The Clinical journal of pain
-
Low back pain (LBP) is the most commonly reported chronic pain condition. In this study, a clinically relevant, induced-LBP paradigm was used to study sensory processing as a risk factor and predictor for LBP development in healthy people. Our aim was to examine sensory processing in those who do develop LBP and those who do not develop LBP with the paradigm, and to examine the relationships between scores on psychosocial questionnaires and sensory processing measures in these healthy people. ⋯ These results provide evidence that altered sensory processing was not present in healthy people and thus is not a risk factor for development of LBP in standing.
-
Chronic pain exerts a pervasive negative influence on workers' productivity. However, a paucity of research has addressed the mechanisms underlying the pain → productivity relation. In the present study using intensive daily diary data, we examined whether working memory (WM) moderates the positive within-person associations between (1) morning pain intensity and (2) morning negative affect (NA) and later day pain's interference of work-goal (WG) pursuit. ⋯ WM appears to protect goal-relevant information from distractions due to negative affective arousal. The continued use of ecologically valid observational and intervention studies would shed further light on the influence of WM on the pursuit of valued work goals in the face of pain and negative affect.
-
Observational Study
Development of a Simple Preoperative Risk Score for Persistent Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study.
Persistent postoperative pain is reported by 30% to 50% of patients following breast cancer surgery. Studies testing preventive measures, however, have so far failed to produce consistent positive results. If preventive measures could be targeted to a subgroup of patients at high risk of persistent pain, positive results would be more likely. Our aim was to develop a simple risk score predicting persistent pain after breast cancer surgery. ⋯ We studied known risk factors for persistent pain in patients scheduled for breast cancer surgery and constructed a preoperative risk score simple enough to select high-risk patients in future prevention studies.
-
The symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain are thought to interact to increase the severity and impact of both conditions, but the mechanisms by which they interact remain unclear. This study examines the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain and whether indices of Psychological Flexibility mediate the relationship between these 2 conditions. ⋯ Processes from the Psychological Flexibility model were identified as mediators of the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain in people seeking treatment for chronic pain. The Psychological Flexibility model may be useful as an overarching model to help understand the relationship between PTSD and chronic pain. It is possible that targeting pain-related acceptance, committed action, and cognitive fusion (among other processes) in the treatment of chronic pain may produce corresponding improvements in comorbid symptoms of PTSD when these are present and may reduce impacts of PTSD on outcomes of chronic pain. Conversely, targeting of these processes in the treatment of PTSD may produce similar improvements for symptoms of chronic pain. Further research to evaluate these possibilities is needed.
-
Poor parental understanding of prescription opioid risks is associated with potentially dangerous decisions that can contribute to adverse drug events (ADE) in children and adolescents. This study examined whether an interactive Scenario-tailored Opioid Messaging Program (STOMP) would (1) enhance opioid risk perceptions and (2) improve the safety of parents' decision-making. ⋯ The STOMP intervention enhanced risk perceptions, shifted preferences toward opioid risk avoidance, and led to better decisions regarding when to give or withhold an opioid for pain management. Scenario-tailored feedback may be an effective method to improve pain management while minimizing opioid risks.