The Clinical journal of pain
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Pain assessment is crucial to pain research. Knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of pain measures is important to the continued advancement of our understanding of pain. The purpose of the present study was to compare the validity and utility of three measures of pain intensity during a medical procedure known to produce pain: an abortion. ⋯ The results supported the validity of each of the three measures used, although some superiority for the BS-21 over the Verbal BS- 11 and VAS exists. Patients had some difficulty completing the paper-and-pencil VAS during the procedure. In addition and consistent with previous research, some patients treated the Verbal BS-11 as a 21-point scale by responding with numbers between two whole numbers on the 0-10 measure. Overall, practical issues led us to conclude that the BS-21 is an excellent choice for assessing real-time abortion pain.
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The purposes of this study were to explore the differences between chronic cancer pain and chronic low back pain with respect to (a) the use of coping strategies to manage pain and (b) the relationship between self-efficacy for attenuating pain and pain outcomes. ⋯ The major findings of this study were that (a) patients with chronic cancer pain reported significantly lower pain intensity and pain interference than did patients with chronic low back pain; (b) the most frequently used coping strategies were almost the same between the low back pain group and the cancer pain group; (c) for both chronic cancer pain and chronic low back pain groups, patients' perceived self-efficacy was significantly inversely correlated with pain intensity and pain interference with daily life; and (d) patients' use of coping strategies was positively correlated with pain intensity and pain interference with daily life. These findings were discussed in terms of implications for clinical practice and future research.
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Study of coping with phantom pain in nonclinical war veteran amputees. ⋯ Coping with phantom pain in war veteran amputees is predominantly silent acceptance of the pain, with little use of social support however available, and rare recourse to medical help, based on past unhelpful experience. Pain and mood appeared to be unrelated to specific war cues, but higher pain scores were reported by those with unhappier war memories.
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The only way some patients with intractable angina pectoris can endure the daily pain is by using opiates. Epidural morphine or spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for out-patients is a possibility for this patient group. The aim of this study was to determine whether patients previously treated with epidural injections had more frequent electrode migration, higher stimulation needs, and less effect of SCS treatment. ⋯ SCS in patients previously treated with epidural catheters has an effect equal to that in other patients.
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We report on a 12-year-old girl with postthoracotomy neuropathic pain. A variety of treatments for the pain were ineffective. The symptoms resolved following the institution of therapy with gabapentin.