The Clinical journal of pain
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Prevention of occupational low back pain (LBP) in nurses is a research priority. Recent research suggests intervening before commencing nursing employment is ideal; however, identification of modifiable risk factors is required. The objective of this study was to investigate modifiable personal characteristics that predicted new-onset LBP in nursing students. ⋯ Modifiable personal characteristics across multiple domains are associated with new-onset LBP in female nursing students. These findings may have implications for the development of prevention and management interventions for LBP in nurses.
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Discogenic pain in the thoracic region is a challenging condition characterized by refractoriness to conservative treatments. Unlike lumbar discogenic pain there is a lack of effective surgical options. Reported here is the treatment of thoracic discogenic pain in 3 patients using a new minimally invasive procedure named intradiscal biacuplasty. ⋯ Cooled, bipolar radiofrequency may be an effective and readily available treatment for thoracic discogenic pain if future comparison studies show benefits of such procedure.
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There is considerable evidence that personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder (BPD), tend to co-occur with chronic pain. There is also evidence that mood disorders co-occur with chronic pain conditions. Given the central role of affective instability and negative mood states in BPD, we proposed that affective features of depression, anxiety, and hostility may account for the association between BPD features and the severity of pain reported in a patient sample. ⋯ These results indicate that the association between BPD features and pain is accounted for by negative affect, primarily in the form of depression. This is consistent with current theoretical perspectives on BPD. This also suggests that clinicians observing or detecting BPD features among pain patients should consider negative affect, especially depression, in addressing these issues.
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Pain after breast cancer therapy is a recognized complication found to have an adverse impact on patient's quality of life, increasing psychosocial distress. In recent years, case reports about myofascial pain syndrome are emerging in thoracic surgery as a cause of postsurgery pain. Myofascial pain syndrome is a regional pain syndrome characterized by myofascial trigger points in palpable taut bands of skeletal muscle that refers pain a distance, and that can cause distant motor and autonomic effects. ⋯ Myofascial pain syndrome is a common source of pain in women undergoing breast cancer surgery that includes axillary lymph node dissection at least during the first year after surgery. Myofascial pain syndrome is one potential cause of chronic pain in breast cancer survivors who have undergone this kind of surgery.
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic disorder defined by widespread muscle pain and multiple tender points. The objectives of this study were to estimate prevalence of comorbidities, healthcare resources utilization, and costs associated with FMS. ⋯ Results of this analysis of the RAMQ database illustrate the high prevalence of comorbidities among patients with a diagnosis of FMS and strongly indicate that the economic burden of FMS is substantial.