The Clinical journal of pain
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Persistent pain after breast cancer surgery is an underrecognized problem. Self-reporting is uncommon in the Chinese community. ⋯ The findings suggest that persistent pain after breast cancer surgery is a significant problem among Chinese women in Hong Kong and affects their quality of life.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and safety of lumbar epidural dexamethasone versus methylprednisolone in the treatment of lumbar radiculopathy: a comparison of soluble versus particulate steroids.
The literature is limited in the comparative efficacy and safety of dexamethasone phosphate (DP) compared with methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) in the treatment of lumbar radiculopathy by epidural injection. This study attempts to test the hypothesis that 2 corticosteroids are equivalent in efficacy and side effects. ⋯ Nonparticulate DP seems to be close to the safety and effectiveness of particulate MPA in the treatment of lumbar radiculopathy. There is, however, a statistically nonsignificant trend toward less pain relief and shorter duration of action that may be clarified in a larger and longer duration study.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Patient characteristics and variation in treatment outcomes: which patients benefit most from acupuncture for chronic pain?
The aim of this study was to identify patients' characteristics that increase or decrease their benefit from acupuncture treatment of chronic pain. ⋯ Future research to clarify the modifying effects with special focus on patients' expectations and other psychological variables is needed.
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To examine the development of fear avoidance behaviours following whiplash injury using two different measures of fear avoidance, the Pictorial Fear of Activities Scale-Cervical (PFActS-C), and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-17). Secondarily we assessed the capacity of these measures to predict recovery status at long term follow up and initial cervical range of movement (ROM). ⋯ Fear avoidance beliefs and behaviours develop quickly following whiplash injury and influence both the initial physical presentation and long term outcome of patients with WAD. The PFActS-C may provide a measure of fear of movement which is more specific to the cervical spine in patients with WAD in comparison to the TSK-17.
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To explore the role of neuropathy in persistent pain after thoracotomy, combining a clinical follow-up and a psychophysical examination of the operated area. ⋯ Peripheral neuropathy is common after thoracotomy, with variant characteristics, ranging from subclinical disturbances to severe pain. The process seems to develop between the discharge from hospital and the sixth week after thoracotomy.