligible to small effect sizes) impact of burnout on patient-reported outcomes (namely, pain relief, satisfaction, and quality of life) in patients with

  1. Pain relief after musculoskeletal trauma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Helmerhorst, G.T.T.

    2018-01-01

    This thesis showed that, in spite of seemingly similar nociception (pathophysiology), there are substantial cultural differences in experiencing and managing pain after surgery of musculoskeletal trauma. The United States and Canada are in the midst of a crisis of opioid use, misuse, overdose, and

  2. The role of a low-dose ketamine-midazolam regimen in the management of severe painful crisis in patients with sickle cell disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tawfic, Qutaiba A; Faris, Ali S; Kausalya, Rajini

    2014-02-01

    Acute pain is one of the main causes of hospital admission in sickle cell disease, with variable intensity and unpredictable onset and duration. We studied the role of a low-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine-midazolam combination in the management of severe painful sickle cell crisis. A retrospective analysis was performed with data from nine adult patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit with severe painful sickle cell crises not responding to high doses of IV morphine and other adjuvant analgesics. A ketamine-midazolam regimen was added to the ongoing opioids as an initial bolus of ketamine 0.25mg/kg, followed by infusion of 0.2-0.25mg/kg/h. A midazolam bolus of 1mg followed by infusion of 0.5-1mg/h was added to reduce ketamine emergence reactions. Reduction in morphine daily requirements and improvement in pain scores were the determinants of ketamine-midazolam effect. The t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Nine patients were assessed, with mean age of 27±11 years. Morphine requirement was significantly lower after adding the IV ketamine-midazolam regimen. The mean±SD IV morphine requirement (milligram/day) in the pre-ketamine day (D0) was 145.6±16.5, and it was 112±12.2 on Day 1 (D1) of ketamine treatment (P=0.007). The Numeric Rating Scale scores on D0 ranged from eight to ten (mean 9.1), but improved to range from five to seven (mean 5.7) on D1. There was a significant improvement in pain scores after adding ketamine-midazolam regimen (P=0.01). Low-dose ketamine-midazolam IV infusion might be effective in reducing pain and opioid requirements in patients with sickle cell disease with severe painful crisis. Further controlled studies are required to prove this effect. Copyright © 2014 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Neuropathic pain in leprosy: symptom profile characterization and comparison with neuropathic pain of other etiologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raicher, Irina; Stump, Patrick Raymond Nicolas Andre Ghislain; Harnik, Simone Bega; de Oliveira, Rodrigo Alves; Baccarelli, Rosemari; Marciano, Lucia H S C; Ura, Somei; Virmond, Marcos C L; Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen; de Andrade, Daniel Ciampi

    2018-03-01

    Previous studies reported a high prevalence of neuropathic pain in leprosy, being especially present in "pharmacologically cured" patients. The presence of neuropathic pain in leprosy poses a supplementary burden in patient's quality of life, daily activities, and mood. The aim of this study was to assess whether neuropathic pain in leprosy has similar symptom profile as neuropathic pain of other etiologies and to retrospectively assess the efficacy of neuropathic pain medications regularly prescribed to leprosy. Leprosy and nonleprosy patients had their neuropathic pain characterized by the neuropathic pain symptom inventory (NPSI, ranges from 0 to 100, with 100 being the maximal neuropathic pain intensity) in a first visit. In a second visit, leprosy patients who had significant pain and received pharmacological treatment in the first evaluation were reassessed (NPSI) and had their pain profile and treatment response further characterized, including information on drugs prescribed for neuropathic pain and their respective pain relief. The pain characteristics based on NPSI did not significantly differ between leprosy and nonleprosy neuropathic pain patients in visit 1 after correction for multiple analyses, and cluster analyses confirmed these findings (ie, no discrimination between leprosy and nonleprosy groups; Pearson χ2 = 0.072, P = 0.788). The assessment of pain relief response and the drugs taken by each patient, linear regression analysis showed that amitriptyline, when effective, had the highest percentage of analgesic relief. Neuropathic pain in leprosy is as heterogeneous as neuropathic pain of other etiologies, further supporting the concept that neuropathic pain is a transetiological entity. Neuropathic pain in leprosy may respond to drugs usually used to control pain of neuropathic profile in general, and amitriptiline may constitute a potential candidate drug for future formal clinical trials aimed at controlling neuropathic pain in leprosy.

  4. Comparison of Efficacy of Epidural Ropivacaine versus Bupivacaine for Postoperative Pain Relief in Total Knee Replacement Surgeries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhasin, Sidharth; Dhar, Mridul; Sreevastava, Deepak Kumar; Nair, Rajiv; Chandrakar, Saurabh

    2018-01-01

    Epidural analgesia has become the standard of care for knee replacement surgeries worldwide. Bupivacaine has been used successfully for many years. Epidural ropivacaine is now being used increasingly and seems to have benefits other than just pain relief, in terms of a better safety profile. To compare the efficacy of bupivacaine 0.125% (Group B) versus two concentrations of ropivacaine 0.1% (Group R1) and 0.2% (Group R2), in terms of pain scores, requirement of rescue analgesia, related adverse effects, and duration of postoperative (PO) hospital stay. A retrospective study was conducted from the acute pain service data of patients who underwent joint replacement surgeries in one or both limbs, over a span of 6 months. Patients were allocated to and analyzed under one of the three groups based on the drug concentration used postoperatively by epidural infusion. Data retrieved were demographic data, daily average visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, rescue analgesia given, adverse effects, and PO hospital stay days for all three groups. Demographic data were comparable between the three groups. Daily average VAS pain scores on days 1 and 2 were significantly higher in Group R1. Groups B and R2 were comparable. There was significantly more requirement of rescue analgesia in Group R1 on day 1. Day 2 showed no significant difference in rescue analgesic requirement in all three groups. Days of PO hospital stay were significantly higher in Group R1. Adverse effects such as hypotension and delayed motor block were higher in Group B. Ropivacaine 0.2% and bupivacaine 0.125% were equally efficacious in terms of VAS pain scores, rescue analgesic requirement, and duration of PO hospital stay, but ropivacaine had a better safety profile in terms of less hypotension and lesser motor block.

  5. Bertolotti syndrome: a diagnostic and management dilemma for pain physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Anuj; Agarwal, Anil; Jain, Suruchi; Shamshery, Chetna

    2013-10-01

    Bertolotti's syndrome (BS), a form of lumbago in lumbosacral transitional vertebrae, is an important cause of low back pain in young patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the etiology of low back pain and the efficacy of treatment offered to patients with BS. All patients of BS Castellvi type1a during a period of 6 months were enrolled in the study. The patients underwent interventional pain procedures for diagnosis and pain relief. Response to the therapy was assessed based on VAS and ODI scores. A 50% decrease in VAS score or a VAS score less than 3 would be considered adequate pain relief. All 20 patients diagnosed with BS during the 6-month observation period had scoliosis. Common causes of back pain were the ipsilateral L5-S1 facet joint, neoarticulation, the SI joint, and disc degeneration. Responses to various interventions for pain relief were different and inconsistent from patient to patient. In particular, responses to interventions for neoarticular pain were generally poor. Pain in patients with BS does not usually respond to interventional pain treatment. A very dynamic treatment approach must be pursued while managing BS patients, and the treatment plan must be individualized at various stages in order to obtain satisfactory pain relief.

  6. Single dose oral ketoprofen and dexketoprofen for acute postoperative pain in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barden, Jodie; Derry, Sheena; McQuay, Henry J; Moore, R Andrew

    2009-10-07

    Ketoprofen is a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat acute and chronic painful conditions. Dexketoprofen is the (S)-enantiomer, which is believed to confer analgesia. Theoretically dexketoprofen is expected to provide equivalent analgesia to ketoprofen at half the dose, with a consequent reduction in gastrointestinal adverse events. To assess efficacy, duration of action, and associated adverse events of single dose oral ketoprofen and dexketoprofen in acute postoperative pain in adults. We searched Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Oxford Pain Relief Database for studies to August 2009. Randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trials of single dose orally administered ketoprofen and dexketoprofen in adults with moderate to severe acute postoperative pain. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Pain relief or pain intensity data were extracted and converted into the dichotomous outcome of number of participants with at least 50% pain relief over 4 to 6 hours, from which relative risk and number-needed-to-treat-to-benefit (NNT) were calculated. Numbers of participants using rescue medication over specified time periods, and time to use of rescue medication, were sought as additional measures of efficacy. Information on adverse events and withdrawals was collected. Fourteen studies compared ketoprofen (968 participants) at mainly 25 mg and 50 mg with placebo (520 participants). Seven studies compared dexketoprofen (681 participants) at mainly 10 mg to 25 mg with placebo (289 participants). Studies were of adequate reporting quality, and participants had pain following dental, orthopaedic, obstetric, gynaecological and general surgery. There was considerable clinical heterogeneity between studies in dental and other types of surgery, particularly bunionectomy, which limited analysis.Ketoprofen at doses between 12.5 mg and 100 mg produced NNTs for at least 50% pain relief over 4 to 6

  7. Complementary and alternative medicine use by primary care patients with chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Eric I; Genao, Inginia; Chen, Ian; Mechaber, Alex J; Wood, Jo Ann; Faselis, Charles J; Kurz, James; Menon, Madhu; O'Rorke, Jane; Panda, Mukta; Pasanen, Mark; Staton, Lisa; Calleson, Diane; Cykert, Sam

    2008-11-01

    To describe the characteristics and attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among primary care patients with chronic pain disorders and to determine if CAM use is associated with better pain control. Cross-sectional survey. Four hundred sixty-three patients suffering from chronic, nonmalignant pain receiving primary care at 12 U.S. academic medical centers. Self-reported current CAM usage by patients with chronic pain disorders. The survey had an 81% response rate. Fifty-two percent reported current use of CAM for relief of chronic pain. Of the patients that used CAM, 54% agreed that nontraditional remedies helped their pain and 14% indicated that their individual alternative remedy entirely relieved their pain. Vitamin and mineral supplements were the most frequently used CAM modalities. There was no association between reported use of CAM and pain severity, functional status, or perceived self-efficacy. Patients who reported having at least a high school education (odds ratio [OR] 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.19, P = 0.016) and high levels of satisfaction with their health care (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.13-1.91, P = 0.004) were significantly more likely to report using CAM. Complementary and alternative therapies were popular among patients with chronic pain disorders surveyed in academic primary care settings. When asked to choose between traditional therapies or CAM, most patients still preferred traditional therapies for pain relief. We found no association between reported CAM usage and pain severity, functional status, or self-efficacy.

  8. Escitalopram is Associated with Reductions in Pain Severity and Pain Interference in Opioid Dependent Patients with Depressive Symptoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsui, Judith I.; Herman, Debra S.; Kettavong, Malyna; Anderson, Bradley J.; Stein, Michael D.

    2011-01-01

    Pain is common among opioid dependent patients, yet pharmacologic strategies are limited. The aim of this study was to explore whether escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, was associated with reductions in pain. The study used longitudinal data from a randomized, controlled trial that evaluated the effects of escitalopram on treatment retention in patients with depressive symptoms who were initiating buprenorphine/naloxone for treatment of opioid dependence. Participants were randomized to take escitalopram 10mg or placebo daily. Changes in pain severity, pain interference and depression were assessed at 1, 2 and 3 months visits using the Visual Analog Scale, Brief Pain Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory II, respectively. Fixed-effects estimator for panel regression models were used to assess the effects of intervention on changes in outcomes over time. Additional models were estimated to explore whether the intervention effect was mediated by within-person changes in depression. In this sample of 147 adults, we found that participants randomized to escitalopram had significantly larger reductions on both pain severity (b = −14.34, t = −2.66, p < .01) and pain interference (b = −1.20, t = −2.23, p < .05) between baseline and follow-up. After adjusting for within-subject changes in depression, the estimated effects of escitalopram on pain severity and pain interference were virtually identical to the unadjusted effects. In summary, this study of opioid-dependent patients with depressive symptoms found that treatment with escitalopram was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in pain severity and pain interference during the first three months of therapy. PMID:21924552

  9. Comparison of the Effect of 800 mg Ibuprofen and 30 mg Predenisolone on Relief of Post Endodontic Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.M. Jalalzadeh

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: One of the important problems in dentistry is post endodontic pains .The purpose of this study was comparison of the effect of prophylactic oral ibuprofen 800mg and oral predenisolone 30mg on prevention of post endodontic pain.Materials & Methods: The present study is a double-blind, randomized and controlled trial. It was conducted on 60 patient (16men and 44 women between the ages of 18-63 who needed endodontic treatment. Inclusive criteria for selecting of patients were: need for root canal therapy in one of the posterior teeth, having no systemic problem, no evidence of abscess; not taking analgesic or similar drug for at least 6 hours before treatment. Patients were divided into three experimental groups randomly taking one of the drugs before the treatment {ibuprofen 800 mg, prednisolone30mg and placebo (oral dextrose}. Patients completed VAS at 6,12 and 24 hours post root canal therapy and analyzed using the spss15 by chi-square, ANOVA test and Tukey test.Results: During 24 hours after treatment post endodontic pain is 95%- 100% in the placebo group. The prevalence of no-pain was not significant 6, 12 and 24 hours after treatment between the ibuprofen and predenisolone groups. The mean scale of pain in ibuprofen and predenisolone groups was significantly lower than placebo group 6, 12 and 24 hours after treatment. Differences between the drug groups are significant only on 6 and 12 hours after treatment.Conclusion: Post endodontic pains are present 24 hours after treatment. 6 and 12 hours after treatment 30 mg predenisolone are significantly better for pain relief than 800 mg ibuprofen. But after 24 hours it is not significant.

  10. No Pain Relief with the Rubber Hand Illusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petkova, Valeria I.; Dey, Abishikta; Barnsley, Nadia; Ingvar, Martin; McAuley, James H.; Moseley, G. Lorimer; Ehrsson, Henrik H.

    2012-01-01

    The sense of body ownership can be easily disrupted during illusions and the most common illusion is the rubber hand illusion. An idea that is rapidly gaining popularity in clinical pain medicine is that body ownership illusions can be used to modify pathological pain sensations and induce analgesia. However, this idea has not been empirically evaluated. Two separate research laboratories undertook independent randomized repeated measures experiments, both designed to detect an effect of the rubber hand illusion on experimentally induced hand pain. In Experiment 1, 16 healthy volunteers rated the pain evoked by noxious heat stimuli (5 s duration; interstimulus interval 25 s) of set temperatures (47°, 48° and 49°C) during the rubber hand illusion or during a control condition. There was a main effect of stimulus temperature on pain ratings, but no main effect of condition (p = 0.32), nor a condition x temperature interaction (p = 0.31). In Experiment 2, 20 healthy volunteers underwent quantitative sensory testing to determine heat and cold pain thresholds during the rubber hand illusion or during a control condition. Secondary analyses involved heat and cold detection thresholds and paradoxical heat sensations. Again, there was no main effect of condition on heat pain threshold (p = 0.17), nor on cold pain threshold (p = 0.65), nor on any of the secondary measures (pillusion does not induce analgesia. PMID:23285026

  11. No pain relief with the rubber hand illusion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahul Mohan

    Full Text Available The sense of body ownership can be easily disrupted during illusions and the most common illusion is the rubber hand illusion. An idea that is rapidly gaining popularity in clinical pain medicine is that body ownership illusions can be used to modify pathological pain sensations and induce analgesia. However, this idea has not been empirically evaluated. Two separate research laboratories undertook independent randomized repeated measures experiments, both designed to detect an effect of the rubber hand illusion on experimentally induced hand pain. In Experiment 1, 16 healthy volunteers rated the pain evoked by noxious heat stimuli (5 s duration; interstimulus interval 25 s of set temperatures (47°, 48° and 49°C during the rubber hand illusion or during a control condition. There was a main effect of stimulus temperature on pain ratings, but no main effect of condition (p = 0.32, nor a condition x temperature interaction (p = 0.31. In Experiment 2, 20 healthy volunteers underwent quantitative sensory testing to determine heat and cold pain thresholds during the rubber hand illusion or during a control condition. Secondary analyses involved heat and cold detection thresholds and paradoxical heat sensations. Again, there was no main effect of condition on heat pain threshold (p = 0.17, nor on cold pain threshold (p = 0.65, nor on any of the secondary measures (p<0.56 for all. We conclude that the rubber hand illusion does not induce analgesia.

  12. Pharmacokinetics and analgesic effect of ropivacaine during continuous epidural infusion for postoperative pain relief

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erichsen, C J; Sjövall, J; Kehlet, H

    1996-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of ropivacaine (2.5 mg/ml) during a 24-h continuous epidural infusion for postoperative pain relief in 20 patients scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were characterized using an open-label, increasing-dose design. METHODS: Through an epidural...... catheter inserted at T10-T12, a test dose of 7.5 mg ropivacaine was given 3 min before a bolus dose of 42.5 mg and immediately followed by a 24-h continuous epidural infusion with either 10 or 20 mg/h. Peripheral venous plasma samples were collected up to 48 h after infusion, and urinary excretion...... plasma concentrations of ropivacaine increased markedly and consistently during the 24-h epidural infusion, in contrast to stable unbound concentrations. Both total and unbound plasma concentrations at the end of infusion were proportional to the total dose, although only the latter was proportional...

  13. Socio-economic factors associated with the 1‑year prevalence of severe pain and pain-related sickness absence in the Austrian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Dorner, Thomas Ernst

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to (1) investigate the relation of socio-economic status (SES), measured as education, occupation, and income, with the 12-month prevalence of severe pain and with pain-related sickness absence, and (2) analyse to what extent sociodemographic and medical factors influence these associations. The study population comprised 8084 subjects aged between 15 and 65 years from the Austrian Health Interview Survey in 2006/07. Associations of SES with the 1‑year prevalence of severe pain and sickness absence due to pain in those with severe pain was assessed with logistic regression analysis and adjusted for socio-demographic and chronic medical conditions. The 1‑year prevalence of severe pain was 33.7%. Among those with severe pain, 32.9% were on sickness absence due to pain. SES was significantly associated with the prevalence of severe pain and even more strongly with sickness absence due to pain. Stepwise adjustment for socio-demographics and medical factors had only marginal effects on these associations. Multivariate odds ratios (ORs) for severe pain were 1.14; 1.18 and 1.32 for low income, blue-collar workers, and low education, respectively. Related ORs for sickness absence due to pain were 1.52; 1.14 and 2.05. There was an association between SES, particularly measured as educational level, and the prevalence of severe pain, which was even stronger with sickness absence due to pain.

  14. A Multimodal Approach to Post-Operative Pain Relief in Children Undergoing Ambulatory Eye Surgery

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    V V Jaichandran

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was carried to assess the efficacy of multimodal analgesia using ketorolac and fentanyl, for post-operative pain relief in children undergoing ambulatory eye surgery. Total of 161 children, aged 1 to 5 years, were randomly stratified to three different analgesic regimens: Group A Ketorolac 0.75 mg.kg -1 I.M. , Group B Fentanyl 0.75 µg.kg -1 I.V. and Group C Ketorolac 0.50mg.kg -1 I.M. and Fentanyl 0.50µg.kg -1 I.V. Ketorolac I.M. was given 45 minutes before extubation and fentanyl I.V. was given soon after extubation in the respective groups. Post-operative pain was assessed in a double blinded manner using Children′s Hospital of Eastern Onatario Pain Scale (CHEOPS scoring system and by recording the heart rate at 10, 30 and 60 minutes. If the score was above 8, the child was left with the parents. In case the score did not improve and persisted to be greater than 8, fentanyl 0.50µg.kg -1 I.V. was given as the rescue analgesia. The incidence of nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbances or any other complaints were recorded by a staff nurse 24 hours post operatively. Mean CHEOPS score at 10, 30 and 60 minutes and mean heart rate at 10 and 30 minutes were significantly higher for Group A compared with Group C. Mean pain score emerged significantly higher for Group B compared with Group C at 30 and 60 minutes, (P< 0.01. Rescue analgesia required was significantly higher in Group A compared to Groups B and C, (P< 0.0001. Post-operatively, significant incidence of drowsiness was reported in children in Group B compared to Groups A and C, (P< 0.01. A multimodal approach using both ketorolac and fentanyl at low doses produce effective and safe analgesia in children undergoing ambula-tory eye surgery.

  15. Tin-117m(4+)-DTPA for palliation of pain from osseous metastases: A pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atkins, H.L.; Mausner, L.F.; Srivastava, S.C.

    1995-01-01

    The physical and biological attributes of 117m Sn(4+)-DTPA indicate that it should be an effective agent for palliative therapy of painful bony metastatic disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether or not this agent could effectively reduce pain while sparing the hemopoietic marrow from adverse effects. Fifteen patients (10 males and 5 females) with painful bony metastases from various primary cancers were included in the study. Seven patients received 1.22 to 3.11 MBq/kg of 117m Sn intravenously (Group 1) and eight patients received 4.85 to 5.77 MBq/kg (Group 2). All but one were treated as outpatients and followed for a minimum of 2 mo. In the first group, pain relief was nonassessable in four patients because of death or additional treatment of soft-tissue disease by another modality. One patient had no relief of pain, one had complete relief of pain and one had transient relief of pain. No myelotoxicity was observed. For Group 2, three patients achieved complete relief of pain, two good relief, two partial relief and one began to experience pain relief when he suffered a pathological fracture 2 mo most-treatment. None of these patients had myelotoxicity. Tin-117m(4+)-DTPA can reduce pain from metastatic disease to bone without inducing adverse reactions related to bone marrow. Further studies are needed to assess tolerance levels for the bone marrow and to evaluate response rates and duration of effect. 6 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

  16. Fentanyl Buccal Tablet: A New Breakthrough Pain Medication in Early Management of Severe Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Sickle Cell Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Franceschi, Lucia; Mura, Paolo; Schweiger, Vittorio; Vencato, Elisa; Quaglia, Francesca Maria; Delmonte, Letizia; Evangelista, Maurizio; Polati, Enrico; Olivieri, Oliviero; Finco, Gabriele

    2016-07-01

    Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a worldwide distributed hereditary red cell disorder. The principal clinical manifestations of SCD are the chronic hemolytic anemia and the acute vaso-occlusive crisis (VOCs), which are mainly characterized by ischemic/reperfusion tissue injury. Pain is the main symptom of VOCs, and its management is still a challenge for hematologists, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. We carried out a crossover study on adult SCD patients, who received two different types of multimodal analgesia during two separate severe VOCs with time interval between VOCs of at least 6 months. The first VOC episode was treated with ketorolac (0.86 mg/kg/day) and tramadol (7.2 mg/kg/day) (TK treatment). In the second VOC episode, fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT; 100 μg) was introduced in a single dose after three hours from the beginning of TK analgesia (TKF treatment). We focused on the first 24 hours of acute pain management. The primary efficacy measure was the time-weighted-sum of pain intensity differences (SPID24). The secondary efficacy measures included the pain intensity difference (PID), the total pain relief (TOTPAR), and the time-wighted sum of anxiety (SAID24). SPID24 was significantly higher in TKF than in TK treatment. All the secondary measures were significantly ameliorated in TKF compared to TK treatment, without major opioid side effects. Patients satisfaction was higher with TKF treatment than with TK one. We propose that VOCs might require breakthrough pain drug strategy as vaso-occlusive phenomena and enhanced vasoconstriction promoting acute ischemic pain component exacerbate the continuous pain of VOCs. FBT might be a powerful and feasible tool in early management of acute pain during VOCs in emergency departments. © 2015 World Institute of Pain.

  17. Social learning pathways in the relation between parental chronic pain and daily pain severity and functional impairment in adolescents with functional abdominal pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Amanda L; Bruehl, Stephen; Smith, Craig A; Garber, Judy; Walker, Lynn S

    2017-10-06

    Having a parent with chronic pain (CP) may confer greater risk for persistence of CP from childhood into young adulthood. Social learning, such as parental modeling and reinforcement, represents one plausible mechanism for the transmission of risk for CP from parents to offspring. Based on a 7-day pain diary in 154 pediatric patients with functional abdominal CP, we tested a model in which parental CP predicted adolescents' daily average CP severity and functional impairment (distal outcomes) via parental modeling of pain behaviors and parental reinforcement of adolescent's pain behaviors (mediators) and adolescents' cognitive appraisals of pain threat (proximal outcome representing adolescents' encoding of parents' behaviors). Results indicated significant indirect pathways from parental CP status to adolescent average daily pain severity (b = 0.18, SE = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.31, p = 0.03) and functional impairment (b = 0.08, SE = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.15, p = 0.03) over the 7-day diary period via adolescents' observations of parent pain behaviors and adolescent pain threat appraisal. The indirect pathway through parental reinforcing responses to adolescents' pain did not reach significance for either adolescent pain severity or functional impairment. Identifying mechanisms of increased risk for pain and functional impairment in children of parents with CP ultimately could lead to targeted interventions aimed at improving functioning and quality of life in families with chronic pain. Parental modeling of pain behaviors represents a potentially promising target for family based interventions to ameliorate pediatric chronic pain.

  18. Antiemetic Medicines: OTC Relief for Nausea and Vomiting

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... CorrectlyPain Relievers: Understanding Your OTC OptionsAntacids and Acid Reducers: OTC Relief for Heartburn and Acid RefluxOTC Cough ... Loss and Diet Plans Nutrients and Nutritional Info Sugar and Sugar Substitutes Exercise and Fitness Exercise Basics ...

  19. Regulation of peripheral blood flow in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: clinical implication for symptomatic relief and pain management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coderre Terence J

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background During the chronic stage of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS, impaired microcirculation is related to increased vasoconstriction, tissue hypoxia, and metabolic tissue acidosis in the affected limb. Several mechanisms may be responsible for the ischemia and pain in chronic cold CPRS. Discussion The diminished blood flow may be caused by either sympathetic dysfunction, hypersensitivity to circulating catecholamines, or endothelial dysfunction. The pain may be of neuropathic, inflammatory, nociceptive, or functional nature, or of mixed origin. Summary The origin of the pain should be the basis of the symptomatic therapy. Since the difference in temperature between both hands fluctuates over time in cold CRPS, when in doubt, the clinician should prioritize the patient's report of a persistent cold extremity over clinical tests that show no difference. Future research should focus on developing easily applied methods for clinical use to differentiate between central and peripheral blood flow regulation disorders in individual patients.

  20. Assessment of patient satisfaction with pain management in small community inpatient and outpatient settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corizzo, C C; Baker, M C; Henkelmann, G C

    2000-09-01

    To describe patient outcomes (e.g., pain intensity and relief, satisfaction, expectations) and analgesic practices of healthcare providers for inpatients and outpatients in community hospital settings. Descriptive, correlational, and random sampling. Three community-based institutions in southeast Louisiana. 114 inpatients and outpatients with cancer-related or acute postoperative pain. Inpatients (n = 68) mostly were women and younger than 60 years of age. Outpatients (n = 46) mostly were men and older than 60 years of age. Both groups were predominantly well-educated and Caucasian. Subjects completed a modified version of the American Pain Society's Patient Satisfaction Survey. Researchers completed a chart audit tool reviewing analgesic prescriptive and administrative practices. Weak to moderately strong correlations existed for the relationships between the satisfaction variables and the pain intensity, pain relief, and expectation variables for all subjects. Satisfaction with current pain intensity was correlated most strongly with pain intensity and relief scores. Higher pain intensity and relief were related to lower satisfaction with current pain intensity. Regardless of setting or pain type, subjects experienced significant amounts of pain during a 24-hour period. Patient expectations for experiencing high levels of pain were realized, but expectations for significant pain relief were not. Institutional pain management programs that approach pain from a multidimensional perspective need to be developed. Continued education for healthcare professionals and patients is a vital part of this process.

  1. Safety and efficacy of intrathecal ziconotide in the management of severe chronic pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Howard S Smith

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Howard S Smith,1 Timothy R Deer21Albany Medical College, Department of Anesthesiology, Albany, New York, USA; 2The Center for Pain Relief, Clinical Professor, West Virginia, University, Charleston, West Virginia, USAAbstract: Ziconotide is a conopeptide intrathecal (IT analgesic which is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA for the management of severe chronic pain. It is a synthetic equivalent of a naturally occurring conopeptide found in the venom of the fish-eating marine cone snail and provides analgesia via binding to N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels in the spinal cord. As ziconotide is a peptide, it is expected to be completely degraded by endopeptidases and exopeptidases (Phase I hydrolytic enzymes widely located throughout the body, and not by other Phase I biotransformation processes (including the cytochrome P450 system or by Phase II conjugation reactions. Thus, IT administration, low plasma ziconotide concentrations, and metabolism by ubiquitous peptidases make metabolic interactions of other drugs with ziconotide unlikely. Side effects of ziconotide which tend to occur more commonly at higher doses may include: nausea, vomiting, confusion, postural hypotension, abnormal gait, urinary retention, nystagmus/amblyopia, drowsiness/somnolence (reduced level of consciousness, dizziness or lightheadedness, weakness, visual problems (eg, double vision, elevation of serum creatine kinase, or vestibular side effects. Initially, when ziconotide was first administered to human subjects, titration schedules were overly aggressive and led to an abundance of adverse effects. Subsequently, clinicians have gained appreciation for ziconotide’s relatively narrow therapeutic window. With appropriate usage multiple studies have shown ziconotide to be a safe and effective intrathecal analgesic alone or in combination with other intrathecal analgesics.Keywords: pain, ziconotide, intrathecal analgesics, safety, patient

  2. Association between pain severity, depression severity, and use of health care services in Japan: results of a nationwide survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vietri J

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Jeffrey Vietri,1 Tempei Otsubo,2 William Montgomery,3 Toshinaga Tsuji,4 Eiji Harada5 1Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, Milan, Italy; 2Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan; 3Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd., West Ryde, Australia; 4Medical Affairs, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan; 5Eli Lilly Japan KK, Kobe, Japan Background: Depression is often associated with painful physical symptoms. Previous research has seldom assessed the relationship between the severity of physical symptoms and the severity of mental and emotional symptoms of depression or other health outcomes, and no such studies have been conducted previously among individuals with depression in Japan. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the severity of physical pain and depression and other outcomes among individuals in Japan diagnosed with depression.Methods: Data for individuals aged 18 and older in Japan who reported being diagnosed with depression and also reported physical pain were obtained from the Japan National Health and Wellness Survey. These respondents were characterized on sociodemographics and health characteristics, and the relationship between ratings of severity on pain in the last week and health outcomes were assessed using bivariate correlations and generalized linear models. Measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression severity, Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form Survey Instrument for health-related quality of life, the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment for work and activity impairment, and 6-month report of health care use.Results: More severe physical pain in the past week was correlated with more severe depression, worse health-related quality of life, lower health utility, greater impairment at work, and more health care provider visits. These relationships remained significant after incorporating sociodemographics and health characteristics in the statistical models

  3. Effective relief of neuropathic pain by adeno-associated virus-mediated expression of a small hairpin RNA against GTP cyclohydrolase 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang Jin

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent studies show that transcriptional activation of GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCH1 in dorsal root ganglia (DRG is significantly involved in the development and persistency of pain symptoms. We thus hypothesize that neuropathic pain may be attenuated by down-regulation of GCH1 expression, and propose a gene silencing system for this purpose. Results To interrupt GCH1 synthesis, we designed a bidirectional recombinant adeno-associated virus encoding both a small hairpin RNA against GCH1 and a GFP reporter gene (rAAV-shGCH1. After rAAV-shGCH1 was introduced into the sciatic nerve prior to or following pain-inducing surgery, therapeutic efficacy and the underlying mechanisms were subsequently validated in animal models. The GFP expression data indicates that rAAV effectively delivered transgenes to DRG. Subsequently reduced GCH1 expression was evident from immunohistochemistry and western-blotting analysis. Along with the down-regulation of GCH1, the von Frey test correspondingly indicated a sharp decline in pain symptoms upon both pre- and post-treatment with rAAV-shGCH1. Interestingly, GCH1 down-regulation additionally led to decreased microglial activation in the dorsal horn, implying an association between pain attenuation and reduced inflammation. Conclusion Therefore, the data suggests that GCH1 levels can be reduced by introducing rAAV-shGCH1, leading to pain relief. Based on the results, we propose that GCH1 modulation may be developed as a clinically applicable gene therapy strategy to treat neuropathic pain.

  4. Postoperative pain management experiences among school-aged children: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sng, Qian Wen; Taylor, Beverley; Liam, Joanne Lw; Klainin-Yobas, Piyanee; Wang, Wenru; He, Hong-Gu

    2013-04-01

    To explore postoperative pain management experiences among school-aged children. Ineffective postoperative pain management among children has been commonly reported. School-aged children are able to evaluate how their pain is managed and what their preferred strategies are. Most studies in pain management have adopted quantitative methods and have overlooked children's pain management experiences. This is a qualitative study using face-to-face interviews. Data were collected from 15 school-aged children admitted to a tertiary hospital in Singapore by in-depth interviews conducted between November 2010 and January 2011. Data were analysed by thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: children's self-directed actions to relieve their postoperative pain (e.g. using cognitive-behavioural methods of distraction and imagery, physical method of positioning, sleeping and drinking, seeking other people's help by informing parents and crying and using pain medications); children's perceptions of actions parents take for their postoperative pain relief (assessing pain, administering pain medications, using various cognitive-behavioural, physical methods and emotional support strategies, assisting in activities and alerting health professionals); children's perception of actions nurses take for their postoperative pain relief (administering medication, using cognitive-behavioural methods, emotional support strategies and helping with activities of daily living) and suggestions for parents (using distraction and presence) and nurses (administering medications, distraction and positioning) for their postoperative pain relief improvement. This study contributed to the existing knowledge about children's postoperative pain management based on their own experiences. Children, their parents and nurses used various strategies, including pain medication and non-pharmacological methods, especially distraction, for children's postoperative pain relief. This study provides evidence

  5. Sucralfate and Lidocain: Antacid 50:50 solution in Post Esophageal Variceal Band Ligation Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafeez, Muhammad; Kadir, Ehsan; Aijaz, Anjum

    2016-01-01

    To compare the effectiveness of pain relief of Sucralfate and lidocain antacid 50:50 solution in post esophageal variceal band ligation pain. All patients who had under gone Esophageal Variceal Band Ligation (EVBL) were included in the study. Patients un-willing to be included in the study or those who didn't have post EVBL pain were excluded. Patients with post EVBL pains were divided into two groups: one group was given sucralfate and other was given lidocaine: antacid 50:50 solution. Both were inquired about the duration of the pain relief after the medication. The results were analyzed on SPSS 23. Independent samples T-test was performed to find out whether the difference in duration of pain relief was significantly different in the two groups. Out of 110 patients who have EVBL, 66(60.00%) had pain and 44(40.00%) were pain free. In the pain group 46 (69.7%) were given sucralfate and 20 (30.3%) were given lidocain: antacid 50:50 solution. Mean duration of pain relief in two groups was 2.78 (SD ± 2.096) and 2.5 days (SD ±. 0.76) respectively. Independent samples T-test results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the duration of pain relief between these two groups with p value 0.426. Both Sucralfate and Lidocain: antacid 50:50 solutions are effective in relieving the post EVBL pain. However, no statistically significant difference in duration of pain relief was detected in separate groups of patients treated with either treatment.

  6. The Role of Purinergic Receptors in Cancer-Induced Bone Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Falk

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer-induced bone pain severely compromises the quality of life of many patients suffering from bone metastasis, as current therapies leave some patients with inadequate pain relief. The recent development of specific animal models has increased the understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cancer-induced bone pain including the involvement of ATP and the purinergic receptors in the progression of the pain state. In nociception, ATP acts as an extracellular messenger to transmit sensory information both at the peripheral site of tissue damage and in the spinal cord. Several of the purinergic receptors have been shown to be important for the development and maintenance of neuropathic and inflammatory pain, and studies have demonstrated the importance of both peripheral and central mechanisms. We here provide an overview of the current literature on the role of purinergic receptors in cancer-induced bone pain with emphasis on some of the difficulties related to studying this complex pain state.

  7. Medical Judgments Across the Range of Reported Pain Severity: Clinician and Lay Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tait, Raymond C; Chibnall, John T; House, Kylie; Biehl, Joann

    2016-07-01

    While increasing evidence suggests that observers discount high-severity chronic pain, factors that occasion such discounting are poorly understood, particularly regarding health provider vs lay perspectives. This study examined the effects of supporting medical evidence and comorbid psychological distress (pain behavior) on medical student and lay clinical judgments of increasingly severe patient pain reports. In a 2 × 2 × 2 × (7) mixed between- and within-subject design, participants (medical students vs lay) made clinical judgments after reading vignettes describing a hypothetical patient that varied in levels of medical evidence and pain behavior (low vs high) and pain severity (4/10-10/10). Fourth-year medical students (N = 115) and lay persons in the community (N = 300) participated in this research. While both medical student and lay judgments plateaued at high levels of pain severity, judgments regarding cause (medical vs psychological), treatment (opioid prescription), and disability showed growing divergence as levels of reported pain severity increased. Divergence relative to medical and psychological causes of pain was found irrespective of the level of supporting medical evidence; divergence relative to opioid treatment and support for a disability claim was found when supporting medical evidence was low. The results indicate differing expectations of chronic pain treatment for health care providers relative to the lay public that could impact clinical care, especially at high pain severity levels, where lay expectations diverge significantly from those of health professionals. © 2015 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Acute pain control and accelerated postoperative surgical recovery

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kehlet, H

    1999-01-01

    Postoperative pain relief continues to demand our awareness, and surgeons should be fully aware of the potential physiologic benefits of effective dynamic pain relief regimens and the great potential to improve postoperative outcome if such analgesia is used for rehabilitation. To achieve advanta...... to recent knowledge within surgical pathophysiology. Such efforts must be expected to lead to improved quality of care for patients, with less pain and reduced morbidity leading to cost efficiency....

  9. The relationship between pain severity and patient-reported outcomes among patients with chronic low back pain in Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Montgomery W

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available William Montgomery,1 Jeffrey Vietri,2 Jing Shi,3 Kei Ogawa,4 Sawako Kariyasu,4 Levent Alev,4 Masaya Nakamura5 1Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, Horsham, PA, 3Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, Princeton, NJ, USA; 4Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kobe, Japan; 5Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan Objective: The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of pain severity on patient-reported outcomes among individuals diagnosed with chronic low back pain in Japan. Methods: Data were provided by the 2012 Japan National Health and Wellness Survey (N=29,997, a web-based survey of individuals in Japan aged ≥18 years. This analysis included respondents diagnosed with low back pain of ≥3-month duration. Measures included the revised Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Survey Instrument, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: General Health questionnaire, and self-reported all-cause health care visits (6 months. Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship between outcomes and severity of pain in the past week as reported on a numeric rating scale ranging from 0 (no pain to 10 (pain as bad as you can imagine, controlling for length of diagnosis, sociodemographics, and general health characteristics. Results: A total of 290 respondents were included in the analysis; mean age was 56 years, 41% were females, and 56% were employed. Pain severity was 3/10 for the first quartile, 5/10 for the median, and 7/10 for the third quartile of this sample. Increasing severity was associated with lower scores for mental and physical component summaries and Short-Form 6D health utility, higher depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores, greater absenteeism and presenteeism, greater activity impairment

  10. Synergistic Effects of Citalopram and Morphine in the Renal Colic Pain Relief; a Randomized Clinical Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehrdad Esmailian

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Although the synergistic effects of opioids and other analgesic drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs have been established in relieving acute pain due to renal calculi, no studies today have evaluated the concomitant administration of opiates and other drugs with analgesic effects, such as serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Considering the high prevalence of renal colic, the present study was carried out to compare the effect of concomitant prescription of morphine and a placebo with that of morphine and citalopram on the management of acute pain due to renal calculi. Methods: The present double-blind randomized clinical trial was carried out from October 2012 to March 2013 in the Al-Zahra educational Hospital in Isfahan, Iran. A total of 90 patients with acute renal colic pain were randomly divided into two groups of 45 subjects. The subjects in one group received morphine/ placebo and another one morphine/citalopram. The patients’ pain severity was determined by visual analogue scale (VAS before and 20 minutes after administration of medications. In case of persistent pain the second or even third dose was administered and the pain severity was once again determined. Data were analyzed with STATA 11.0 using chi-squared, two-way ANOVA, Bonferroni post hoc test, and log rank test. Results: The decrease in pain severity in the morphine/citalopram group was significantly compared to the morphine/placebo group and the time before administration of the medications (p<0.001. In contrast, administration of morphine/placebo did not have a significant effect on pain severity at this interval (p=0.32. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the first injection was successful in relieving pain in 15 (33.3% and 26 (57.8% subjects in the morphine/placebo and morphine/citalopram groups, respectively. The second injection of these medications resulted in therapeutic success in 35 (87.8% and 42 (95.6% subjects in the above groups

  11. Prospective Evaluation of Severe Skin Toxicity and Pain During Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pignol, Jean-Philippe; Vu, Thi Trinh Thuc; Mitera, Gunita; Bosnic, Sandy; Verkooijen, Helena M.; Truong, Pauline

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To prospectively capture acute toxicities and pain associated with postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT), to analyze patient and treatment risk factors for severe side effects. Methods and Materials: Women referred for PMRT were prospectively enrolled and assessed weekly during and after radiation therapy. The endpoint included severe National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects grade 3 moist desquamation, other skin symptoms, and pain. Results: Of 257 patients, 73 (28.4%) experienced extensive moist desquamation, 84 (32.7%) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects skin toxicity grade 3, and 57 (22.2%) a pain impacting on daily life activities. Among symptoms only grade 3 moist desquamation was significantly associated with severe pain (P<.001). On multivariate analysis, smoking, high-energy photons, and skin bolus were significantly associated with severe moist desquamation. Skin toxicity doubled for smokers, with 40% severe pain, 48% grade 3 moist desquamation, and 64% grade 3 skin toxicity. Without skin bolus 4.2% had severe pain, none moist desquamation, and 2.1% grade 3 skin toxicity. When skin bolus was used on alternate days, the frequency increased to 15% for pain, 22% for moist desquamation, and 26% for grade 3 skin toxicity. When bolus was used daily, 32% had pain, 41% moist desquamation, and 47% grade 3 skin toxicity. Symptoms peaked 1 to 2 weeks after the end of PMRT. Conclusions: The present cohort study suggests excessive radiation toxicity after PMRT. Among factors associated with an increase of toxicity are smoking habits and the use of skin bolus

  12. Prospective Evaluation of Severe Skin Toxicity and Pain During Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pignol, Jean-Philippe, E-mail: j.p.pignol@erasmusmc.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Vu, Thi Trinh Thuc [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier de l' Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec (Canada); Mitera, Gunita [Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Bosnic, Sandy [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Verkooijen, Helena M. [Imaging Division, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Truong, Pauline [Department of Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, Victoria, British Columbia (Canada)

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To prospectively capture acute toxicities and pain associated with postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT), to analyze patient and treatment risk factors for severe side effects. Methods and Materials: Women referred for PMRT were prospectively enrolled and assessed weekly during and after radiation therapy. The endpoint included severe National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects grade 3 moist desquamation, other skin symptoms, and pain. Results: Of 257 patients, 73 (28.4%) experienced extensive moist desquamation, 84 (32.7%) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Effects skin toxicity grade 3, and 57 (22.2%) a pain impacting on daily life activities. Among symptoms only grade 3 moist desquamation was significantly associated with severe pain (P<.001). On multivariate analysis, smoking, high-energy photons, and skin bolus were significantly associated with severe moist desquamation. Skin toxicity doubled for smokers, with 40% severe pain, 48% grade 3 moist desquamation, and 64% grade 3 skin toxicity. Without skin bolus 4.2% had severe pain, none moist desquamation, and 2.1% grade 3 skin toxicity. When skin bolus was used on alternate days, the frequency increased to 15% for pain, 22% for moist desquamation, and 26% for grade 3 skin toxicity. When bolus was used daily, 32% had pain, 41% moist desquamation, and 47% grade 3 skin toxicity. Symptoms peaked 1 to 2 weeks after the end of PMRT. Conclusions: The present cohort study suggests excessive radiation toxicity after PMRT. Among factors associated with an increase of toxicity are smoking habits and the use of skin bolus.

  13. Initial experience of single fraction radiotherapy (8 Gy x 1) in the treatment of painful bone metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amano, Kosuke; Ikeda, Hiroko; Chigusa, Satoshi; Tanaka, Masahiro; Katayama, Hirofumi; Takeda, Koji

    2014-01-01

    Sixteen patients with painful bone metastases received single fraction radiotherapy of 8 Gy. Single fraction radiotherapy was effective in providing pain relief with response rate of 88.8%. There were no severe acute side effects. The therapeutic regimen was also safe and effective in patients with poor performance status and poor prognosis. Therefore single fraction radiotherapy should be considered to treat pain arising from bone metastases. (author)

  14. The influence of cold pack on labour pain relief and birth outcomes: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirvani, Marjan Ahmad; Ganji, Zhila

    2014-09-01

    (1) To evaluate the influence of local cold on severity of labour pain and (2) to identify the effect of local cold on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Fear of labour pain results in an increase in pain and duration of labour, maternal discontent and demand for caesarean section. Regarding maternal and foetal complications of analgesic medications, the attention to application of nonpharmacological methods including cold therapy is increased. Randomised controlled trial. Sixty-four pregnant women, at initiation of active phase of labour, were allocated randomly to cold therapy and control groups (n = 64). Null parity, term pregnancy, presence of single foetus, cephalic presentation and completing informed consent were considered as inclusion criteria. Administration of analgesic and anaesthesia, foetal distress, skin lesions in regions of cold therapy and high-risk pregnancy provided exclusion criteria. Cold pack was applied over abdomen and back, for 10 minutes every 30 minutes during first phase of labour. Additionally, cold pack was placed over perineum, for 5 minutes every 15 minutes during second phase. Pain severity was assessed based on the visual analogue scale. The two groups were not significantly different considering demographic data, gestational age, foetal weight, rupture of membranes and primary severity of pain. Degree of pain was lower in cold therapy group during all parts of active phase and second stage. Duration of all phases was shorter in cold therapy group in all phases. Foetal heart rate, perineal laceration, type of birth, application of oxytocin and APGAR score were not significantly different between two groups. Labour pain is probably reduced based on gate theory using cold. Pain control by cold maybe improves labour progression without affecting mother and foetus adversely. Local cold therapy could be included in labour pain management. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. A Quebec survey of issues in cancer pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Neil; Ayoub, Joseph; Farley, Justine; Foucault, Claudette; Lesage, Pauline; Mayo, Nancy

    2002-01-01

    We report the results of a cancer pain survey mailed to Quebec hematologist-oncologists and palliative care physicians in 1999. The survey was designed to sample views on the current status of pain management and on obstacles to the provision of adequate pain relief for patients. The survey, formulated by an ethics network centered at the Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, was distributed to all members of the Association of Hematologist-Oncologists of Quebec and to all physician members of the Quebec Palliative Care Association. Responses were obtained from 138 Palliative Care Association members (response rate 61%) and 76 hematologist-oncologists (response rate 45%). Major obstacles reported included inadequate assessment of both contributory psychosocial issues and severity of pain, patient reluctance to take opioids, and inadequate access to non-drug techniques for pain relief. Access to opioids was not regarded as a problem. Both groups felt generally competent in their ability to manage various aspects of cancer pain therapy. They gave little credit to their formal medical school or residency training. Fifty-six percent of the palliative care group and 57% of the hemato-oncologists rated their medical school experience as only "poor" or "fair" on a 4-point scale. Residency ratings were modestly better. We conclude that medical faculties should assign a high priority to teaching health professionals patient assessment techniques. Simple symptom assessment scales should be routinely used in oncology/palliative care practice. Medical school training in pain management is not highly regarded and should be enhanced. We also note that, based on response to the scenario of a patient presenting with severe pain, many physicians, while feeling competent in the use of opioids, may be overly conservative in their initial use.

  16. Deep brain stimulation for phantom limb pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bittar, Richard G; Otero, Sofia; Carter, Helen; Aziz, Tipu Z

    2005-05-01

    Phantom limb pain is an often severe and debilitating phenomenon that has been reported in up to 85% of amputees. Its pathophysiology is poorly understood. Peripheral and spinal mechanisms are thought to play a role in pain modulation in affected individuals; however central mechanisms are also likely to be of importance. The neuromatrix theory postulates a genetically determined representation of body image, which is modified by sensory input to create a neurosignature. Persistence of the neurosignature may be responsible for painless phantom limb sensations, whereas phantom limb pain may be due to abnormal reorganisation within the neuromatrix. This study assessed the clinical outcome of deep brain stimulation of the periventricular grey matter and somatosensory thalamus for the relief of chronic neuropathic pain associated with phantom limb in three patients. These patients were assessed preoperatively and at 3 month intervals postoperatively. Self-rated visual analogue scale pain scores assessed pain intensity, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire assessed the quality of the pain. Quality of life was assessed using the EUROQOL EQ-5D scale. Periventricular gray stimulation alone was optimal in two patients, whilst a combination of periventricular gray and thalamic stimulation produced the greatest degree of relief in one patient. At follow-up (mean 13.3 months) the intensity of pain was reduced by 62% (range 55-70%). In all three patients, the burning component of the pain was completely alleviated. Opiate intake was reduced in the two patients requiring morphine sulphate pre-operatively. Quality of life measures indicated a statistically significant improvement. This data supports the role for deep brain stimulation in patients with phantom limb pain. The medical literature relating to the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of this clinical entity is reviewed in detail.

  17. Pain in Bali.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajagopal, M R; Ito, Kurnia

    2015-01-01

    There is a lot of unrelieved pain in developing countries. Here is a story from Bali, Indonesia, about a woman with advanced malignancy, who is in unbelievable agony. Expensive chemotherapy is available to her. But although the necessary medications for relieving her pain are available in hospitals, they do not reach the patient, in her home, or even when she is admitted to the hospital, because of ignorance of the medical profession about pain management and because of unnecessary regulatory restrictions. The woman's pain affects the whole family, endangering the family's income and the future of her children. The intervention of palliative care during part of her life gives her some relief, only for the agony to be repeated by pointless chemotherapy and neglect of the suffering during admission to the hospital. Whatever relief could be given to her was because of the intervention of a volunteer with no schooling in medicine or palliative care.

  18. Epidemiological data, efficacy and safety of a paracetamol-tramadol fixed combination in the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain. SALZA: a post-marketing study in general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mejjad, O; Serrie, A; Ganry, H

    2011-05-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the paracetamol-tramadol combination (PTC) in treating moderate-to-severe pain, in patients aged 65 years and over within general practitioner (GP) practice centers. This was an observational, non-interventional, longitudinal, multicenter, open, non-comparative, prospective study. This intermediary analysis was of patients recruited before the French Health Authority confirmation (25th June, 2009) of the EMEA decision to withdraw all analgesics containing dextropropoxyphen. Trial registration information: This study has been submitted for approval to the CNIL and French Medical Council (CNOM) only. A total of 2663 patients aged 65 years or over were assessed 1 month after inclusion in the study. PTC was prescribed as first-line treatment in 30% of patients and, in the other cases, after failed or inadequate efficacy (69.8%), and/or as a result of safety problems (7.8%) with at least one other analgesic. During the month of the study period 14.7% of patients received an additional rescue analgesic. The study confirmed the efficacy of PTC with regard to pain intensity (-3.1 points reduction of pain scored 6.1 points on inclusion), pain relief (64.8% of patients experienced significant pain relief), patient satisfaction (90.5% of patients satisfied or completely satisfied) and clinical global impression evaluated by the patient (78.7% much or very much improved), regardless of the pain etiologies or duration of the underlying pathology. PTC was well-tolerated in this patient group, who had a mean age of 73.6 ± 6.6 years. A total of 119 patients (4.5%) reported at least one adverse event (AE). All were known and predictable AEs. This percentage is comparable to that found under similar conditions in patients of all ages (4.2%). PTC, due to the complementary action of its two analgesics, is effective in treating the different types of pain in a GP's practice setting and is well-tolerated, even in an elderly population. Study

  19. Ketamine for pain [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    OpenAIRE

    Kelly Jonkman; Albert Dahan; Tine van de Donk; Leon Aarts; Marieke Niesters; Monique van Velzen

    2017-01-01

    The efficacy of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine as an analgesic agent is still under debate, especially for indications such as chronic pain. To understand the efficacy of ketamine for relief of pain, we performed a literature search for relevant narrative and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We retrieved 189 unique articles, of which 29 were deemed appropriate for use in this review. Ketamine treatment is most effective for relief of postoperative pain, causing red...

  20. Pain relief with lidocaine 5% patch in localized peripheral neuropathic pain in relation to pain phenotype

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torgaard Demant, Dyveke; Lund, Karen; Finnerup, Nanna B

    2015-01-01

    In neuropathic pain with irritable nociceptor phenotype, up-regulation of sodium channels on nociceptors is supposed to be an important pain mechanism that may be targeted by topical sodium channel blockade. This randomised, double-blind, phenotype-panel, cross-over study with 4-week treatment pe...... had an effect on peripheral neuropathic pain, and it may be most efficacious in patients with irritable nociceptor phenotype. The lack of significant phenotype differences may be caused by too low statistical power.......In neuropathic pain with irritable nociceptor phenotype, up-regulation of sodium channels on nociceptors is supposed to be an important pain mechanism that may be targeted by topical sodium channel blockade. This randomised, double-blind, phenotype-panel, cross-over study with 4-week treatment...... periods of lidocaine 5% patch and placebo was performed to search for phenotype differences in effect. The primary efficacy measure was the total pain intensity on an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS), and the primary objective was to compare the effect of lidocaine in patients with and without...

  1. Pain management in the emergency department and its relationship to patient satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downey, La Vonne A; Zun, Leslie S

    2010-10-01

    Pain is the most common reason due to which patients come to the emergency department (ED). The purpose of this study was to measure the correlation, if any, between pain reduction and the level of satisfaction in patients who presented to the ED with pain as their chief complaint. This study used a randomly selected group of patients who presented to the ED with pain of 4 or more on the Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) as their chief complaint to a level one adult and pediatric trauma center. Instruments that were used in this study were the VAS, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS). They were administered to patients by research fellows in the treatment rooms. Statistical analysis included frequencies, descriptive, and linear regression. This study was approved by the Internal Review Board. A total of 159 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients were given some type of treatment for their pain upon arrival to the ED. A logistic regression showed a significant relationship to reduction in pain by 40% or more and customer service questions. A reduction in perceived pain levels does directly relate to several indicators of customer service. Patients who experienced pain relief during their stay in the ED had significant increases in distress relief, rapport with their doctor, and intent to comply with given instructions.

  2. Symptoms of Pain Do Not Correlate with Rotator Cuff Tear Severity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Warren R.; Kuhn, John E.; Sanders, Rosemary; An, Qi; Baumgarten, Keith M.; Bishop, Julie Y.; Brophy, Robert H.; Carey, James L.; Holloway, G. Brian; Jones, Grant L.; Ma, C. Benjamin; Marx, Robert G.; McCarty, Eric C.; Poddar, Sourav K.; Smith, Matthew V.; Spencer, Edwin E.; Vidal, Armando F.; Wolf, Brian R.; Wright, Rick W.

    2014-01-01

    Background: For many orthopaedic disorders, symptoms correlate with disease severity. The objective of this study was to determine if pain level is related to the severity of rotator cuff disorders. Methods: A cohort of 393 subjects with an atraumatic symptomatic full-thickness rotator-cuff tear treated with physical therapy was studied. Baseline pretreatment data were used to examine the relationship between the severity of rotator cuff disease and pain. Disease severity was determined by evaluating tear size, retraction, superior humeral head migration, and rotator cuff muscle atrophy. Pain was measured on the 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) in the patient-reported American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. A linear multiple regression model was constructed with use of the continuous VAS score as the dependent variable and measures of rotator cuff tear severity and other nonanatomic patient factors as the independent variables. Forty-eight percent of the patients were female, and the median age was sixty-one years. The dominant shoulder was involved in 69% of the patients. The duration of symptoms was less than one month for 8% of the patients, one to three months for 22%, four to six months for 20%, seven to twelve months for 15%, and more than a year for 36%. The tear involved only the supraspinatus in 72% of the patients; the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, with or without the teres minor, in 21%; and only the subscapularis in 7%. Humeral head migration was noted in 16%. Tendon retraction was minimal in 48%, midhumeral in 34%, glenohumeral in 13%, and to the glenoid in 5%. The median baseline VAS pain score was 4.4. Results: Multivariable modeling, controlling for other baseline factors, identified increased comorbidities (p = 0.002), lower education level (p = 0.004), and race (p = 0.041) as the only significant factors associated with pain on presentation. No measure of rotator cuff tear severity correlated with pain (p > 0.25). Conclusions

  3. Comparison between newer local anesthetics for myofascial pain syndrome management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaralidou, A Th; Amaniti, E N; Maidatsi, P G; Gorgias, N K; Vasilakos, D F

    2007-06-01

    Myofascial pain syndromes are characterized by the presence of painful loci within muscles, tendons or ligaments, called trigger points. Infiltration of these points with local anesthetics is often used as a treatment modality. The aim of the study was to comparatively evaluate 0.25% levobupivacaine and 0.25% ropivacaine for trigger point injection regarding pain on injection, treatment efficacy and duration of symptoms remission. Sixty-eight patients, suffering from myofascial pain syndromes, were randomly assigned to two groups to receive either levobupivacaine or ropivacaine for trigger-point injection. After completion of the procedure, patients were asked to rate pain during injection and efficacy of the treatment, based on immediate relief. Two weeks later, they were asked about the duration of this relief. Statistical analysis did not reveal significant differences between groups with respect to pain during injection, efficacy of the treatment and duration of pain relief. The two local anesthetics seem to be equally effective for trigger point infiltration. (c) 2007 Prous Science. All rights reserved.

  4. Low degree of satisfactory individual pain relief in post-operative pain trials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Geisler, A; Dahl, J B; Karlsen, A P H

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The majority of clinical trials regarding post-operative pain treatment focuses on the average analgesic efficacy, rather than on efficacy in individual patients. It has been argued, that in acute pain trials, the underlying distributions are often skewed, which makes the average unfi...

  5. The efficacy of preventive parasternal single injection of bupivacaine on intubation time, blood gas parameters, narcotic requirement, and pain relief after open heart surgery: A randomized clinical trial study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahmoud Saeidi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Postsurgical pain usually results in some complications in the patients. This study has tried to investigate the effects of parasternal single injection of bupivacaine on postoperative pulmonary and pain consequences in patients after open heart surgery. Methods: : In a prospective double blind clinical study, 100 consenting patients undergoing elective open heart surgery were randomized into two groups. In case group, bupivacaine was injected at both sides of sternum, immediately before sternal closure. In the control group, no intervention was performed. Then, the patients were investigated regarding intubation period, length of ICU stay, arterial blood gas (ABG parameters, morphine requirement, and their severity of postoperative pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS device. Results: No differences were found between the two groups regarding to age, sex, pump time, operation time, and body mass index and preoperative cardiac ejection fraction. Mean intubation length in case group was much shorter than that in control group. Mean PaO 2 in case group was lower in different checking times in postoperative period. The patients in the case group needed less morphine compared to those in the control group during the 24-hour observation period in the ICU. Finally, mean VAS scores of pain in case group were significantly lower than those in control group at 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Conclusions: Patients′ pain relief by parasternal single injection of bupivacaine in early postoperative period can facilitate earlier ventilator weaning and tracheal extubation after open heart surgery as well as achieving lower pain scores and narcotic requirements.

  6. Pain Relief in CRPS-II after Spinal Cord and Motor Cortex Simultaneous Dual Stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez, William Oc; Barbosa, Danilo C; Teixera, Manoel J; Paiz, Martin; Moura, Leonardo; Monaco, Bernardo A; Fonoff, Erich T

    2016-05-01

    We describe a case of a 30-year-old woman who suffered a traumatic injury of the right brachial plexus, developing severe complex regional pain syndrome type II (CRPS-II). After clinical treatment failure, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was indicated with initial positive pain control. However, after 2 years her pain progressively returned to almost baseline intensity before SCS. Additional motor cortex electrode implant was then proposed as a rescue therapy and connected to the same pulse generator. This method allowed simultaneous stimulation of the motor cortex and SCS in cycling mode with independent stimulation parameters in each site. At 2 years follow-up, the patient reported sustained improvement in pain with dual stimulation, reduction of painful crises, and improvement in quality of life. The encouraging results in this case suggests that this can be an option as add-on therapy over SCS as a possible rescue therapy in the management of CRPS-II. However, comparative studies must be performed in order to determine the effectiveness of this therapy. Chronic neuropathic pain, Complex regional pain syndrome Type II, brachial plexus injury, motor cortex stimulation, spinal cord stimulation.

  7. Pain, physical dependence and pseudoaddiction: redefining addiction for 'nice' people?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Kirsten; Salmon, Amy

    2009-03-01

    The undertreatment of pain has increasingly been framed as both a public health problem and a human rights issue. The application of rights-based discourses to the field of pain management has provided an important means of critiquing "opiophobia" amongst healthcare professionals and challenging current criminal-legal and regulatory sanctions on the distribution of opiate medications. This movement would therefore appear to align with harm reduction advocacy and longstanding criticisms of international drug policies. However, discourses on pain management rest on moral as well as medical assumptions about who has pain and who needs drugs. In this paper, we critically examine discourses on pain management and addiction exemplified in academic and clinical literature produced by and for physicians providing guidance on the provision of opiates for the relief of chronic pain. Our analysis reveals that discourses on pain management and the right to pain relief reify distinctions between the 'deserving pain patient' and the 'undeserving addict', serving both to further stigmatise people labelled as 'addicts' and delegitimise claims to pain they might voice. Present efforts to secure access to pain relief as a human right are likely to undermine, rather than advance, the rights of so-called 'drug addicts'.

  8. Pain and quality of life following palliative radiotherapy of bone metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sauer, N.; Wild, B.; Henningsen, P.; Jakobsen, T.; Leising, D.; Treiber, M.

    2006-01-01

    Pain and quality of life following palliative radiotherapy of bone metastases Background and purpose: palliative irradiation is used to provide pain relief and to increase quality of life. Most studies exclude patients with advanced cancer disease and, therefore, a positive selection results. This prospective clinical study investigates the effect of palliative radiotherapy on pain and quality of life of patients with painful bone metastases. Patients and methods: 263 patients with bone metastases due to advanced cancer were observed with respect to pain and quality of life during a 2-month course of radiotherapy. Missing data were substituted by the LOCF method (last observation carried forward) to prevent a biased reduction of data. Results: radiotherapy resulted in pain relief. In the complete group, pain medication was not increased. Quality of life was not affected positively. Side effects of radiotherapy increased remarkably. Conclusion: Radiotherapy leads to pain relief. However, risks and benefits must be considered critically due to side effects. (orig.)

  9. Radiotherapy for pain management of bone metastases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rezende Junior, Ismar de; Mattos, Marcos Duarte de; Nakamura, Ricardo; Lemes Junior, Joaquim; Vanzelli, Talita Lozano, E-mail: rezende.med@terra.com.br [Radioterapia do Hospital de Cancer de Barretos, SP (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    Purpose: This is the first Brazilian study intended to evaluate the response of pain relief with radiotherapy in three different fractionation and the clinical differences in managing pain in patients with painful bone metastases. Methods: Prospective study of patients with painful bone metastases referred to the Radiotherapy Sector of the Hospital de Cancer de Barretos for pain-relieving radiotherapy between March and December 2010. It is known that radiotherapy seems to alter the activation of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, relieving pain in cases of painful bone metastases. Patients were assessed in relation to the status of pain intensity before and after the initiation of radiotherapy. Either a single fraction of 8Gy, five fractions of 4Gy or ten fractions of 3Gy were given. A visual analog scale (VAS) was applied by doctors, nurses and nursing technicians to assess pain intensity at each session of radiotherapy, and follow-up at 8, 30 and 90 days from the end of treatment. Results: We evaluated 92 consecutive patients, 48 male and 44 female, with a median age of 58 years. We found that 14% of patients referred from the Palliative Care or Clinical Oncology sectors need better pharmacological analgesia due to severe pain, compared with 40.5% of patients from the other sectors (p = 0.004). We also found that the onset of pain relief to patients receiving 10 fractions of 300cGy analgesia without changing the pre-radiotherapy analgesia occurred with significance after the fifth fraction. Improvement in pain experienced within 90 days of follow-up was found in eighty percent of patients, independent of fractionated radiotherapy, site of metastases and the clinical condition of the patient. Discussion/Conclusion: The Palliative Care and Clinical Oncology sectors expressed greater concern in regards to analgesia for the patient with painful bone metastases. Radiotherapy is an effective pain-relieving treatment in different fractionation studied, even though the

  10. Radiotherapy for pain management of bone metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rezende Junior, Ismar de; Mattos, Marcos Duarte de; Nakamura, Ricardo; Lemes Junior, Joaquim; Vanzelli, Talita Lozano

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This is the first Brazilian study intended to evaluate the response of pain relief with radiotherapy in three different fractionation and the clinical differences in managing pain in patients with painful bone metastases. Methods: Prospective study of patients with painful bone metastases referred to the Radiotherapy Sector of the Hospital de Cancer de Barretos for pain-relieving radiotherapy between March and December 2010. It is known that radiotherapy seems to alter the activation of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, relieving pain in cases of painful bone metastases. Patients were assessed in relation to the status of pain intensity before and after the initiation of radiotherapy. Either a single fraction of 8Gy, five fractions of 4Gy or ten fractions of 3Gy were given. A visual analog scale (VAS) was applied by doctors, nurses and nursing technicians to assess pain intensity at each session of radiotherapy, and follow-up at 8, 30 and 90 days from the end of treatment. Results: We evaluated 92 consecutive patients, 48 male and 44 female, with a median age of 58 years. We found that 14% of patients referred from the Palliative Care or Clinical Oncology sectors need better pharmacological analgesia due to severe pain, compared with 40.5% of patients from the other sectors (p = 0.004). We also found that the onset of pain relief to patients receiving 10 fractions of 300cGy analgesia without changing the pre-radiotherapy analgesia occurred with significance after the fifth fraction. Improvement in pain experienced within 90 days of follow-up was found in eighty percent of patients, independent of fractionated radiotherapy, site of metastases and the clinical condition of the patient. Discussion/Conclusion: The Palliative Care and Clinical Oncology sectors expressed greater concern in regards to analgesia for the patient with painful bone metastases. Radiotherapy is an effective pain-relieving treatment in different fractionation studied, even though the

  11. Evidence-Based Evaluation of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain Management in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nahin, Richard L; Boineau, Robin; Khalsa, Partap S; Stussman, Barbara J; Weber, Wendy J

    2016-09-01

    Although most pain is acute and resolves within a few days or weeks, millions of Americans have persistent or recurring pain that may become chronic and debilitating. Medications may provide only partial relief from this chronic pain and can be associated with unwanted effects. As a result, many individuals turn to complementary health approaches as part of their pain management strategy. This article examines the clinical trial evidence for the efficacy and safety of several specific approaches-acupuncture, manipulation, massage therapy, relaxation techniques including meditation, selected natural product supplements (chondroitin, glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane, S-adenosylmethionine), tai chi, and yoga-as used to manage chronic pain and related disability associated with back pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, neck pain, and severe headaches or migraines. Copyright © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. A selective review of medical cannabis in cancer pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blake, Alexia; Wan, Bo Angela; Malek, Leila; DeAngelis, Carlo; Diaz, Patrick; Lao, Nicholas; Chow, Edward; O'Hearn, Shannon

    2017-12-01

    Insufficient management of cancer-associated chronic and neuropathic pain adversely affects patient quality of life. Patients who do not respond well to opioid analgesics, or have severe side effects from the use of traditional analgesics are in need of alternative therapeutic op-tions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that medical cannabis has potential to effectively manage pain in this patient population. This review presents a selection of representative clinical studies, from small pilot studies conducted in 1975, to double-blind placebo-controlled trials conducted in 2014 that evaluated the efficacy of cannabinoid-based therapies containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) for reducing cancer-associated pain. A review of literature published on Medline between 1975 and 2017 identified five clinical studies that evaluated the effect of THC or CBD on controlling cancer pain, which have been reviewed and summarised. Five studies that evaluated THC oil capsules, THC:CBD oromucosal spray (nabiximols), or THC oromucosal sprays found some evidence of cancer pain reduction associated with these therapies. A variety of doses ranging from 2.7-43.2 mg/day THC and 0-40 mg/day CBD were administered. Higher doses of THC were correlated with increased pain relief in some studies. One study found that significant pain relief was achieved in doses as low as 2.7-10.8 mg THC in combination with 2.5-10.0 mg CBD, but there was conflicting evidence on whether higher doses provide superior pain relief. Some reported side effects include drowsiness, hypotension, mental clouding, and nausea and vomiting. There is evidence suggesting that medical cannabis reduces chronic or neu-ropathic pain in advanced cancer patients. However, the results of many studies lacked statistical power, in some cases due to limited number of study subjects. Therefore, there is a need for the conduct of further double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials with large sample sizes in order to

  13. Prognostic Factor Analysis for Management of Chronic Neck Pain: Can We Predict the Severity of Neck Pain with Lateral Cervical Curvature?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seong, Han Yu; Lee, Moon Kyu; Jeon, Sang Ryong; Roh, Sung Woo; Rhim, Seung Chul; Park, Jin Hoon

    2017-07-01

    Although little is known about its origins, neck pain may be related to several associated anatomical pathologies. We aimed to characterize the incidence and features of chronic neck pain and analyze the relationship between neck pain severity and its affecting factors. Between March 2012 and July 2013, we studied 216 patients with chronic neck pain. Initially, combined tramadol (37.5 mg) plus acetaminophen (325 mg) was administered orally twice daily (b.i.d.) to all patients over a 2-week period. After two weeks, patients were evaluated for neck pain during an outpatient clinic visit. If the numeric rating scale of the patient had not decreased to 5 or lower, a cervical medial branch block (MBB) was recommended after double-dosed previous medication trial. We classified all patients into two groups (mild vs. severe neck pain group), based on medication efficacy. Logistic regression tests were used to evaluate the factors associated with neck pain severity. A total of 198 patients were included in the analyses, due to follow-up loss in 18 patients. While medication was successful in reducing pain in 68.2% patients with chronic neck pain, the remaining patients required cervical MBB. Lateral cervical curvature, such as a straight or sigmoid type curve, was found to be significantly associated with the severity of neck pain. We managed chronic neck pain with a simple pharmacological management protocol followed by MBB. We should keep in mind that it may be difficult to manage the patient with straight or sigmoid lateral curvature only with oral medication.

  14. Ketamine for pain [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly Jonkman

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The efficacy of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine as an analgesic agent is still under debate, especially for indications such as chronic pain. To understand the efficacy of ketamine for relief of pain, we performed a literature search for relevant narrative and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We retrieved 189 unique articles, of which 29 were deemed appropriate for use in this review. Ketamine treatment is most effective for relief of postoperative pain, causing reduced opioid consumption. In contrast, for most other indications (that is, acute pain in the emergency department, prevention of persistent postoperative pain, cancer pain, and chronic non-cancer pain, the efficacy of ketamine is limited. Ketamine’s lack of analgesic effect was associated with an increase in side effects, including schizotypical effects.

  15. Topical Drugs for Pain Relief

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anjali Srinivasan

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Topical therapy helps patients with oral and perioral pain problems such as ulcers, burning mouth syndrome, temporomandibular disorders, neuromas, neuropathies and neuralgias. Topical drugs used in the field of dentistry are topical anaesthetics, topical analgesics, topical antibiotics and topical corticosteroids. It provides symptomatic/curative effect. Topical drugs are easy to apply, avoids hepatic first pass metabolism and more sites specific. But it can only be used for medications that require low plasma concentrations to achieve a therapeutic effect.

  16. A comparison of pain assessment by physicians, parents and children in an outpatient setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brudvik, Christina; Moutte, Svein-Denis; Baste, Valborg; Morken, Tone

    2017-03-01

    Our objective was to compare pain assessments by patients, parents and physicians in children with different medical conditions, and analyse how this affected the physicians' administration of pain relief. This cross-sectional study involved 243 children aged 3-15 years treated at Bergen Accident and Emergency Department (ED) in 2011. The child patient's pain intensity was measured using age-adapted scales while parents and physicians did independent numeric rating scale (NRS) assessments. Physicians assessed the child's mean pain to be NRS=3.2 (SD 2.0), parents: NRS=4.8 (SD 2.2) and children: NRS=5.5 (SD 2.4). The overall child-parent agreement was moderate (Cohen's weighted κ=0.55), but low between child-physician (κ=0.12) and parent-physician (κ=0.17). Physicians significantly underestimated pain in all paediatric patients ≥3 years old and in all categories of medical conditions. However, the difference in pain assessment between child and physician was significantly lower for fractures (NRS=1.2; 95% CI 0.5 to 2.0) compared to wounds (NRS=3.4; CI 2.2 to 4.5; p=0.001), infections (NRS=3.1; CI 2.2 to 4.0; p=0.002) and soft tissue injuries (NRS=2.4; CI 1.9 to 2.9; p=0.007). The physicians' pain assessment improved with increasing levels of pain, but only 42.1% of children with severe pain (NRS≥7) received pain relief. Paediatric pain was significantly underestimated by ED physicians. In the absence of a self-report from the child, parents' evaluation should be listened to. Despite improved pain assessments in children with fractures and when pain was perceived to be severe, it is worrying that barely half of the children with severe pain received analgesics in the ED. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  17. Tai Chi for Chronic Pain Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Ling Jun; Lauche, Romy; Klose, Petra; Bu, Jiang Hui; Yang, Xiao Cun; Guo, Chao Qing; Dobos, Gustav; Cheng, Ying Wu

    2016-04-29

    Several studies reported that Tai Chi showed potential effects for chronic pain, but its role remains controversial. This review assessed the evidence regarding the effects of Tai Chi for chronic pain conditions. 18 randomized controlled trials were included in our review. The aggregated results have indicated that Tai Chi showed positive evidence on immediate relief of chronic pain from osteoarthritis (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.54; 95% confidence intervals [CI], -0.77 to -0.30; P chronic pain from low back pain (SMD, -0.81; 95% CI, -1.11 to -0.52; P complementary and alternative medicine for chronic pain conditions.

  18. Neurophysiological and histopathological evaluation of small fiber pathways as diagnostic characterization of neuropathic pain and autonom dysfunction syndromes

    OpenAIRE

    Devigli, Grazia

    2012-01-01

    This manuscript is made up of two individual not related articles about peripheral neuropathic pain syndrome. The first article reports the effect on pain relief in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain after brachial plexus lesions or distal peripheral nerve injury using an implanted peripheral nerve stimulator applied directly on nerve branch using a peculiar surgical technique. Seven patients with post-traumatic lesion of brachial plexus or peripheral nerve complaining severe intractab...

  19. Lumbar facet syndrome - Lumbar facet joint injection and low back pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Acevedo Gonzalez, Juan Carlos; Jimenez Hakim, Enrique; Rodriguez, Jose Maria; Hakim Daccach, Fernando; Quinonez, German; Rodriguez Munera, Andres

    2004-01-01

    The authors conducted a retrospective study lo evaluate the effectiveness of injection therapy in the lumbar zygapophysial joints with anesthetics and steroids in patients with persisting low back pain and lumbar facer syndrome. Thirty-seven patients with low back pain who reported immediate relief of their pain after controlled blocks into the facet joints between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae and the fifth lumbar and first sacral vertebrae were evaluated. Outcome was evaluated using the visual analog pain scales. All outcome measures were repeated at eight days and six weeks alter controlled injection. At six-week follow-up examination 83,7% of thirty-seven patients experienced a good response to controlled blocks of the lumbar zygaphyseal (facet) joints. Good result is the pain relief of 50% or more. Fifteen patients experienced a good response with pain relief of eight points or more in the VAS

  20. Pain management in the emergency department and its relationship to patient satisfaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Downey La Vonne

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background : Pain is the most common reason due to which patients come to the emergency department (ED. Aim : The purpose of this study was to measure the correlation, if any, between pain reduction and the level of satisfaction in patients who presented to the ED with pain as their chief complaint. Materials and Methods : This study used a randomly selected group of patients who presented to the ED with pain of 4 or more on the Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS as their chief complaint to a level one adult and pediatric trauma center. Instruments that were used in this study were the VAS, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI, and the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS. They were administered to patients by research fellows in the treatment rooms. Statistical analysis included frequencies, descriptive, and linear regression. This study was approved by the Internal Review Board. Results : A total of 159 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients were given some type of treatment for their pain upon arrival to the ED. A logistic regression showed a significant relationship to reduction in pain by 40% or more and customer service questions. Conclusions : A reduction in perceived pain levels does directly relate to several indicators of customer service. Patients who experienced pain relief during their stay in the ED had significant increases in distress relief, rapport with their doctor, and intent to comply with given instructions.

  1. Ketamine Does Not Produce Relief of Neuropathic Pain in Mice Lacking the β-Common Receptor (CD131)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swartjes, Maarten; Niesters, Marieke; Heij, Lara; Dunne, Ann; Aarts, Leon; Hand, Carla Cerami; Kim, Hyung-Suk; Brines, Michael; Cerami, Anthony; Dahan, Albert

    2013-01-01

    Neuropathic pain (NP) is a debilitating condition associated with traumatic, metabolic, autoimmune and neurological etiologies. Although the triggers for NP are diverse, there are common underlying pathways, including activation of immune cells in the spinal cord and up-regulation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Ketamine, a well-known NDMAR antagonist, reduces neuropathic pain in a sustained manner. Recent study has shown that the novel 11-amino acid peptide erythropoietin derivative ARA290 produces a similar, long-lasting relief of NP. Here, we show that both drugs also have similar effects on the expression of mRNA of the NMDAR, as well as that of microglia, astrocytes and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2, all-important contributors to the development of NP. Although the effects of ketamine and ARA 290 on NP and its molecular mediators suggest a common mechanism of action, ARA 290 has no affinity for the NMDAR and acts specifically via the innate repair receptor (IRR) involved in tissue protection. We speculated therefore, that the IRR might be critically involved in the action of ketamine on neuropathic pain. To evaluate this, we studied the effects of ketamine and ARA 290 on acute pain, side effects, and allodynia following a spared nerve injury model in mice lacking the β-common receptor (βcR), a structural component of the IRR. Ketamine (50 mg/kg) and ARA 290 (30 µg/kg) produced divergent effects on acute pain: ketamine produced profound antinociception accompanied with psychomotor side effects, but ARA290 did not, in both normal and knock out mice. In contrast, while both drugs were antiallodynic in WT mice, they had no effect on NP in mice lacking the βcR. Together, these results show that an intact IRR is required for the effective treatment of NP with either ketamine or ARA 290, but is not involved in ketamine’s analgesic and side effects. PMID:23936499

  2. Paracetamol/acetaminophen (single administration) for perineal pain in the early postpartum period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Doris; Abalos, Edgardo; Gyte, Gillian M L; Gülmezoglu, A Metin

    2013-01-31

    Perineal pain is a common but poorly studied adverse outcome following childbirth. Pain may result from perineal trauma due to bruising, spontaneous tears, surgical incisions (episiotomies), or in association with operative births (ventouse or forceps assisted births). To determine the efficacy of a single administration of paracetamol (acetaminophen) systemic drugs used in the relief of acute postpartum perineal pain We updated the search of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register on 6 November 2012. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing paracetamol (acetaminophen) in a single dose compared with placebo for women with early postpartum perineal pain. We excluded quasi-RCTs and cross-over studies. Two review authors assessed each paper for inclusion and extracted data. One review author reviewed the decisions and confirmed calculations for pain relief scores. We did not identify any new trials from the updated search so the results remain unchanged as follows.We have included 10 studies describing two dosages of paracetamol. Of these, five studies (526 women) assessed 500 mg to 650 mg and six studies (841 women) assessed 1000 mg of paracetamol. We chose to use random-effects meta-analyses because of the heterogeneity in dosage used. Studies were from the 1970s to the early 1990s, and there was insufficient information to assess the risk of bias adequately, hence the findings need to be interpreted within this context.More women experienced pain relief with paracetamol compared with placebo (average risk ratio (RR) 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59 to 2.89, 10 studies, 1279 women). In addition, there were significantly fewer women having additional pain relief with paracetamol compared with placebo (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.55, eight studies, 1132 women). Both the 500 mg to 650 mg and 1000 mg doses were effective in providing more pain relief than placebo.Maternal and neonatal potential adverse drug effects were not assessed in

  3. Effect of adding celecoxib to a single dose of gabapentin on postoperative pain relief

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mansour Choubsaz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: In recent years, several studies with conflicting results have been done on the role of gabapentin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in pre-emptive analgesia to control postoperative pain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding low doses of celecoxib to gabapentin on increasing the analgesic effect and patients’ satisfaction. Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 130 patients with ASA I, II class were divided in two groups as they were the candidates for elective inguinal hernia surgery with spinal anesthesia. Before the surgery, the control group (G received 300 mg oral dose of gabapentin and the study group (GC received 100 mg celecoxib in addition to the above dose. Severity of patients’ pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS. By the same token, the amount of painkillers usedwas measured and statistically analyzed. Results: The results suggested a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of pain level 4, 6 and 24 hours after surgery (P<0.05. Adding low-dose of celeoxib to gabapentin before the surgery and the combination of these two drugs caused further reduction of pain 4, 6 and 24 h after the surgery in comparison to the administration of gabapentin alone. Conclusion: Adding 100 mg celecoxib to 300 mg gabapentin resulted in a reduction of pain level 24 h after elective surgery of inguinal hernia in patients of control group (P<0.05. However, in terms of using painkillers (analgesics, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.

  4. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in management of severe dry socket pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdellateef, Abdelamajeed; Elrefai, Jamil; AlJadid, Omar; Alabbadi, Amjad

    2009-01-01

    To assess the role and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of pain resulting from dry socket. From January 2006 to May 2007, 25 patients who had been diagnosed by the oral surgeon in the Dental Department of Princess Haya Hospital, Aqaba, Jordan with dry socket with severe intolerable pain, untreated with the classical treatments, were treated with HBOT. Fifteen patients (60%) were treated in a single HBOT session after which an almost complete resolution of pain took place, 7 patients (28%) were treated in 2 sessions and 3 patients (12%) needed 3 HBOT sessions to cure the pain. This preliminary study to assess the role of HBOT in the treatment of dry socket pain showed a great reduction of pain intensity of dry socket following administration of HBOT. (author)

  5. Combination treatment of neuropathic pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holbech, Jakob Vormstrup; Jung, Anne; Jonsson, Torsten

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Current Danish treatment algorithms for pharmacological treatment of neuropathic pain (NeP) are tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), gabapentin and pregabalin as first-line treatment for the most common NeP conditions. Many patients have insufficient pain relief on monotherapy, but combin...

  6. Pain severity, coping and satisfaction with life in patients with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: The primary study aim was to determine whether or not a statistically significant relationship exists between pain severity and satisfaction with life in patients with chronic pain. The second aim was to explore the extent to which coping responses might influence this relationship. Design: A cross-sectional ...

  7. 78 FR 49242 - Relief From Joint and Several Liability

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-13

    ... 66(c) allows the requesting spouse to avoid liability for tax on community income of which the... is added to Sec. 1.66-4(j)(2)(ii) for claims for equitable relief from the Federal income tax... amended as follows: PART 1--INCOME TAXES 0 Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to...

  8. A randomized, placebo controlled, trial of preoperative sustained release Betamethasone plus non-controlled intraoperative Ketorolac or Fentanyl on pain after diagnostic laparoscopy or laparoscopic tubal ligation [ISRCTN52633712

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piller Marsha D

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Gynecological laparoscopic surgery procedures are often complicated by postoperative pain resulting in an unpleasant experience for the patient, delayed discharge, and increased cost. Glucocorticosteroids have been suggested to reduce the severity and incidence of postoperative pain. Methods This study examines the efficacy of a sustained release betamethasone preparation to reduce postoperative pain and the requirement for pain relief drugs after either diagnostic laparoscopy or tubal ligation. Patients were recruited, as presenting, after obtaining informed consent. Prior to surgery, patients were randomly selected by a computer generated table to receive either pharmacy-coded betamethasone (12 mg IM Celestone™ or an optically identical placebo injection of Intralipid™ and isotonic saline mixture. The effect of non-controlled prophylactic intraoperative treatment with either fentanyl or ketorolac per surgeon's orders was also noted in this study. Blood samples taken at recovery and at discharge times were extracted and analyzed for circulating betamethasone. Visual analog scale data on pain was gathered at six post-recovery time points in a triple blind fashion and statistically compared. The postoperative requirement for pain relief drugs was also examined. Results Although the injection achieved a sustained therapeutic concentration, no beneficial effect of IM betamethasone on postoperative pain or reduction in pain relief drugs was observed during the postoperative period. Indeed, the mean combined pain scores during the 2 hour postoperative period, adjusted for postoperative opioids as the major confounding factor, were higher approaching statistical significance (P = 0.056 in the treatment group. Higher pain scores were also observed for the tubal ligation patients relative to diagnostic laparoscopy. Intraoperative fentanyl treatment did not significantly lower the average pain score during the 2 hour postoperative

  9. Spinal cord injury below-level neuropathic pain relief with dorsal root entry zone microcoagulation performed caudal to level of complete spinal cord transection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falci, Scott; Indeck, Charlotte; Barnkow, Dave

    2018-06-01

    OBJECTIVE Surgically created lesions of the spinal cord dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) to relieve central pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) have historically been performed at and cephalad to, but not below, the level of SCI. This study was initiated to investigate the validity of 3 proposed concepts regarding the DREZ in SCI central pain: 1) The spinal cord DREZ caudal to the level of SCI can be a primary generator of SCI below-level central pain. 2) Neuronal transmission from a DREZ that generates SCI below-level central pain to brain pain centers can be primarily through sympathetic nervous system (SNS) pathways. 3) Perceived SCI below-level central pain follows a unique somatotopic map of DREZ pain-generators. METHODS Three unique patients with both intractable SCI below-level central pain and complete spinal cord transection at the level of SCI were identified. All 3 patients had previously undergone surgical intervention to their spinal cords-only cephalad to the level of spinal cord transection-with either DREZ microcoagulation or cyst shunting, in failed attempts to relieve their SCI below-level central pain. Subsequent to these surgeries, DREZ lesioning of the spinal cord solely caudal to the level of complete spinal cord transection was performed using electrical intramedullary guidance. The follow-up period ranged from 1 1/2 to 11 years. RESULTS All 3 patients in this study had complete or near-complete relief of all below-level neuropathic pain. The analyzed electrical data confirmed and enhanced a previously proposed somatotopic map of SCI below-level DREZ pain generators. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study support the following hypotheses. 1) The spinal cord DREZ caudal to the level of SCI can be a primary generator of SCI below-level central pain. 2) Neuronal transmission from a DREZ that generates SCI below-level central pain to brain pain centers can be primarily through SNS pathways. 3) Perceived SCI below-level central pain follows a unique

  10. Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Pain Relief during Labor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michel Tournaire

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This review evaluated the effect of complementary and alternative medicine on pain during labor with conventional scientific methods using electronic data bases through 2006 were used. Only randomized controlled trials with outcome measures for labor pain were kept for the conclusions. Many studies did not meet the scientific inclusion criteria. According to the randomized control trials, we conclude that for the decrease of labor pain and/or reduction of the need for conventional analgesic methods: (i There is an efficacy found for acupressure and sterile water blocks. (ii Most results favored some efficacy for acupuncture and hydrotherapy. (iii Studies for other complementary or alternative therapies for labor pain control have not shown their effectiveness.

  11. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of levetiracetam in central pain in multiple sclerosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falah, M; Madsen, C; Holbech, J V

    2012-01-01

    sclerosis. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial with levetiracetam 3000 mg/day versus placebo (6-week treatment periods). Patients with multiple sclerosis, symptoms and signs complying with central neuropathic pain and pain symptoms for more than 6 months, as well....... Twenty-seven patients were included in the data analysis. There were no differences in the ratings of pain relief (levetiracetam 2.4 vs. placebo 2.1, p = 0.169), total pain intensity (levetiracetam 5.3 vs. placebo 5.7, p = 0.147) or any of the other outcome measures (p = 0.086-0.715) in the total sample...... of patients. However, there was significant reduction of pain, increased pain relief and/or more favourable pain relief with levetiracetam than with placebo in patients with lancinating or without touch-evoked pain (p = 0.025-0.046). This study found no effect of the anticonvulsant levetiracetam in non...

  12. Trochanteric impingement: is it a source of pain after THR?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark J. Isaacson, DO

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available While uncommon, trochanteric-pelvic impingement may lead to significant lateral hip pain. We defined “impingement distance” as the radiographic distance from the medial aspect of the greater trochanter and the corresponding lateral edge of the acetabular bone or component and compared this to the contralateral normal hip. We present two painful total hip replacement (THR cases, each featuring a patient with severe lateral hip pain when walking and sitting. Both patients had diminished femoral offset and trochanteric-pelvic clearance, compared to the contralateral normal hip. The impingement distance was increased an average of 10 mm with the exchange to a longer femoral head. Both patients had immediate and complete pain relief with operative treatment to increase the impingement distance.

  13. The use of analgesia in mountain rescue casualties with moderate or severe pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellerton, John Alexander; Greene, Mike; Paal, Peter

    2013-06-01

    To assess the effectiveness of analgesia used in mountain rescue (MR) in casualties with moderate or severe pain. To determine if a verbal numeric pain score is practical in this environment. To describe the analgesic strategies used by MR. Prospective, descriptive study. Fifty-one MR teams in England and Wales. The study period was 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2010. 92 MR casualties with a pain scoreof 4/10 or greater. 38% of casualties achieved a pain reduction of 50% or greater in their initial score at 15 min and 60.2% had achieved this at handover. The initial pain score was 8 (median), reducing to 5 at 15 min and 3 at handover. The mean pain reduction was 2.5 ± 2.4 at 15 min and 3.9 ± 2.5 at handover. 80 casualties (87%) were treated with an opioid and seven had two different opioids administered. Seven main strategies were identified in which the principal agent was entonox, intramuscular opioid, oral analgesia, fentanyl lozenge, intranasal or intravenous opioid. The choice of strategy varied with the skills of the casualty carer. Pain should be assessed using a pain score. When possible, intravenous opioid is the gold standard to achieve early and continuing pain control in patients with moderate or severe pain. Entonox and oral analgesics, as sole agents, have limited use in moderate or severe pain. Intranasal opioid and fentanyl lozenge are effective, and appropriate in MR. Research priorities include bioavailability in different environmental conditions and patient's satisfaction with their pain management.

  14. Palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases, single versus multiple fraction treatment: a literature review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKee, L.

    2005-01-01

    Palliative radiotherapy provides pain relief for patients with painful bone metastases. The practice among radiation oncologists as to whether a large single fraction is most effective, or whether multiple smaller fractions are preferable in providing the quickest, most durable pain relief is inconsistent. A literature review was completed to see if there is consensus about whether there is better pain response and control following single versus multiple fraction radiotherapy. The Pub Med search engine was used to find all reported studies comparing single and multiple fraction radiotherapy for painful bone metastases. Each article was reviewed according to specific criteria. A generalized conclusion was ascertained from each study and then compared. Among the studies reviewed, the consensus concluded that single fraction radiotherapy was the better choice for palliation of painful bone metastases. According to the literature reviewed, single fraction radiotherapy provides adequate pain relief with reasonable duration of pain response. (author)

  15. Vitamin K Acupuncture Point Injection for Severe Primary Dysmenorrhea: An International Pilot Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li; Zhao, Wenjie; Yu, Jin; Cardini, Francesco; Forcella, Emanuela; Regalia, Anna Laura; Wade, Christine

    2004-01-01

    Context Vitamin K acupuncture point injection, a menstrual pain treatment derived from traditional Chinese medicine, has been a standard treatment in some hospitals in China since the 1980s. Objectives To investigate the effects of vitamin K acupuncture point injection on menstrual pain in young women aged 14 to 25 from different countries and cultural backgrounds who have had unmitigated severe primary dysmenorrhea for 6 months or more Design Prospective, observational, clinical pilot study Settings One site in China (a hospital outpatient clinic in Shanghai) and 2 sites in Italy (a hospital clinic in Milan and a private gynecology practice in Verona) Interventions All subjects were treated with bilateral acupuncture point injection of vitamin K on the first or second day of menstrual pain. Vitamin K3 was used in China and vitamin K4 in Italy. Main Outcome Measures Pain intensity, total duration, and average intensity of menstrual distress, hours in bed, normal daily activity restrictions, and numbers of analgesic tablets taken to relieve pain were recorded before the treatment and for 4 subsequent menstrual cycles. Results Noticeable pain relief was observed 2 minutes after treatment, and subsequent pain reduction occurred at 30 minutes (P vitamin K alleviated acute menstrual pain, and relief extended through the nontreatment follow-up cycles in this uncontrolled pilot study conducted in 2 countries. Further investigation employing controlled experimental designs is warranted. PMID:15775872

  16. Immersive Virtual Reality for Pediatric Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Won, Andrea Stevenson; Bailey, Jakki; Bailenson, Jeremy; Tataru, Christine; Yoon, Isabel A; Golianu, Brenda

    2017-06-23

    Children must often endure painful procedures as part of their treatment for various medical conditions. Those with chronic pain endure frequent or constant discomfort in their daily lives, sometimes severely limiting their physical capacities. With the advent of affordable consumer-grade equipment, clinicians have access to a promising and engaging intervention for pediatric pain, both acute and chronic. In addition to providing relief from acute and procedural pain, virtual reality (VR) may also help to provide a corrective psychological and physiological environment to facilitate rehabilitation for pediatric patients suffering from chronic pain. The special qualities of VR such as presence, interactivity, customization, social interaction, and embodiment allow it to be accepted by children and adolescents and incorporated successfully into their existing medical therapies. However, the powerful and transformative nature of many VR experiences may also pose some risks and should be utilized with caution. In this paper, we review recent literature in pediatric virtual reality for procedural pain and anxiety, acute and chronic pain, and some rehabilitation applications. We also discuss the practical considerations of using VR in pediatric care, and offer specific suggestions and information for clinicians wishing to adopt these engaging therapies into their daily clinical practice.

  17. Inversion Therapy: Can It Relieve Back Pain?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain? Does inversion therapy relieve back pain? Is it safe? Answers from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. Inversion therapy doesn't provide lasting relief from back ...

  18. Treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petropoulos, Ioannis N.; Alam, Uazman; Malik, Rayaz A.

    2015-01-01

    Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a debilitating consequence of diabetes that may be present in as many as one in five patients with diabetes. The objective assessment of PDN is difficult, making it challenging to diagnose and assess in both clinical practice and clinical trials. No single treatment exists to prevent or reverse neuropathic changes or to provide total pain relief. Treatment of PDN is based on three major approaches: intensive glycaemic control and risk factor management, treatments based on pathogenetic mechanisms, and symptomatic pain management. Clinical guidelines recommend pain relief in PDN through the use of antidepressants such as amitriptyline and duloxetine, the γ-aminobutyric acid analogues gabapentin and pregabalin, opioids and topical agents such as capsaicin. Of these medications, duloxetine and pregabalin were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 and tapentadol extended release was approved in 2012 for the treatment of PDN. Proposed pathogenetic treatments include α-lipoic acid (stems reactive oxygen species formation), benfotiamine (prevents vascular damage in diabetes) and aldose-reductase inhibitors (reduces flux through the polyol pathway). There is a growing need for studies to evaluate the most potent drugs or combinations for the management of PDN to maximize pain relief and improve quality of life. A number of agents are potential candidates for future use in PDN therapy, including Nav 1.7 antagonists, N-type calcium channel blockers, NGF antibodies and angiotensin II type 2 receptor antagonists. PMID:25553239

  19. Theeffectivenessofginger compress on non-specific low back pain ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Theeffectivenessofginger compress on non-specific low back pain. ... for a total of ten sessions and control group (n=7) did not received any treatment. ... in pain relief and reduces functional disability in patients with non-specific low back pain.

  20. Effect of antenatal education in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures on use of pain relief during labour and of obstetric interventions: results from the randomised NEWBORN trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Gluud, Christian; Winkel, Per; Lindschou, Jane; Weber, Tom; Due, Pernille; Koushede, Vibeke

    2016-06-10

    To examine the effect of an antenatal education programme in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures. Randomised trial using random-generated web-based 1:1 allocation. The largest birth site in the Capital Region of Denmark, from August 2012 to May 2014. 1766 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria ≥18 years, pregnant with a single child, and able to speak and understand Danish. Women were enrolled in the trial from 10+0 to 20+0 weeks of gestation. The intervention programme consisted of three times 2.5 hours of antenatal education in small classes (n=6-8 women), and focused on improving information and problem-solving skills for expectant parents in order to ease birth and the transition to parenthood. The control group received standard auditorium-based lectures consisting of two times 2 hours in an auditorium with participation of ∼250 people. The primary trial outcome was use of epidural analgesia. Other types of pain relief and obstetric interventions were analysed as explorative outcomes. There was no statistically significant difference in use of epidural analgesia between participants in the intervention group (30.9%) versus the control group (29.1%), adjusted OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.34). Also, the two groups did not differ regarding other types of pain relief or obstetric interventions. Concomitant birth preparation was common in both groups and highest in the control group, but did not seem to influence our results noticeably. Antenatal education in small groups versus standard auditorium-based lectures did not differ regarding use of epidural analgesia, other pain relief, or obstetric interventions. NCT01672437; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Tramadol for neuropathic pain in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duehmke, Rudolf Martin; Derry, Sheena; Wiffen, Philip J; Bell, Rae F; Aldington, Dominic; Moore, R Andrew

    2017-06-15

    with suitably characterised neuropathic pain. In each, tramadol was started at a dose of about 100 mg daily and increased over one to two weeks to a maximum of 400 mg daily or the maximum tolerated dose, and then maintained for the remainder of the study. Participants had experienced moderate or severe neuropathic pain for at least three months due to cancer, cancer treatment, postherpetic neuralgia, peripheral diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injury, or polyneuropathy. The mean age was 50 to 67 years with approximately equal numbers of men and women. Exclusions were typically people with other significant comorbidity or pain from other causes. Study duration for treatments was four to six weeks, and two studies had a cross-over design.Not all studies reported all the outcomes of interest, and there were limited data for pain outcomes. At least 50% pain intensity reduction was reported in three studies (265 participants, 110 events). Using a random-effects analysis, 70/132 (53%) had at least 50% pain relief with tramadol, and 40/133 (30%) with placebo; the risk ratio (RR) was 2.2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 4.6). The NNT calculated from these data was 4.4 (95% CI 2.9 to 8.8). We downgraded the evidence for this outcome by two levels to low quality because of the small size of studies and of the pooled data set, because there were only 110 actual events, the analysis included different types of neuropathic pain, the studies all had at least one high risk of potential bias, and because of the limited duration of the studies.Participants experienced more adverse events with tramadol than placebo. Report of any adverse event was higher with tramadol (58%) than placebo (34%) (4 studies, 266 participants, 123 events; RR 1.6 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.1); NNH 4.2 (95% CI 2.8 to 8.3)). Adverse event withdrawal was higher with tramadol (16%) than placebo (3%) (6 studies, 485 participants, 45 events; RR 4.1 (95% CI 2.0 to 8.4); NNH 8.2 (95% CI 5.8 to 14)). Only four serious

  2. Smartphone applications for pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosser, Benjamin A; Eccleston, Christopher

    2011-01-01

    Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular. The lack of regulation or guidance for health-related apps means that the validity and reliability of their content is unknown. We have conducted a review of available apps relating to the generic condition of pain. The official application stores for five major smartphone platforms were searched: iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Nokia/Symbian and Windows Mobile. Apps were included if they reported a focus on pain education, management or relief, and were not solely aimed at health-care professionals (HCPs). A total of 111 apps met the inclusion criteria. The majority of apps reviewed claimed some information provision or electronic manual component. Diary tracking of pain variables was also a common feature. There was a low level of stated HCP involvement in app development and content. Despite an increasing number of apps being released, the frequency of HCP involvement is not increasing. Pain apps appear to be able to promise pain relief without any concern for the effectiveness of the product, or for possible adverse effects of product use. In a population often desperate for a solution to distressing and debilitating pain conditions, there is considerable risk of individuals being misled.

  3. Acute effects of anesthetic lumbar spine injections on temporal spatial parameters of gait in individuals with chronic low back pain: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herndon, Carl L; Horodyski, MaryBeth; Vincent, Heather K

    2017-10-01

    This study examined whether epidural injection-induced anesthesia acutely and positively affected temporal spatial parameters of gait in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) due to lumbar spinal stenosis. Twenty-five patients (61.7±13.6years) who were obtaining lumbar epidural injections for stenosis-related LBP participated. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores, Medical Outcomes Short Form (SF-36) scores, 11-point Numerical pain rating (NRS pain ) scores, and temporal spatial parameters of walking gait were obtained prior to, and 11-point Numerical pain rating (NRS pain ) scores, and temporal spatial parameters of walking gait were obtained after the injection. Gait parameters were measured using an instrumented gait mat. Patients received transforaminal epidural injections in the L1-S1 vertebral range (1% lidocaine, corticosteroid) under fluoroscopic guidance. Patients with post-injection NRS pain ratings of "0" or values greater than "0" were stratified into two groups: 1) full pain relief, or 2) partial pain relief, respectively. Post-injection, 48% (N=12) of patients reported full pain relief. ODI scores were higher in patients with full pain relief (55.3±21.4 versus 33.7 12.8; p=0.008). Post-injection, stride length and step length variability were significantly improved in the patients with full pain relief compared to those with partial pain relief. Effect sizes between full and partial pain relief for walking velocity, step length, swing time, stride and step length variability were medium to large (Cohen's d>0.50). Patients with LBP can gain immediate gait improvements from complete pain relief from transforaminal epidural anesthetic injections for LBP, which could translate to better stability and lower fall risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy for cervical zygapophyseal joint mediated neck pain: A retrospective review of outcomes in forty-four cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duff, Patricia; Das, Basabjit; McCrory, Connail

    2016-01-01

    Percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) rhizotomy of the medial branches of the dorsal rami from the spinal nerves is the standard treatment for cervical zygapophyseal joint mediated pain. There is a paucity of data regarding the longevity of analgesia following this procedure. To determine the duration of complete pain relief, analgesic consumption and any adverse events following percutaneous cervical RF rhizotomy. Retrospective chart review of patients who had undergone percutaneous cervical RF rhizotomy for zygapophyseal joint mediated neck pain. Patient reviews were undertaken by the pain consultant at 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year following the procedure. Where follow-up was incomplete, the patient was assumed only to have had pain relief until their last review where complete pain relief had been documented. Analgesic consumption and any adverse events were recorded. The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel®. At 12 months 63.64% of patients were pain free. Median duration of complete pain relief was 52 weeks. Patients who experienced pain relief had ceased using prescription analgesia by their 6 week review. There were no repeat cervical RF rhizotomies, procedure related infections or unplanned hospital admissions. Percutaneous cervical RF rhizotomy is an effective treatment for cervical zygapophyseal joint mediated neck pain.

  5. Length of perineal pain relief after ice pack application: A quasi-experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza Bosco Paiva, Caroline; Junqueira Vasconcellos de Oliveira, Sonia Maria; Amorim Francisco, Adriana; da Silva, Renata Luana; de Paula Batista Mendes, Edilaine; Steen, Mary

    2016-04-01

    Ice pack is effective for alleviating postpartum perineal pain in primiparous women while multiparous women's levels of perineal pain appear to be poorly explored. Ice pack is a low-cost non-invasive localised treatment that can be used with no impact on breastfeeding. However, how long perineal analgesia persists after applying an ice pack is still unknown. To evaluate if perineal analgesia is maintained up to 2h after applying an ice pack to the perineum for 20min. A quasi-experimental study, using a pre and post-test design, was undertaken with a sample size of 50 multiparous women in Brazil. Data was collected by structured interview. The intervention involved a single application of an ice pack applied for 20min to the perineal area of women who reported perineal pain ≥3 by use of a numeric rating scale (0-10), with intact perineum, 1st or 2nd degree lacerations or episiotomy, between 6 and 24h after spontaneous vaginal birth. Perineal pain was evaluated at three points of time: before, immediately after and 2h after applying an ice pack. Immediately after applying an ice pack to the perineal area, there was a significant reduction in the severity of perineal pain reported (5.4 vs. 1.0, p<0.0005), which continued for 1h 35min up to 2h after the local application. Ice pack application for 20min is effective for alleviating postpartum perineal pain and continues to be effective between 1h 35min for up to 2h. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Studying protocol-based pain management in the emergency department

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akkamahadevi Patil

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Majority of the patients presenting to emergency department (ED have pain. ED oligoanalgesia remains a challenge. Aims: This study aims to study the effect of implementing a protocol-based pain management in the ED on (1 time to analgesia and (2 adequacy of analgesia obtained. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional study in the ED. Methods: Patients aged 18–65 years of age with pain of numeric rating scale (NRS ≥4 were included. A series of 100 patients presenting before introduction of the protocol-based pain management were grouped “pre-protocol,” and managed as per existing practice. Following this, a protocol for management of all patients presenting to ED with pain was implemented. Another series of 100 were grouped as “post-protocol” and managed as per the new pain management protocol. The data of patients from both the groups were collected and analyzed. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistical tests such as percentage, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistical tests such as Pearson coefficient, Student's t-test were applied. Differences were interpreted as significant when P < 0.05. Results: Mean time to administer analgesic was significantly lesser in the postprotocol group (preprotocol 20.30 min vs. postprotocol 13.05 min; P < 0.001. There was significant difference in the pain relief achieved (change in NRS between the two groups, with greater pain relief achieved in the postprotocol group (preprotocol group 4.6800 vs. postprotocol group 5.3600; P < 0.001. Patients' rating of pain relief (assessed on E5 scale was significantly higher in the postprotocol group (preprotocol 3.91 vs. postprotocol 4.27; P = 0.001. Patients' satisfaction (North American Spine Society scale with the overall treatment was also compared and found to be significantly higher in postprotocol group (mean: preprotocol 1.59 vs. postprotocol 1.39; P = 0.008. Conclusion: Protocol-based pain management provided timely and

  7. Analgesic Microneedle Patch for Neuropathic Pain Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Xi; Pascual, Conrado; Lieu, Christopher; Oh, Seajin; Wang, Ji; Zou, Bende; Xie, Julian; Li, Zhaohui; Xie, James; Yeomans, David C; Wu, Mei X; Xie, Xinmin Simon

    2017-01-24

    Neuropathic pain caused by nerve injury is debilitating and difficult to treat. Current systemic pharmacological therapeutics for neuropathic pain produce limited pain relief and have undesirable side effects, while current local anesthetics tend to nonspecifically block both sensory and motor functions. Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), a neuropeptide released from sensory nerve endings, appears to play a significant role in chronic neuropathic pain. In this study, an analgesic microneedle (AMN) patch was developed using dissolvable microneedles to transdermally deliver selective CGRP antagonist peptide in a painless manner for the treatment of localized neuropathic pain. Local analgesic effects were evaluated in rats by testing behavioral pain sensitivity in response to thermal and mechanical stimuli using neuropathic pain models such as spared-nerve injury and diabetic neuropathy pain, as well as neurogenic inflammatory pain model induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Unlike several conventional therapies, the AMN patches produced effective analgesia on neuropathic pain without disturbing the normal nociception and motor function of the rat, resulting from the high specificity of the delivered peptide against CGRP receptors. The AMN patches did not cause skin irritation or systemic side effects. These results demonstrate that dissolvable microneedle patches delivering CGRP antagonist peptide provide an effective, safe, and simple approach to mitigate neuropathic pain with significant advantages over current treatments.

  8. Predicting Severity of Acute Pain After Cesarean Delivery: A Narrative Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamez, Brock H; Habib, Ashraf S

    2018-05-01

    Cesarean delivery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States, with over 1.3 million performed annually. One-fifth of women who undergo cesarean delivery will experience severe pain in the acute postoperative period, increasing their risk of developing chronic pain and postpartum depression, and negatively impacting breastfeeding and newborn care. A growing body of research has investigated tools to predict which patients will experience more severe pain and have increased analgesic consumption after cesarean delivery. These include quantitative sensory testing, assessment of wound hyperalgesia, response to local anesthetic infiltration, and preoperative psychometric evaluations such as validated psychological questionnaires and simple screening tools. For this review, we searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane database, and Google Scholar to identify articles that evaluated the utility of various tools to predict severe pain and/or opioid consumption in the first 48 hours after cesarean delivery. Thirteen articles were included in the final review: 5 utilizing quantitative sensory testing, including patient responses to pressure, electrical, and thermal stimuli; 1 utilizing hyperalgesia testing; 1 using response to local anesthetic wound infiltration; 4 utilizing preoperative psychometric evaluations including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and simple questionnaires; and 2 utilizing a combination of quantitative sensory tests and psychometric evaluations. A number of modalities demonstrated statistically significant correlations with pain outcomes after cesarean delivery, but most correlations were weak to modest, and many modalities might not be clinically feasible. Response to local anesthetic infiltration and a tool using 3 simple questions enquiring about anxiety and anticipated pain and analgesic needs show potential for clinical

  9. A dose-response relationship for time to bone pain resolution after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) bony metastases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jhaveri, Pavan M. [Dept. of Radiology, Section of Radiation Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (United States); Teh, Bin S.; Paulino, Arnold C.; Blanco, Angel I.; Butler, E. Brian [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, The Methodist Hospital/The Methodist Hospital Research Inst., Houston (United States)], email: bteh@tmhs.org; Lo, Simon S. [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Univ. Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland (United States); Amato, Robert J. [Dept. of Internal Medicine, Div. of Oncology, Univ. of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston (United States)

    2012-05-15

    Background. To investigate the utility of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in the treatment of painful renal cell carcinoma (RCC) bone metastases, and for a possible dose effect on time to symptom relief. Material and methods. Eighteen patients with 24 painful osseous lesions from metastatic RCC were treated with SBRT. The most common treatment regimens were 24 Gy in 3 fractions and 40 Gy in 5 fractions. The times from treatment to first reported pain relief and time to symptom recurrence were evaluated. Median follow-up was 38 weeks (1-156 weeks). Results. Seventy-eight percent of all patients had pain relief. Patients treated with a BED > 85 Gy achieved faster and more durable pain relief compared to those treated with a BED < 85 Gy. There was decrease in time to pain relief after a change in treatment regimen to 8 Gy x 5 fractions (BED = 86). There was only one patient with grade 1 skin toxicity. No neurological or other toxicity was observed. Conclusions. SBRT can safely and effectively treat painful RCC bony metastases. There appears to be a relationship between radiation dose and time to stable pain relief.

  10. PCA and Postoperative Pain Management After Orthopedic Surgeries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.M. Hashemi

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Patients often suffer from inadequate treatment of postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to investigate effect of PCA on postoperative pain management and patients’ satisfaction from use of PCA. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, between 2010 to 2011, patients presented by orthopedic specialists to acute and chronic pain service of Akhtar Hospital. A satisfaction questionnaire was given on discharge to this patients, were asked to fill out it . Then collected by ward nurse. Results: patients’ satisfaction from pain relief with use of PCA was high ( 94.9% . In this patient pain relief at third day after surgery and require analgesic was low, significantly (p=0.0001. Significant patients’ satisfaction from effect of PCA in pain control and products support was high (p=0.0001.     Conclusion: Patient controlled analgesia is a safe, effective and noninvasive method for post operative pain management and in this study patients’ satisfaction for pain management was high for use of PCA and pain service. 

  11. Severity of exercise-induced ischemia with chest pain and recovery from ischemia after the disappearance of chest pain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akutsu, Yasushi; Shinozuka, Akira; Kodama, Yusuke; Li, Hui-Ling; Yamanaka, Hideyuki; Katagiri, Takashi

    2004-01-01

    The severity of exercise-induced painful ischemia and its recovery after the disappearance of pain are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in severity of ischemia at both exercise and postexercise between painful ischemia and painless ischemia. After injections of technetium-99m tetrofosmin at peak ergometer exercise and thallium-201 at 3 minutes postexercise, dual-isotope single photon emission tomography was performed in 78 patients with angiographically proven ischemic heart disease. The extent of ischemic areas (the number of areas), the depth of ischemia in the ischemic area (the severity score of ischemia) and the extension of ischemia toward long axis of the left ventricle (the number of left ventricular levels with ischemic areas in apical, middle, and basal levels) at both exercise and postexercise were compared on the basis of the presence of pain and a history of diabetes mellitus (DM). The symptoms improved within 3 minutes postexercise in all painful ischemia patients. Of 59 patients with reversible ischemia, except for 4 painful ischemia patients with DM, the extent and depth of ischemia at postexercise were more severe in 14 painful ischemia patients without DM and 13 painless ischemia patients with DM than 28 painless ischemia patients without DM (extent; 2.9±1.7 areas, 3.5±2.8 areas versus 1.4±1.8 areas, P=0.005, depth; 3.8±3.1 scores, 5.8±5.4 scores versus 1.9±3.0 scores, P=0.0084, respectively) despite a comparable severity of ischemia at peak exercise (extent; 5.4±2.6 areas, 6.0±2.4 areas versus 4.3±3.3 areas, depth; 9.3±5.7 scores, 10.7±7.3 scores and 7.5±8.1 scores, all NS). The extension of ischemia toward long-axis of the left ventricle at both peak exercise and postexercise was more severe in the former 2 groups than the latter group (peak exercise; 2.4±0.6 levels, 2.5±0.7 levels versus 1.9 ±0.8 levels, P=0.0263, postexercise: 1.8±0.7 levels, 1.5±0.9 levels versus 0.8±0.8 levels, P=0

  12. Increased pain relief with remifentanil does not improve the success rate of external cephalic version: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgos, Jorge; Pijoan, José I; Osuna, Carmen; Cobos, Patricia; Rodriguez, Leire; Centeno, María del Mar; Serna, Rosa; Jimenez, Antonia; Garcia, Eugenia; Fernandez-Llebrez, Luis; Melchor, Juan C

    2016-05-01

    Our objective was to compare the effect of two pain relief methods (remifentanil vs. nitrous oxide) on the success rate of external cephalic version. We conducted a randomized open label parallel-group controlled single-center clinical trial with sequential design, at Cruces University Hospital, Spain. Singleton pregnancies in noncephalic presentation at term that were referred for external cephalic version were assigned according to a balanced (1:1) restricted randomization scheme to analgesic treatment with remifentanil or nitrous oxide during the procedure. The primary endpoint was external cephalic version success rate. Secondary endpoints were adverse event rate, degree of pain, cesarean rate and perinatal outcomes. The trial was stopped early after the second interim analysis due to a very low likelihood of finding substantial differences in efficacy (futility). The external cephalic version success rate was the same in the two arms (31/60, 51.7%) with 120 women recruited, 60 in each arm. The mean pain score was significantly lower in the remifentanil group (3.2 ± 2.4 vs. 6.0 ± 2.3; p external cephalic version-related complications. There was a trend toward a higher frequency of adverse effects in the remifentanil group (18.3% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.10), with a significantly higher incidence rate (21.7 events/100 women vs. 6.7 events/100 women with nitrous oxide, p = 0.03). All reported adverse events were mild and reversible. Remifentanil for analgesia decreased external cephalic version-related pain but did not increase the success rate of external cephalic version at term and appeared to be associated with an increased frequency of mild adverse effects. © 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  13. Self- Reported Comorbid Pains in Severe Headaches or Migraines in a US National Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plesh, Octavia; Adams, Sally H; Gansky, Stuart A

    2012-01-01

    Aims To compare prevalence of self-reported comorbid temporomandibular joint muscle disorder (TMJMD)-type, neck, back and joint pains in people with severe headache or migraine; analyze these self-reported pains in the 2000–2005 US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) by gender and age for Non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Blacks (African Americans). Methods NHIS data included information on gender, age, race, ethnicity, health status, and common pain types: severe headache or migraine, TMJMD-type, neck, and low back in the last 3 months, as well as prior month joint pains. Analyses included survey prevalence estimation and survey logistic regression to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results 189,967 adults, 48% males, 52% females; 73% White, 12% Hispanic, and 11% Black were included. 29,712 (15%) of the entire sample reported severe headache or migraine, 19,228 (64%) had severe headache or migraine with at least one comorbid pain. 10,200 (33%) reported 2 or more comorbid pains, with no gender difference, and with Hispanics (n=1,847 or 32%) and Blacks (n=1,301 or 30%) less likely to report 2 or more comorbid pains than Whites (n=6,747 or 34%) (OR=0.91, p=0.032; OR=0.82, pheadache or migraine is often associated with other common pains, seldom existing alone. Two or more comorbid pains are common, similarly affecting gender and racial/ethnic groups. PMID:22553936

  14. Randomized clinical trial of dexketoprofen/tramadol 25 mg/75 mg in moderate-to-severe pain after total hip arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McQuay, H J; Moore, R A; Berta, A; Gainutdinovs, O; Fülesdi, B; Porvaneckas, N; Petronis, S; Mitkovic, M; Bucsi, L; Samson, L; Zegunis, V; Ankin, M L; Bertolotti, M; Pizà-Vallespir, B; Cuadripani, S; Contini, M P; Nizzardo, A

    2016-02-01

    The aim was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of the dexketoprofen/tramadol 25 mg/75 mg fixed-dose combination vs dexketoprofen (25 mg) and tramadol (100 mg) in moderate-to-severe acute pain after total hip arthroplasty. This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study in patients experiencing pain of at least moderate intensity on the day after surgery, compared with placebo at first administration to validate the pain model. The study drug was administered orally every 8 h throughout a 5 day period. Rescue medication, metamizole 500 mg, was available during the treatment period. The evaluation of efficacy was based on patient assessments of pain intensity and pain relief. The primary end point was the mean sum of the pain intensity difference values throughout the first 8 h (SPID8). Overall, 641 patients, mean age 62 (range 29-80) yr, were analysed; mean (sd) values of SPID8 were 247 (157) for dexketoprofen/tramadol, 209 (155) for dexketoprofen, 205 (146) for tramadol, and 151 (159) for placebo. The primary analysis confirmed the superiority of the combination over dexketoprofen 25 mg (P=0.019; 95% confidence interval 6.4-73) and tramadol 100 mg (P=0.012; 95% confidence interval 9.5-76). The single components were superior to placebo (P<0.05), confirming model sensitivity. Most secondary analyses supported the superiority of the combination. The incidence of adverse drug reactions was low and similar among active treatment groups. The efficacy results confirmed the superiority of dexketoprofen/tramadol over its single components, even at higher doses (tramadol), with a safety profile fully in line with that previously known for these agents in monotherapy. EudraCT 2012-004548-31 (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=eudract_number:2012-004548-31);ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01902134 (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01902134?term=NCT01902134&rank=1). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on

  15. Children's pain perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esteve, R; Marquina-Aponte, V

    2012-05-01

    Previous studies on children's pain perspectives remain limited to English-speaking populations. An exploratory cross-sectional descriptive design was used to investigate the developmental progression of children's pain perspectives, including their pain experience, its definition and attributes, causality and coping. The Children's Pain Perspectives Inventory was applied to 180 healthy Spanish children. A coding system was developed following the content analysis method. Three age groups were compared: 4-6 years, corresponding to the Piagetian pre-operational stage of cognitive development; 7-11 years, corresponding to stage of concrete operations; and 12-14 years, corresponding to the period of early formal operations. In children between 4 and 6, the predominant narratives related to physical injuries, the notion of causality and the definition of pain. In children between 7 and 11, the predominant narratives were those in which pain was described as a sensation in one part of the body. The view of pain as having an emotional basis significantly increased with age and was more frequent in adolescents. In contrast, children between 4-6 and 7-11 indicated that pain occurs spontaneously. The denial of any positive aspects of pain significantly decreased with age; some children between 7 and 11 referred to the 'possibility of relief', while the view that pain is a 'learning experience' was significantly more frequent among adolescents aged between 12 and 14 years. The use of cognitive strategies to control pain significantly increased with age. Between 12 and 14 years of age, adolescents communicate pain by non-verbal behaviour and reported that they do not express demands for relief. There was a progression from concrete to more complex notions of pain as age increased. These results may be of use to health professionals and parents to understand how children at various developmental stages express and cope with pain and to develop tools that effectively assess and

  16. Efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis: experiences from a retrospective East German bicenter study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis. Methods We assessed the medical records of 1037 patients with painful gonarthritis who had undergone low-dose radiotherapy between 1981 and 2008. The subjective patient perception of the response to irradiation as graded immediately or up to two months after the completion of a radiotherapy series was evaluated and correlated with age, gender, radiological grading and the duration of symptoms before radiotherapy. Moreover, we performed a mail survey to obtain additional long-term follow-up information and received one hundred and six evaluable questionnaires. Results We assessed 1659 series of radiotherapy in 1037 patients. In 79.3% of the cases the patients experienced a slight, marked or complete pain relief immediately or up to two months after the completion of radiotherapy. Gender, age and the duration of pain before radiotherapy did not have a significant influence on the response to irradiation. In contrast, severe signs of osteoarthritis were associated with more effective pain relief. In more than 50% of the patients who reported a positive response to irradiation a sustained period of symptomatic improvement was observed. Conclusions Our results confirm that low-dose radiotherapy is an effective treatment for painful osteoarthritis of the knee. In contrast to an earlier retrospective study, severe signs of osteoarthritis constituted a positive prognostic factor for the response to irradiation. A randomized trial is urgently required to compare radiotherapy with other treatment modalities. PMID:23369282

  17. Efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis: experiences from a retrospective East German bicenter study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keller Stephanie

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis. Methods We assessed the medical records of 1037 patients with painful gonarthritis who had undergone low-dose radiotherapy between 1981 and 2008. The subjective patient perception of the response to irradiation as graded immediately or up to two months after the completion of a radiotherapy series was evaluated and correlated with age, gender, radiological grading and the duration of symptoms before radiotherapy. Moreover, we performed a mail survey to obtain additional long-term follow-up information and received one hundred and six evaluable questionnaires. Results We assessed 1659 series of radiotherapy in 1037 patients. In 79.3% of the cases the patients experienced a slight, marked or complete pain relief immediately or up to two months after the completion of radiotherapy. Gender, age and the duration of pain before radiotherapy did not have a significant influence on the response to irradiation. In contrast, severe signs of osteoarthritis were associated with more effective pain relief. In more than 50% of the patients who reported a positive response to irradiation a sustained period of symptomatic improvement was observed. Conclusions Our results confirm that low-dose radiotherapy is an effective treatment for painful osteoarthritis of the knee. In contrast to an earlier retrospective study, severe signs of osteoarthritis constituted a positive prognostic factor for the response to irradiation. A randomized trial is urgently required to compare radiotherapy with other treatment modalities.

  18. Efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis: experiences from a retrospective East German bicenter study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keller, Stephanie; Müller, Klaus; Kortmann, Rolf-Dieter; Wolf, Ulrich; Hildebrandt, Guido; Liebmann, André; Micke, Oliver; Flemming, Gert; Baaske, Dieter

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy in painful gonarthritis. We assessed the medical records of 1037 patients with painful gonarthritis who had undergone low-dose radiotherapy between 1981 and 2008. The subjective patient perception of the response to irradiation as graded immediately or up to two months after the completion of a radiotherapy series was evaluated and correlated with age, gender, radiological grading and the duration of symptoms before radiotherapy. Moreover, we performed a mail survey to obtain additional long-term follow-up information and received one hundred and six evaluable questionnaires. We assessed 1659 series of radiotherapy in 1037 patients. In 79.3% of the cases the patients experienced a slight, marked or complete pain relief immediately or up to two months after the completion of radiotherapy. Gender, age and the duration of pain before radiotherapy did not have a significant influence on the response to irradiation. In contrast, severe signs of osteoarthritis were associated with more effective pain relief. In more than 50% of the patients who reported a positive response to irradiation a sustained period of symptomatic improvement was observed. Our results confirm that low-dose radiotherapy is an effective treatment for painful osteoarthritis of the knee. In contrast to an earlier retrospective study, severe signs of osteoarthritis constituted a positive prognostic factor for the response to irradiation. A randomized trial is urgently required to compare radiotherapy with other treatment modalities

  19. Type and severity of pain during phonation in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Lierde, Kristiane M; Dijckmans, Joke; Scheffel, Lara; Behlau, Mara

    2012-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the presence, frequency, and intensity of pain during speaking in professional voice users and nonvocal professionals and to determine if the presence of pain is significantly related with the profile of the professional voice user. Based on the available literature, significantly more pain symptoms in professional voice users can be hypothesized. Sample survey. To characterize the presence, type, and degree of pain symptoms during speaking, a questionnaire was used. Pain severity was measured by means of a numerical rating scale. Fifty-five (176/320) percent of the nonvocal professionals and 84% (698/832) of the professional voice users mentioned the presence of one or more pain symptoms during speaking. Throat pain was mentioned as the most common pain in both the professional and nonvocal professional voice users. The professional voice users showed significantly more throat, neck, shoulder, headache, ear, and back pain. Moreover, the intensity of throat pain was significantly increased in the professional voice users. This study showed evidence that several types of pain are present with significantly greater frequency in professional voice users. Vocal screening strategies, diagnostic, and treatment protocols should include the assessment of the type and severity of pain. Currently, the voice clinic is working on improving the diagnostic protocol with the objective of defining the combination of tests, which best diagnose voice problems and related complaints and which evaluate progress in vocal characteristics and pain after rehabilitation. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Botulinum Toxin Type A for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Neuro-Rehabilitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domenico Intiso

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Pain is a natural protective mechanism and has a warning function signaling imminent or actual tissue damage. Neuropathic pain (NP results from a dysfunction and derangement in the transmission and signal processing along the nervous system and it is a recognized disease in itself. The prevalence of NP is estimated to be between 6.9% and 10% in the general population. This condition can complicate the recovery from stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord lesions, and several neuropathies promoting persistent disability and poor quality of life. Subjects suffering from NP describe it as burning, itching, lancing, and numbness, but hyperalgesia and allodynia represent the most bothersome symptoms. The management of NP is a clinical challenge and several non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been proposed with variable benefits. Botulinum toxin (BTX as an adjunct to other interventions can be a useful therapeutic tool for the treatment of disabled people. Although BTX-A is predominantly used to reduce spasticity in a neuro-rehabilitation setting, it has been used in several painful conditions including disorders characterized by NP. The underlying pharmacological mechanisms that operate in reducing pain are still unclear and include blocking nociceptor transduction, the reduction of neurogenic inflammation by inhibiting neural substances and neurotransmitters, and the prevention of peripheral and central sensitization. Some neurological disorders requiring rehabilitative intervention can show neuropathic pain resistant to common analgesic treatment. This paper addresses the effect of BTX-A in treating NP that complicates frequent disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system such as spinal cord injury, post-stroke shoulder pain, and painful diabetic neuropathy, which are commonly managed in a rehabilitation setting. Furthermore, BTX-A has an effect in relief pain that may characterize less common neurological disorders

  1. Botulinum Toxin Type A for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain in Neuro-Rehabilitation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intiso, Domenico; Basciani, Mario; Santamato, Andrea; Intiso, Marta; Di Rienzo, Filomena

    2015-01-01

    Pain is a natural protective mechanism and has a warning function signaling imminent or actual tissue damage. Neuropathic pain (NP) results from a dysfunction and derangement in the transmission and signal processing along the nervous system and it is a recognized disease in itself. The prevalence of NP is estimated to be between 6.9% and 10% in the general population. This condition can complicate the recovery from stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord lesions, and several neuropathies promoting persistent disability and poor quality of life. Subjects suffering from NP describe it as burning, itching, lancing, and numbness, but hyperalgesia and allodynia represent the most bothersome symptoms. The management of NP is a clinical challenge and several non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been proposed with variable benefits. Botulinum toxin (BTX) as an adjunct to other interventions can be a useful therapeutic tool for the treatment of disabled people. Although BTX-A is predominantly used to reduce spasticity in a neuro-rehabilitation setting, it has been used in several painful conditions including disorders characterized by NP. The underlying pharmacological mechanisms that operate in reducing pain are still unclear and include blocking nociceptor transduction, the reduction of neurogenic inflammation by inhibiting neural substances and neurotransmitters, and the prevention of peripheral and central sensitization. Some neurological disorders requiring rehabilitative intervention can show neuropathic pain resistant to common analgesic treatment. This paper addresses the effect of BTX-A in treating NP that complicates frequent disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system such as spinal cord injury, post-stroke shoulder pain, and painful diabetic neuropathy, which are commonly managed in a rehabilitation setting. Furthermore, BTX-A has an effect in relief pain that may characterize less common neurological disorders including post

  2. Nucleoplasty for treating lumbar disk degenerative low back pain: an outcome prediction analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliang PC

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Po-Chou Liliang,1 Kang Lu,1 Cheng-Loong Liang,1 Ya-Wen Chen,2,3 Yu-Duan Tsai,1 Yuan-Kun Tu4 1Department of Neurosurgery, E-Da Hospital, 2Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, 3School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, 4Department of Orthopedic Surgery, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Purpose: Nucleoplasty is a minimally invasive technique that is considered efficacious in alleviating lumbar disk degenerative low back pain (LBP. The efficacy of nucleoplasty and identified variables that can predict pain relief for nucleoplasty was reported. Patients and methods: Between December 2013 and November 2015, 47 nucleoplasty procedures on 47 lumbar disks in 31 consecutive patients were performed. The outcome was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS score. Improvements of ≥50% in VAS scores were considered substantial pain relief. The variables associated with pain relief after nucleoplasty included: 1 age; 2 sex; 3 body mass index; 4 hyperintensity zone at the rear of the disk; 5 hypointensity of the disk; 6 Modic changes of the end plates; 7 spinal instability pain; and 8 discography results. Results: Twenty-one patients (67.7% experienced substantial pain relief. The most common side effects following nucleoplasty were soreness at the needle puncture site (64.5%, numbness in the lower leg (12.9%, and increased intensity of back pain (9.7%. All side effects were transient. Multivariate analysis revealed that the discography results were the most critical predictor for substantial pain relief of nucleoplasty (P=0.03. The sensitivity and specificity of discography were 92.8% and 62.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Discography results could improve the success rate of nucleoplasty in the treatment of disk degenerative LBP. Keywords: low back pain, lumbar disk degenerative, nucleoplasty, discography 

  3. Efficacy, tolerability, and safety of non-pharmacological therapies for chronic pain: An umbrella review on various CAM approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houzé, Bérengère; El-Khatib, Héjar; Arbour, Caroline

    2017-10-03

    Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies may be used as a non-pharmacological approach to chronic pain management. While hundreds of trials about individual CAM modality have been conducted, a comprehensive overview of their results is currently lacking for pain clinicians and researchers. This umbrella review synthesized the quality of meta-analytic evidence supporting the efficacy, tolerability and safety of CAM therapies for the management of chronic pain. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were searched from October 1991 to November 2016. Reviews of clinical trials (randomized and non-randomized) with meta-analysis investigating the utility of any CAM modality for chronic pain were eligible. Pain relief post-intervention was the main outcome and secondary outcomes included patients' adherence and incidence of adverse effects during CAM protocol. Twenty-six reviews (207 clinical trials, >12,000 participants) about 18 CAM modalities, falling under natural products, mind and body practices or other complementary health approaches were included. Inhaled cannabis, graded motor imagery, and Compound Kushen injection (a form of Chinese medicine) were found the most efficient (with moderate-to-high effect sizes and low heterogeneity) and tolerable (≥80% of adherence to study protocols) for chronic pain relief. When reported, adverse effects related to these CAM were minor. Although several CAM were found effective for chronic pain relief, it remains unclear when these modalities are a reasonable choice against or in conjunction with mainstream treatments. In that sense, future research with a clear emphasis on concurrent evaluation of CAM overall efficacy and patient adherence/tolerance is needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. First do no harm: pain relief for the peripheral venous cannulation of adults, a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, Mary; Crathorne, Louise; Peters, Jaime; Coelho, Helen; Haasova, Marcela; Cooper, Chris; Milner, Quentin; Shawyer, Vicki; Hyde, Christopher; Powell, Roy

    2016-10-01

    Peripheral venous cannulation is an everyday practice in hospitals, which many adults find painful. However, anaesthesia for cannulation is usually only offered to children. Inadequate pain relief is not only unpleasant for patients but may cause anxiety about further treatment and deter patients from seeking medical care in the future. The aim of this study is to discover the most effective local anaesthetic for adult peripheral venous cannulation and to find out how the pain of local anaesthetic application compares with that of unattenuated cannulation. These aims are addressed through a systematic review, network meta-analysis and random-effects meta-analysis. Searching covered 12 databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE from 1990 to August 2015. The main included study design was RCTs. The primary outcome measure is self-reported pain, measured on a 100 mm visual analogue scale. The systematic review found 37 includable studies, 27 of which were suitable for network meta-analysis and two for random-effects meta-analysis. The results of the network meta-analysis indicate that none of the 17 anaesthetic considered had a very high probability of being the most effective when compared to each other; 2 % lidocaine had the highest probability (44 %). When the anaesthetics were compared to no treatment, the network meta-analysis showed that again 2 % lidocaine was estimated to be the most effective (mean difference -25.42 (95 % CI -32.25, -18.57). Other members of the 'caine' family were also estimated to be more effective than no treatment as were Ametop ® , EMLA ® and Rapydan ® patch. The meta-analysis compared the pain of anaesthetic application with the unattenuated pain of cannulation. This found that all applications of local anaesthetic were less painful than cannulation without local anaesthetic. In particular a 1 % lidocaine injection was estimated to be -12.97 (95 % CI -15.71, -10.24) points (100 mm VAS) less painful than unattenuated cannulation

  5. Web-based nursing intervention for self-management of pain after cardiac surgery: pilot randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martorella, Géraldine; Côté, José; Racine, Mélanie; Choinière, Manon

    2012-12-14

    Most adults undergoing cardiac surgery suffer from moderate to severe pain for up to 6 days after surgery. Individual barriers and attitudes regarding pain and its relief make patients reluctant to report their pain and ask for analgesic medication, which results in inadequate pain management. More innovative educational interventions for postoperative pain relief are needed. We developed a Web-based nursing intervention to influence patient's involvement in postoperative pain management. The intervention (SOULAGE-TAVIE) includes a preoperative 30-minute Web-based session and 2 brief face-to-face postoperative booster sessions. The Web application generates reflective activities and tailored educational messages according to patients' beliefs and attitudes. The messages are transmitted through videos of a virtual nurse, animations, stories, and texts. The aim of this single-blinded pilot randomized trial was to investigate the preliminary effects of a virtual nursing intervention (SOULAGE-TAVIE) to improve pain relief in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Participants (N = 60) were adults scheduled for their first cardiac surgery. They were randomly assigned to the experimental group using SOULAGE-TAVIE (n = 30) or the control group using usual care, including an educational pamphlet and postoperative follow-up (n = 30). Data were collected through questionnaires at the time of admission and from day 1 to day 7 after surgery with the help of a blinded research assistant. Outcomes were pain intensity, pain interference with daily activities, patients' pain barriers, tendency to catastrophize in face of pain, and analgesic consumption. The two groups were comparable at baseline across all demographic measures. Results revealed that patients in the experimental group did not experience less intense pain, but they reported significantly less pain interference when breathing/coughing (P = .04). A severe pain interference with breathing/coughing (pain ranked ≥ 7

  6. Pain affecting procedures in non-resectable pancreatic carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plachkov, I; Chernopolski, P; Bozhkov, V; Madjov, R

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is third most common cancer of the gastrointestinal tract in Bulgaria, accouting for 11, 6% in 2008. The leading symptom in patients with pancreatic cancer is the pain. The pain can be related with neoplasms and their metastasis. We should use all kind of resourses for pain relief: conventional drugs (according to the three steps strategy of WHO), interventional or surgical procedures. To present the interventional and surgical techniques in our practice and to share our experience for pain control in patients with nonresectable pancreatic cancer to improve their quality of life. In a seven year period (2004-2011) we performed 59 thoracoscopic splanhnicectomies/30--bilateral/ 4 intraoperative resections of celiac ganglion, 25 CT--control celiac plexus neurolysis and 90 cases pain relief with epidural analgesia. Concerning the quality of life we applied a questionnaire of a spannish medical center " City of Hope" adapted for patients with cancer and the level of pain with visual analogue scale VAS. The long-term duration of the pain relief technique depends on applied technic, of cancer invasion and of the technic itself. The technique with the longest effect are the intraoperative celiac ganglion removal and the bilateral thoracoscopic splanhnicectomy. On the other hand the shortest effect we report the celiac plexus neurolysis, and the epudural analgesia. These data are in correlation with the reduction of the pain shown using VAS thus improving the quality of life. The surgical and interventional methods for control of cancer pain have their own collocation improving the quality of life of these patients. New strategies for the pain control are need in the future.

  7. Pain relief is associated with decreasing postural sway in patients with non-specific low back pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruhe, Alexander; Fejer, René; Walker, Bruce

    2012-03-21

    Increased postural sway is well documented in patients suffering from non-specific low back pain, whereby a linear relationship between higher pain intensities and increasing postural sway has been described. No investigation has been conducted to evaluate whether this relationship is maintained if pain levels change in adults with non-specific low back pain. Thirty-eight patients with non-specific low back pain and a matching number of healthy controls were enrolled. Postural sway was measured by three identical static bipedal standing tasks of 90 sec duration with eyes closed in narrow stance on a firm surface. The perceived pain intensity was assessed by a numeric rating scale (NRS-11). The patients received three manual interventions (e.g. manipulation, mobilization or soft tissue techniques) at 3-4 day intervals, postural sway measures were obtained at each occasion. A clinically relevant decrease of four NRS scores in associated with manual interventions correlated with a significant decrease in postural sway. In contrast, if no clinically relevant change in intensity occurred (≤ 1 level), postural sway remained similar compared to baseline. The postural sway measures obtained at follow-up sessions 2 and 3 associated with specific NRS level showed no significant differences compared to reference values for the same pain score. Alterations in self-reported pain intensities are closely related to changes in postural sway. The previously reported linear relationship between the two variables is maintained as pain levels change. Pain interference appears responsible for the altered sway in pain sufferers. This underlines the clinical use of sway measures as an objective monitoring tool during treatment or rehabilitation.

  8. Meta-Analysis of Massage Therapy on Cancer Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sook-Hyun; Kim, Jong-Yeop; Yeo, Sujung; Kim, Sung-Hoon; Lim, Sabina

    2015-07-01

    Cancer pain is the most common complaint among patients with cancer. Conventional treatment does not always relieve cancer pain satisfactorily. Therefore, many patients with cancer have turned to complementary therapies to help them with their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Massage therapy is increasingly used for symptom relief in patients with cancer. The current study aimed to investigate by meta-analysis the effects of massage therapy for cancer patients experiencing pain. Nine electronic databases were systematically searched for studies published through August 2013 in English, Chinese, and Korean. Methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Cochrane risk-of-bias scales. Twelve studies, including 559 participants, were used in the meta-analysis. In 9 high-quality studies based on the PEDro scale (standardized mean difference, -1.24; 95% confidence interval, -1.72 to -0.75), we observed reduction in cancer pain after massage. Massage therapy significantly reduced cancer pain compared with no massage treatment or conventional care (standardized mean difference, -1.25; 95% confidence interval, -1.63 to -0.87). Our results indicate that massage is effective for the relief of cancer pain, especially for surgery-related pain. Among the various types of massage, foot reflexology appeared to be more effective than body or aroma massage. Our meta-analysis indicated a beneficial effect of massage for relief of cancer pain. Further well-designed, large studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to be able to draw firmer conclusions regarding the effectiveness. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Immersive Virtual Reality for Pediatric Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Won, Andrea Stevenson; Bailey, Jakki; Bailenson, Jeremy; Tataru, Christine; Yoon, Isabel A.; Golianu, Brenda

    2017-01-01

    Children must often endure painful procedures as part of their treatment for various medical conditions. Those with chronic pain endure frequent or constant discomfort in their daily lives, sometimes severely limiting their physical capacities. With the advent of affordable consumer-grade equipment, clinicians have access to a promising and engaging intervention for pediatric pain, both acute and chronic. In addition to providing relief from acute and procedural pain, virtual reality (VR) may also help to provide a corrective psychological and physiological environment to facilitate rehabilitation for pediatric patients suffering from chronic pain. The special qualities of VR such as presence, interactivity, customization, social interaction, and embodiment allow it to be accepted by children and adolescents and incorporated successfully into their existing medical therapies. However, the powerful and transformative nature of many VR experiences may also pose some risks and should be utilized with caution. In this paper, we review recent literature in pediatric virtual reality for procedural pain and anxiety, acute and chronic pain, and some rehabilitation applications. We also discuss the practical considerations of using VR in pediatric care, and offer specific suggestions and information for clinicians wishing to adopt these engaging therapies into their daily clinical practice. PMID:28644422

  10. Dynamic Changes in Nociception and Pain Perception After Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Neuropathic Pain Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biurrun Manresa, José A; Sörensen, Jan; Andersen, Ole K; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars; Gerdle, Björn

    2015-12-01

    Patients with an implanted spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system for pain management present an opportunity to study dynamic changes in the pain system in a situation where patients are not stimulated (ie, experiencing severe pain) compared with a situation in which patients have just been stimulated (ie, pain free or greatly reduced pain). The aims of this study were (1) to determine if there are differences in nociceptive withdrawal reflex thresholds (NWR-T) and electrical pain thresholds (EP-T) before and after SCS; and (2) to establish if these differences are related to psychological factors associated with chronic pain. Seventeen volunteers with chronic neuropathic pain participated in the experiment. Electrical stimuli were applied to assess the NWR-T and the EP-T. In addition, psychological factors (ie, pain characteristics, depression, anxiety, and disability indexes) were also recorded. The NWR-T and EP-T were assessed with the SCS system off (at least 8 h before the experiment), and then reassessed 1 hour after the SCS system was turned on. Ongoing pain intensity ratings decreased (P=0.018), whereas the NWR-T increased (P=0.028) after the SCS was turned on, whereas no significant difference was found for EP-T (P=0.324). Psychological factors were significant predictors for EP-T but not for NWR-T. The results of this study suggest that pain relief after SCS is partially mediated by a decrease in the excitability of dorsal horn neurons in the spinal cord.

  11. Adipokine hormones and hand osteoarthritis: radiographic severity and pain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei Massengale

    Full Text Available Obesity's association with hand osteoarthritis cannot be fully explained by mechanical loading. We examined the relationship between adipokines and radiographic hand osteoarthritis severity and pain.In a pilot study of 44 hand osteoarthritis patients (39 women and 5 men, serum adipokine concentrations and hand x-ray Kallman-scores were analyzed using linear regression models. Secondary analyses examined correlates of hand pain.The cohort had a mean age of 63.5 years for women and 72.6 for men; mean (standard deviation Kallman-scores were 43.3(17.4 for women and 46.2(10.8 for men. Mean body-mass-index was 30 kg/m(2 for women and men. Mean leptin concentration was 32.2 ng/ml (women and 18.5 ng/ml (men; mean adiponectin-total was 7.9 ng/ml (women and 5.3 ng/ml (men; mean resistin was 7.3 ng/ml (women and 9.4 ng/ml (men. No association was found between Kallman-scores and adipokine concentrations (R(2 = 0.00-0.04 unadjusted analysis, all p-values>0.22. Secondary analyses showed mean visual-analog-scale pain of 4.8(2.4 for women and 6.6(0.9 for men. Leptin, BMI, and history of coronary artery disease were found to be associated with visual-analog-scale scores for chronic hand pain (R(2 = 0.36 unadjusted analysis, p-values≤0.04.In this pilot study, we found that adipokine serum concentrations were not associated with hand osteoarthritis radiographic severity; the most important correlates of joint damage were age and disease duration. Leptin serum concentration, BMI, and coronary artery disease were associated with the intensity of chronic hand OA pain.

  12. Recurrent severe abdominal pain in the pediatric patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Homme, James L; Foster, Ashley A

    2014-05-01

    Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is a blockage occurring at the junction of the ureter and the renal pelvis. Pediatric patients with UPJO pose a diagnostic challenge when they present to the emergency department (ED) with severe recurrent abdominal pain if there is not a level of suspicion for this condition. Our aim was to review presentation of UPJO to the ED, methods of diagnosis, and treatment of this common but often overlooked condition. We report on 2 patients, a 9-year-old and 3-year-old, who had multiple presentations to health care providers and the ED with intermittent and recurrent abdominal pain. Subsequent testing, including ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) with diuretic-recreated symptoms, revealed UPJO. Open pyeloplasty was performed, resulting in complete resolution of symptoms. UPJO is an important diagnosis to consider when patients present to the ED with recurrent abdominal pain. US can be helpful in suspecting the diagnosis, but often CT, magnetic resonance urography, or diuretic scintigraphy is required for confirmation. Diuretics can be used to aid diagnostic testing by reproducing abdominal pain at the time of imaging. Referral to a urologist for open pyeloplasty is definitive treatment for this condition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Perna canaliculus Lipid Complex PCSO-524™ Demonstrated Pain Relief for Osteoarthritis Patients Benchmarked against Fish Oil, a Randomized Trial, without Placebo Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacek Szechinski

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Osteoarthritis (OA typically generates pain, reduced mobility and reduced quality of life. Most conventional treatments for osteoarthritis, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs and simple analgesics, have side effects. PCSO-524™, a non polar lipid extract from the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and has been shown to reduce inflammation in both animal studies and patient trials. This OA trial examined pain relief changes in relation to quality of life and safety of use for OA patients who took PCSO-524™ compared with patients who took fish oil (containing an industry standard EPA-18% and DHA-12% blend. PCSO-524™ patients showed a statistically significant improvement compared with patients who took fish oil. There was an 89% decrease in their pain symptoms and 91% reported an improved quality of life. Patients treated with fish oil showed significantly less improvement and a greater level of physical discomfort during the study. These results suggest that PCSO-524™ might offer a potential alternative complementary therapy with no side effects for OA patients.

  14. Efficacy of the use of two simultaneously TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauretti, Gabriela Rocha; Chubaci, Eliana Fazuoli; Mattos, Anita Leocadia

    2013-08-01

    Fibromyalgia is characterized by a range of symptoms that include muscle pain, fatigue and sleep disorders. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an established method for pain relief. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of two simultaneously new TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain. After Ethics approval and informed consent, 39 patients were prospectively divided into three groups to evaluate TENS device, applied simultaneously in each patient: (1) at the lower back (perpendicular to the vertebrae canal, at the level of the 5th lumbar vertebrae) and (2) centrally above and below the space between the C7 and T1 spinous processes. The devices were applied for 20 min at 12-h interval during 7 consecutive days. For the placebo group (PG), the devices did not transmitted electrical stimulus. The single-TENS group (STG) (n = 13) had one active and one placebo TENS. The DTG applied both active TENS devices at the low back and cervical areas. Diclofenac was used as rescue analgesic. The efficacy measures were pain relief, reduction in use of daily analgesic tablets, quality of sleep and fatigue. The evaluation within groups revealed that patients from DPG refereed no pain relief when compared to their previous VAS pain score (8 cm, p > 0.05), while patients from the STG refereed improvement of 2.5 cm in the pain VAS (previous 8.5 cm compared to 6 cm after treatment) (p pain (previous 8.5-4.3 cm) (p STG > PG (p TENS improved pain relief in fibromyalgia pain, pain and fatigue were further improved when two active devices were simultaneously applied at the low back and cervical area, with no side effects.

  15. Dimethyl sulfoxide-sodium bicarbonate infusion for palliative care and pain relief in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang, Ba X; Le, Bao T; Tran, Hau D; Hoang, Cuong; Tran, Hung Q; Tran, Dao M; Pham, Cu Q; Pham, Tuan D; Ha, Trung V; Bui, Nga T; Shaw, D Graeme

    2011-01-01

    Prostate cancer (adenocarcinoma of the prostate) is the most widespread cancer in men. It causes significant suffering and mortality due to metastatic disease. The main therapy for metastatic prostate cancer (MPC) includes androgen manipulation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and/or radioisotopes. However, these therapeutic approaches are considered palliative at this stage, and their significant side effects can cause further decline in patients' quality of life and increase non-cancer-related morbidity/mortality. In this study, the authors have used the infusion of dimethyl sulfoxide-sodium bicarbonate (DMSO-SB) to treat 18 patients with MPC. The 90-day follow-up of the patients having undergone the proposed therapeutic regimen showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms, blood and biochemistry tests, and quality of life. There were no major side effects from the treatment. In searching for new and better methods for palliative treatment and pain relief, this study strongly suggested therapy with DMSO-SB infusions could provide a rational alternative to conventional treatment for patients with MPC.

  16. Comparing the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Hypnosis Therapy Pain Self-Efficacy and Pain Severity in Girls with Primary Dysmenorrhea

    OpenAIRE

    F Farshbaf Manei Sefat; A Abolghasemi; U Barahmand; N Hajloo

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT   Background & aim: Menstruation as an important issue in adolescence and menstrual pain is a common problem in adolescents. Regarding the relationship between pain severity and  pain self-efficacy, this study aimed to investigate and compare the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnosis therapy on pain and pain self-efficacy in girls with primary dysmenorrhea.   Methods: The method of research is Quasi experimental and research design is pretes...

  17. Pain relief is associated with decreasing postural sway in patients with non-specific low back pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruhe, A.; Fejer, René; Walker, B.

    2012-01-01

    is maintained if pain levels change in adults with non-specific low back pain. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with non-specific low back pain and a matching number of healthy controls were enrolled. Postural sway was measured by three identical static bipedal standing tasks of 90 sec duration with eyes closed......Background: Increased postural sway is well documented in patients suffering from non-specific low back pain, whereby a linear relationship between higher pain intensities and increasing postural sway has been described. No investigation has been conducted to evaluate whether this relationship...... in narrow stance on a firm surface. The perceived pain intensity was assessed by a numeric rating scale (NRS 11). The patients received three manual interventions (e. g. manipulation, mobilization or soft tissue techniques) at 3-4 day intervals, postural sway measures were obtained at each occasion. Results...

  18. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for chronic low back pain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W.T.M. Enthoven (Wendy); P.D.D.M. Roelofs (Pepijn); R.A. Deyo (Richard); M.W. van Tulder (Maurits); B.W. Koes (Bart)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Chronic back pain is an important health problem. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used to treat people with low back pain, especially people with acute back pain. Short term NSAID use is also recommended for pain relief in people with chronic back

  19. Tramadol-Paracetamol Combination for Postoperative Pain Relief in Elective Single-level Microdisectomy Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dogar, Samie A; Khan, Fauzia A

    2017-04-01

    The tramadol and paracetamol combination is used frequently for postoperative pain management. The literature on the use of this combination for vertebral surgery is limited. Our objective was to compare a combination of paracetamol 1 g and a lower dose of tramadol (1 mg/kg: group 1T) with a combination of paracetamol 1 g and a higher dose of tramadol (1.5 mg/kg: group 1.5T) for postoperative pain after microdisectomy surgery. Our main outcome measure was Visual Analogue Scale pain scores for 4 hours postoperatively. This prospective randomized triple-blind clinical trial was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Ninety-four patients aged between 18 and 50 years scheduled for elective single-level microdisectomy were allocated randomly into 1 of 2 groups. Twenty minutes before the end of the surgery, patients received the study drugs. There was no significant demographic difference between groups. None of the patients experienced severe pain (VAS>6). There was no significant difference in the mean pain score between groups. The mean score at 4 hours was 2.17 (1.38) in group 1.5T and 1.74 (1.37) in group 1T. The difference was not statistically significant (P=0.14). In group 1.5T, 13 patients reported having nausea and vomiting compared with 2 patients in group 1T. This was a statistically significant difference (P=0.004). The sedation score was similar between groups. The combination of low-dose tramadol (1 mg/kg) and paracetamol has comparable analgesia and a decreased incidence of nausea and vomiting compared with the higher dose of tramadol (1.5 mg/kg) and paracetamol combination.

  20. The effect of lumbosacral manipulation on growing pains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dawid de Beer

    2015-06-01

    Conclusion: The results from this study, specifically the feedback from parent(s/guardians(s and the pain diaries, indicated that spinal manipulation is beneficial in the treatment of growing pains. The results also showed that other methods of treating growing pains, such as simple leg rubs, may also bring relief.

  1. Behavioural treatment for chronic low-back pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henschke, Nicholas; Ostelo, Raymond Wjg; van Tulder, Maurits W; Vlaeyen, Johan Ws; Morley, Stephen; Assendelft, Willem Jj; Main, Chris J

    2010-07-07

    Behavioural treatment is commonly used in the management of chronic low-back pain (CLBP) to reduce disability through modification of maladaptive pain behaviours and cognitive processes. Three behavioural approaches are generally distinguished: operant, cognitive, and respondent; but are often combined as a treatment package. To determine the effects of behavioural therapy for CLBP and the most effective behavioural approach. The Cochrane Back Review Group Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were searched up to February 2009. Reference lists and citations of identified trials and relevant systematic reviews were screened. Randomised trials on behavioural treatments for non-specific CLBP were included. Two review authors independently assessed the risk of bias in each study and extracted the data. If sufficient homogeneity existed among studies in the pre-defined comparisons, a meta-analysis was performed. We determined the quality of the evidence for each comparison with the GRADE approach. We included 30 randomised trials (3438 participants) in this review, up 11 from the previous version. Fourteen trials (47%) had low risk of bias. For most comparisons, there was only low or very low quality evidence to support the results. There was moderate quality evidence that:i) operant therapy was more effective than waiting list (SMD -0.43; 95%CI -0.75 to -0.11) for short-term pain relief;ii) little or no difference exists between operant, cognitive, or combined behavioural therapy for short- to intermediate-term pain relief;iii) behavioural treatment was more effective than usual care for short-term pain relief (MD -5.18; 95%CI -9.79 to -0.57), but there were no differences in the intermediate- to long-term, or on functional status;iv) there was little or no difference between behavioural treatment and group exercise for pain relief or depressive symptoms over the intermediate- to long-term;v) adding behavioural therapy to inpatient rehabilitation was

  2. Efficacy of Distraction Methods on Procedural Pain and Anxiety by Applying Distraction Cards and Kaleidoscope in Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nejla Canbulat, PhD

    2014-03-01

    Conclusion: The distraction cards were the most effective method for pain and anxiety relief of children during phlebotomy. Also the distraction method with kaleidoscope was an effective method for pain and anxiety relief during phlebotomy in children.

  3. Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) with Anatomically Guided (3D) Neural Targeting Shows Superior Chronic Axial Low Back Pain Relief Compared to Traditional SCS-LUMINA Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veizi, Elias; Hayek, Salim M; North, James; Brent Chafin, T; Yearwood, Thomas L; Raso, Louis; Frey, Robert; Cairns, Kevin; Berg, Anthony; Brendel, John; Haider, Nameer; McCarty, Matthew; Vucetic, Henry; Sherman, Alden; Chen, Lilly; Mekel-Bobrov, Nitzan

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether spinal cord stimulation (SCS) using 3D neural targeting provided sustained overall and low back pain relief in a broad routine clinical practice population. This was a multicenter, open-label observational study with an observational arm and retrospective analysis of a matched cohort. After IPG implantation, programming was done using a patient-specific, model-based algorithm to adjust for lead position (3D neural targeting) or previous generation software (traditional). Demographics, medical histories, SCS parameters, pain locations, pain intensities, disabilities, and safety data were collected for all patients. A total of 213 patients using 3D neural targeting were included, with a trial-to-implant ratio of 86%. Patients used seven different lead configurations, with 62% receiving 24 to 32 contacts, and a broad range of stimulation parameters utilizing a mean of 14.3 (±6.1) contacts. At 24 months postimplant, pain intensity decreased significantly from baseline (ΔNRS = 4.2, N = 169, P  pain subgroup (ΔNRS = 5.3, N = 91, P  low back pain also decreased significantly from baseline to 24 months (ΔNRS = 4.1, N = 70, P  pain responder rates of 51% (traditional SCS) and 74% (neural targeting SCS) and axial low back pain responder rates of 41% and 71% in the traditional SCS and neural targeting SCS cohorts, respectively. Lastly, complications occurred in a total of 33 of the 213 patients, with a 1.6% lead replacement rate and a 1.6% explant rate. Our results suggest that 3D neural targeting SCS and its associated hardware flexibility provide effective treatment for both chronic leg and chronic axial low back pain that is significantly superior to traditional SCS. © 2017 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  4. EFFECTIVENESS OF RADIOFREQUENCY DENERVATION FOR PAIN RELIEF IN HIP DEGENERATIVE DISEASES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. I. Nazarenko

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective - to compare the effectiveness of radiofrequency denervation (RFD and conservative treatment of patients with hip degenerative diseases. Material and methods. 66 patients with various stages of hip degeneration were followed up for 12 months, including 36 patients who underwent RFD and 30 patients of control group with conservative treatment. Treatment results were assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS and Harris Hip Score before treatment, during the first day, 2 days later, as well as at 1, 6 and 12 months. Results: RFD patients demonstrated significantly better results compared with conservative group. Patients with coxarthrosis stage I and II, besides higher efficiency had prolonged period of remission, while patients with coxarthrosis stage III returned to the near-baseline level of pain only in 3-6 months. Conclusions: RFD is an effective treatment modality for patients with initial coxarthrosis stages, which helps to reduce significantly the disability period compared with conservative therapy. RFD is the only method of effective hip pain relieve in patients with severe comorbidities allowing to reduce analgesic consumption. This method is minimally invasive, has low cost, permits repeated procedures, making it attractive for both physicians and patients.

  5. Progression of function and pain relief as indicators for returning to sports after arthroscopic isolated type II SLAP repair-a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boesmueller, Sandra; Tiefenboeck, Thomas M; Hofbauer, Marcus; Bukaty, Adam; Oberleitner, Gerhard; Huf, Wolfgang; Fialka, Christian

    2017-06-13

    One of the currently used surgical techniques in isolated type II SLAP lesions is arthroscopic SLAP repair. Postoperatively, patients tend to suffer from a prolonged period of pain and are restricted in their sports activities for at least 6 months. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the clinical outcome as well as the postoperative course of pain after arthroscopic type II SLAP repair. Outcome measures were assessed using the Individual Relative Constant Score (CS indiv ), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Score, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Data were collected preoperatively, as well as at 3, 6, 12 and >24 months postoperatively. Eleven patients with an average age of 31.8 years (range: 22.8-49.8 years) underwent arthroscopic repair of isolated type II SLAP lesions. Mean follow-up time was 41.9 months (range: 36.1-48.4 months). 6 months after surgery, there was a statistically significant improvement of function according to the CS indiv (p = 0.004), the ASES Score (p = 0.006), and the SF-36 subscale "physical functioning" (p = 0.014) and a statistically significant decrease of pain according to the VAS (p = 0.007) and the SF-36 subscale "bodily pain" (p = 0.022) compared to preoperative levels. Arthroscopic repair of isolated type II SLAP lesions with suture anchors leads to a satisfactory functional outcome and return to pre-injury sports levels, with delayed, but significant pain relief observed 6 months after surgery. Thus, a return to sports should not be allowed earlier than 6 months after surgery, when patients have reached pain-free function and recovered strength. Researchregistry1761 (UIN).

  6. Percutaneous renal sympathetic nerve ablation for loin pain haematuria syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gambaro, Giovanni; Fulignati, Pierluigi; Spinelli, Alessio; Rovella, Valentina; Di Daniele, Nicola

    2013-09-01

    Loin pain haematuria syndrome (LPHS) is a severe renal pain condition of uncertain origin and often resistant to treatment. Nephrectomy and renal autotrasplantation have occasionally been performed in very severe cases. Its pathogenesis is controversial. A 40-year-old hypertensive lady was diagnosed with LPHS after repeated diagnostic imaging procedures had ruled out any renal, abdominal or spinal conditions to justify pain. Notwithstanding treatment with three drugs, she had frequent hypertensive crises during which the loin pain was dramatically exacerbated. Vascular causes of the pain and hypertension were investigated and excluded. Her renal function was normal. The patient was referred to a multidisciplinary pain clinic, but had no significant improvement in her pain symptoms despite the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, adjuvant antidepressants and opioid-like agents. The pain and the discomfort were so severe that her quality of life was very poor, and her social and professional activities were compromised. Nephrectomy and renal autotransplantation have occasionally been performed in these cases. Since visceral pain signals flow through afferent sympathetic fibres, we felt that percutaneous catheter-based radiofrequency ablation of the renal sympathetic nerve fibres (recently introduced for the treatment of drug-resistant hypertension) could be valuable for pain relief. We treated the patient with radiofrequency ablation (Medtronic Symplicity Catheter) applied only to the right renal artery. After a 6-month follow-up, the patient is pain free and normotensive with all drugs withdrawn. She has experienced no hypertensive crises in the meantime. This observation suggests that percutaneous sympathetic denervation could prove to be an effective mini-invasive strategy for the treatment of chronic renal pain, and LPHS in particular.

  7. Colorectal surgery patients' pain status, activities, satisfaction, and beliefs about pain and pain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Carolyn; Constance, Kristel; Bédard, Denise; Purden, Margaret

    2013-12-01

    This study describes surgical colorectal cancer patients' pain levels, recovery activities, beliefs and expectations about pain, and satisfaction with pain management. A convenience sample of 50 adult inpatients who underwent colorectal surgery for cancer participated. Patients were administered the modified American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire on postoperative day 2 and asked to report on their status in the preceding 24 hours. Patients reported low current (mean 1.70) and average (mean 2.96) pain scores but had higher scores and greater variation for worst pain (mean 5.48). Worst pain occurred mainly while turning in bed or mobilizing, and 25% of patients experienced their worst pain at rest. Overall, patients expected to have pain after surgery and were very satisfied with pain management. Patients with worst pain scores >7 reported interference with recovery activities, mainly general activity (mean 5.67) and walking ability (mean 5.15). These patients were likely to believe that "people can get addicted to pain medication easily" (mean 3.39 out of 5) and that "pain medication should be saved for cases where pain gets worse" (mean 3.20 out of 5). These beliefs could deter patients from seeking pain relief and may need to be identified and addressed along with expectations about pain in the preoperative nursing assessment. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Optimising pain management- An update | Schellack | South African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The key to optimal pain management is the ability to effectively monitor the patient to ensure pain relief, whilst minimising or managing the side-effects of pain medication. This will only be possible though the collaborative work of all healthcare professionals managing the patient. This article provides an overview of the ...

  9. Effects of Herbal Acupuncture(Soyeum on Cancer Patients Accompanied by Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hwa-Seung Yoo

    2003-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : This study was designed to evaluate effects of "Soyeum" on cancer patients accompanied by pain. Materials and Methods : We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 9 patients accompanied by pain who had been injected with "Soyeum" for over 14 days continuously in East-West Cancer Center of Oriental Hospital of Daejeon University from June 2002 through August 2002. Results : The statistical significance between the pre-treatment and post-treatment results (Changes of Cytokine Level, QOL, BPQ and Pain relief after pain management were analyzed. Analysis of cytokines (IL-12, IFN-γ level showed that the percentage of increase of IL-12 is 60.0%, IFN-γ is 60.0%. Analysis of QOL showed that the percentage of maintenance and improvement is 77.8%. 55.5% of the patients reported a "worst pain" intensity score of 3 or greater, 44.5% reported a "least pain" intensity score of 2 or greater, and 66.7% reported "average pain" intensity score of 2 or greater. 33.3% of the patients were in pain at the time of interview and 22.2% had a current intensity score of 2 or greater. Analysis of pain relief after pain management showed that the percentage of pain relief score of 2 and 3 is 55.6%. The data was expressed as Mean±SE by using descriptive statistics. Statistical significance examined by using paired t-test. Conclusions : It is suggested that "Soyeum" has effects on pain of cancer patients, also expected that "Soyeum" is useful to improve immunoactivity and for cancer patients.

  10. Cut-Off Points for Mild, Moderate, and Severe Pain on the Numeric Rating Scale for Pain in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain : Variability and Influence of Sex and Catastrophizing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boonstra, Anne M; Stewart, Roy E; Köke, Albère J A; Oosterwijk, René F A; Swaan, Jeannette L; Schreurs, Karlein M G; Schiphorst Preuper, Henrica R

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is often used in pain management. The aims of our study were to determine the cut-off points for mild, moderate, and severe pain in terms of pain-related interference with functioning in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, to measure the

  11. Improving pain relief for children in Thailand | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    This can include negative physical, psychological, and social consequences for both the young patients and their families. ... Pain management guidelines in Thai hospitals help to prevent and treat pain in children. ... Le stress vous tenaille ?

  12. Is Music Effective For Pain Relief In Burn Victims?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidiane Souza Lima

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to describe the effect of music on pain of burn victims during the dressing change. Methods: applied, descriptive, exploratory and quantitative research held in a Burn Treatment Unit from October 2015 to April 2016. The study included 16 burn victims who were divided in three groups: A: patients heard music before dressing; B: patients hear music during dressing; C: patients did not hear music. Results: the average age was 31.8 years (± 14.1 and most of the subjects were male. Lower limbs and trunk were the most affected parts of the body, especially with second-degree burns and which affected an average of 15.8% (± 11.5 of the body surface. There was a predominance of gospel music (50.0%. The music reduced the average heart rate and oxygen saturation, but did not change ventilatory rate. There was a decrease in the average of pain intensity in groups GB (p = 0.0505 and GC (p = 0.0055. During the dressing, the burning was unanimous characteristic for all subjects, in the same manner as verbal reports was the form of manifestation. Conclusion: music proved to be a simple and effective resource in controlling pain in burn victims. Keywords: Burns; Music; Pain.

  13. Neuroinflammation, Bone Marrow Stem Cells, and Chronic Pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yul Huh

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Current treatments for chronic pain, such as inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, and cancer pain are insufficient and cause severe side effects. Mounting evidence suggests that neuroinflammation in the peripheral and central nervous system (PNS and CNS plays a pivotal role in the genesis and maintenance of chronic pain. Characteristic features of neuroinflammation in chronic pain conditions include infiltration of immune cells into the PNS [e.g., the sciatic nerve and dorsal root ganglion (DRG], activation of glial cells such as microglia and astrocytes in the CNS (spinal cord and brain, and production and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines [TNF, interleukin (IL-1β, IL-6, CCL2, and CXCL1]. Recent studies suggest that bone marrow stem cells or bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs produce powerful analgesic effects in animal models of inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, and cancer pain. We recently demonstrated that intrathecal injection of BMSCs resulted in a long-term relief of neuropathic pain for several weeks after peripheral nerve injury. Strikingly, this analgesic effect is mediated by the anti-inflammatory cytokine transforming growth factor beta secreted from BMSCs. Additionally, BMSCs exhibit potent modulation of neuroinflammation, by inhibiting monocyte infiltration, glial activation, and cytokine/chemokine production in the DRG and spinal cord. Thus, BMSCs control chronic pain by regulation of neuroinflammation in the PNS and CNS via paracrine signaling. In this review, we discuss the similar results from different laboratories of remarkable anti-nociceptive efficacy of BMSCs in animal and clinical studies. We also discuss the mechanisms by which BMSCs control neuroinflammation and chronic pain and how these cells specifically migrate to damaged tissues.

  14. [Multidisciplinary guideline 'Recognition and treatment of chronic pain in vulnerable elderly people'].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achterberg, Wilco P; de Ruiter, Corinne M; de Weerd-Spaetgens, Chantal M E E; Geels, Paul; Horikx, Annemieke; Verduijn, Monique M

    2012-01-01

    Chronic pain in vulnerable elderly people is still poorly recognized and treated, both at home and in hospitals and care and nursing homes. Vulnerable elderly people experience and express pain differently to relatively healthy adults, especially when they suffer from cognitive impairment or specific conditions. Determining the nature and severity of the pain requires the use of pain assessment instruments that have been validated for use in vulnerable elderly people. Effective treatment of pain demands careful diagnosis and pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that have proven effectiveness in vulnerable elderly people. The combination of multiple morbidity and poly-pharmacy increases the chance of side-effects and complications. In addition, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of many drugs are different in vulnerable elderly people. The advice is to start with a lower dose of pain medication and gradually build up a level on the basis of pain relief and side-effects ('start low, go slow!').

  15. Cut-Off Points for Mild, Moderate, and Severe Pain on the Numeric Rating Scale for Pain in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Variability and Influence of Sex and Catastrophizing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boonstra, A.M.; Stewart, R.; Koke, A.J.A.; Oosterwijk, R.F.A.; Swaan, J.L.; Schreurs, Karlein Maria Gertrudis; Schiphorst Preuper, H.R.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The 0–10 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) is often used in pain management. The aims of our study were to determine the cut-off points for mild, moderate, and severe pain in terms of pain-related interference with functioning in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, to measure the

  16. "Just Advil": Harm reduction and identity construction in the consumption of over-the-counter medication for chronic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eaves, Emery R

    2015-12-01

    Direct-to-consumer marketing has sparked ongoing debate concerning whether ads empower consumers to be agents of their own care or shift greater control to the pharmaceutical industry. Ads for over-the-counter (OTC) medications in particular portend to offer simple, harmless solutions for meeting the demands of social life. Rather than join the longstanding debate between consumer agency and social control in pharmaceutical advertising, I approach self-medication with over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics using Harm Reduction as a framework. From this perspective, consumption of OTC analgesics by chronic pain sufferers is a means of seeking some level of relief while also avoiding the stigma associated with prescription pain medication. Qualitative methods are used to analyze data from two sources: (1) semi-structured qualitative interviews with 95 participants in a trial examining the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) from 2006 to 2011 in Tucson, AZ and Portland, OR; and (2) print, online, and television advertisements for three major brands of OTC pain medication. Participants described their use of OTC medications as minimal, responsible, and justified by the severity of their pain. OTC medication advertising, while ostensibly ambiguous and targeting all forms of pain, effectively lends support to the consumption of these medications as part of the self-projects of chronic pain sufferers, allowing them to reconcile conflicting demands for pain relief while being stoic and maintaining a positive moral identity. Describing OTC medication as "just over-the-counter" or "not real pain medication," sufferers engage in ideological harm reduction, distinguishing themselves from "those people who like taking pain medication" while still seeking relief. Justifying one's use of OTC medication as minimal and "normal," regardless of intake, avoids association with the addictive potential of prescription pain medications and

  17. Severely disabling chronic pain in young adults: prevalence from a population-based postal survey in North Staffordshire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Elaine

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Severely disabling chronic pain in the adult population is strongly associated with a range of negative health consequences for individuals and high health care costs, yet its prevalence in young adults is less clear. Methods All adults aged 18–25 years old registered with three general practices in North Staffordshire were invited to complete a postal questionnaire containing questions on pain within the last 6 months, pain location and duration. Severity of chronic pain was assessed by the Chronic Pain Grade. Severely disabling chronic pain was defined as pain within the last six months that had lasted for three months or more and was highly disabling-severely limiting (Grade IV. Results 858 responses from 2,389 were received (adjusted response = 37.0%. The prevalence of any pain within the previous six months was 66.9% (95%CI: 63.7%, 70.1%. Chronic pain was reported by 14.3% (95%CI: 12.0%, 16.8% of respondents with severely disabling chronic pain affecting 3.0% (95%CI: 2.0%, 4.4% of this population. Late responders were very similar to early responders in their prevalence of pain. Cross-checking the practice register against the electoral roll suggested register inaccuracies contributed to non-response. Conclusion Pain is a common phenomenon encountered by young adults, affecting 66.9% of this study population. Previously observed age-related trends in severely disabling chronic pain in older adults extend to younger adults. Although a small minority of younger adults are affected, they are likely to represent a group with particularly high health care needs. High levels of non-response in the present study means that these estimates should be interpreted cautiously although there was no evidence of non-response bias.

  18. Ketamine infusion was effective for severe pain of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomoki Nishiyama

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available A 52 years old man with a Non-Hodgkin lymphoma had severe pain at right buttock and lower leg. Sustained-release tablet of morphine 90 mg/day, intravenous morphine 40 mg/day, granisetron 9 mg/day, metoclopramide 30 mg/day, domperidone suppository 60 mg/day, intravenous hydroxyzine 25 mg/day, and haloperidol 20 mg/day did not decrease pain and side effects. Intravenous ketamine 10 mg in 15 min was quite effective for analgesia. Then infusion of ketamine started with 7 mg/h and increased to 10 mg/h with morphine 20 mg/day, which could control pain well with no side effects until his death. Keywords: Ketamine, Morphine, Cancer pain, Terminal

  19. Pain relief that matters to patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Mette Frahm; Bjerre, Eik; Hansen, Maria Damkjær

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) is used to interpret the clinical relevance of results reported by trials and meta-analyses as well as to plan sample sizes in new studies. However, there is a lack of consensus about the size of MCID in acute pain, which is a core...... patients. Meta-analyses found considerable heterogeneity between studies (absolute MCID: I2 = 93%, relative MCID: I2 = 75%) and results were therefore presented qualitatively, while analyses focused on exploring reasons for heterogeneity. The reported absolute MCID values ranged widely from 8 to 40 mm...

  20. Lysine clonixinate vs. paracetamol/codeine in postepisiotomy pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De los Santos, A R; Martí, M I; Espinosa, D; Di Girolamo, G; Vinacur, J C; Casadei, A

    1998-01-01

    This study was conducted to compare the analgesic action of Lysine Clonixinate (LC) vs Paracetamol/Codeine association (PC) in the treatment of postepisiotomy pain in primiparae women: 131 primiparous patients with moderate-to-severe postepisiotomy pain were enrolled in a double blind dummy design study and randomly allocated to either treatment with fixed doses of LC 125 mg or Paracetamol 500 mg+Codeine 30 mg 6 qh during 24 hours. Intensity of spontaneous pain and pain on walking was assessed according to a visual analog scale (VAS) and patient's assessment before receiving treatment and after 1, 2, 6 and 24 hours. Intensity of spontaneous pain was reduced in 24 hours from 4.28 +/- 2.11 to 1.73 +/- 1.46 (P < 0.0001) in the LC group and from 4.78 +/- 2.08 to 1.90 +/- 1.72 in the PC-treated group (p < 0.0001); with no significant differences between treatments. 54% of the patients treated with LC and 55% of those receiving PC showed onset of analgesic action 30 minutes following dose administration. Patient's final global assessment revealed that 95% of LC-treated patients and 96% of the PC group showed total or partial pain relief during the first treatment day. No sleep disturbances were seen during the night in 75% of patients. Only one patient receiving LC showed nausea not requiring treatment discontinuation. It is concluded that both treatments are equally effective to relieve moderate-to-severe postepisiotomy pain.