Pain
-
Comparative Study
Refractoriness cannot explain why C-fiber laser-evoked brain potentials are recorded only if concomitant Adelta-fiber activation is avoided.
Co-activation of Adelta- and C-fiber nociceptors by brief cutaneous laser heat stimuli may induce a dual sensation composed of first and second pain but evokes only a single, Adelta-fiber related, late laser-evoked potential (LEP). Yet, when concomitant activation of Adelta-nociceptors is avoided, C-nociceptor activation evokes an ultra-late LEP. As cumulating evidence indicates that late and ultra-late LEPs may share common generators, investigators have hypothesized that when Adelta-fibers trigger a late LEP, the later arriving C-fiber afferent volley cannot trigger an ultra-late LEP because underlying generators are in a 'refractory state'. ⋯ Studies have shown that this component is probably related to the P3b component described in other sensory modalities. This result provides support to the 'context closure' model hypothesizing that this component reflects the closure of information processing occurring when expectations are terminated. Altogether, these results suggest that late and ultra-late LEPs reflect very general processes, which are mainly related to detection and orientation and constitute only a fraction of the central processing of both nociceptive inputs.
-
Comparative Study
Chronic orofacial pain among Korean elders: prevalence, and impact using the graded chronic pain scale.
The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of orofacial pain symptoms in the Korean elderly population, and to evaluate factors associated with orofacial pain and graded chronic pain. Of 4,342 Korean elders from the cohort of Korean National Interview Survey of Oral Health Status in 2000, telephone interviews were conducted on a stratified random sample of 1,032 people aged 55 years or older. Prevalence of five orofacial pain symptoms (jaw joint pain, face pain, toothache, oral sores, and burning mouth) in the past 6 months along with questions from the graded chronic pain scale were assessed by telephone using a structured questionnaire. ⋯ Subjects with joint pain, burning mouth or toothache pain were more likely to report high levels of a pain-related disability compared with subjects not reporting those symptoms. There were no age group differences in pain intensity, but the older age group reported a higher number of disability days because of their pain. Chronic orofacial pain is a substantial health problem in the elderly population.
-
Comparative Study
Gender differences in patient-spouse interactions: a sequential analysis of behavioral interactions in patients having osteoarthritic knee pain.
Theory and research suggest that spousal responses to displays of pain behavior can vary markedly. To our knowledge, observational research on spousal responses to pain behavior has been carried out only in chronic low back pain patients, but not in other populations. In this study systematic observations were conducted of interactions occurring between 50 married osteoarthritis patients (25 male and 25 female) and their respective spouses. ⋯ Contrary to prior research on chronic low back pain this study found that in osteoarthritis patients spouse facilitative behavior preceded and followed patient pain behavior significantly more often than did spouse solicitous behavior. A gender difference in spousal responding to pain behavior also was observed in that wives were significantly more likely to show facilitative behavior preceding and following patient pain behavior than were husbands. The implications of these findings for future research and clinical interventions focused on patient-spouse interactions are discussed.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Sedative music reduces anxiety and pain during chair rest after open-heart surgery.
Open-heart surgery patients report anxiety and pain with chair rest despite opioid analgesic use. The effectiveness of non-pharmacological complementary methods (sedative music and scheduled rest) in reducing anxiety and pain during chair rest was tested using a three-group pretest-posttest experimental design with 61 adult postoperative open-heart surgery patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 30 min of sedative music (N=19), scheduled rest (N=21), or treatment as usual (N=21) during chair rest. ⋯ Further, independent t-tests indicated significantly less posttest anxiety, pain sensation, and pain distress in the sedative music group than in the scheduled rest or treatment as usual groups (P<0.001-0.006). Thus, in this randomized control trial, sedative music was more effective than scheduled rest and treatment as usual in decreasing anxiety and pain in open-heart surgery patients during first time chair rest. Patients should be encouraged to use sedative music as an adjuvant to medication during chair rest.