The Clinical journal of pain
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This study examined the relationship of pain drawings to somatization in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Sixty-nine adult patients with SCD completed a pain drawing in which they shaded in areas of the body in which they experienced pain and also completed the symptom checklist (SCL) 90-R as an index of psychological distress. ⋯ The results suggest that health care professionals who treat SCD patients need to consider pain patterns. In individuals with pain patterns atypical for SCD, the psychological status of the patient may need to be evaluated to facilitate optimal pain management.
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This study examined the relation between marital satisfaction, psychological distress, self-reported pain, disability, and clinical findings in 63 chronic low-back pain (CLBP) patients from primary health care centers. The relation between marital satisfaction and psychological distress in their spouses was also studied. ⋯ In male CLBP patient couples, marital dissatisfaction and psychological distress were much less significantly related. This gender difference should be taken into account in the treatment of CLBP couples.
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Of 114 patients presenting to the Pain Management Service at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine with chronic pain, 38% (N = 43) were taking one or more benzodiazepine drugs at the time of the initial assessment. The majority of patients were chronic users, with 14% (N = 6) having taken the medications for 1-2 years and 46% (N = 20) for 2 years or longer. Ninety-three percent (N = 40) of those given a benzodiazepine drug stated that it was initiated after the onset of pain. ⋯ Benzodiazepines have been reported to provide little therapeutic benefit to chronic pain patients, and may even exacerbate their symptoms. We have shown that benzodiazepine drugs are frequently prescribed for long-term use, for sleep, and in conjunction with narcotic drugs. Such use is contrary to generally accepted guidelines.
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The surgical experience is often characterized by fear, stress, and pain. Whenever an individual has to confront a painful or stressful event such as surgery, the individual's opportunity to control some aspect of the situation may actually influence the degree of pain experienced. ⋯ Regression analyses controlling for age and type of opioid revealed that the psychological measures were important predictors of pain and PCA use. Patients with higher anxiety levels and less social support had higher postoperative pain and made more frequent PCA demands.
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Recent literature indicates a relationship between history of sexual abuse and subsequent psychological and social dysfunction. Less thoroughly examined are the possible abuse-related physical effects. This article examines the prevalence of sexual abuse among 135 chronic pain patients. ⋯ Twenty-eight percent reported child sexual abuse, with history of victimization more significant for women (39%) than men (7%). The abused and nonabused groups of women differed on such variables as marital status, occupation, history of rape and substance abuse, and age of hospitalization. The relationship between sexual abuse and chronic somatic reactions was discussed.