The Clinical journal of pain
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Comparative Study
A comparison of the neuroablative effects of conventional and pulsed radiofrequency techniques.
To compare the neuroablative effects of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and conventional radiofrequency (CRF) techniques on the sciatic nerve, a peripheral nerve that includes motor, sensory, and autonomous fibers. ⋯ Nerve tissues can be affected during any type of procedure, even during surgical applications. Our results suggest that PRF is less destructive than CRF for the peripheral nerves. However, this idea should also be investigated at the molecular level, and safety analysis should be performed for routine clinical practice.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Effect of microneedle design on pain in human volunteers.
To design microneedles that minimize pain, this study tested the hypothesis that microneedles cause significantly less pain than a 26-gauge hypodermic needle, and that decreasing microneedle length and the number of microneedles reduces pain in normal human volunteers. ⋯ Microneedles are significantly less painful than a 26-gauge hypodermic needle over the range of dimensions investigated. Decreasing microneedle length and number of microneedles reduces pain.
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Clinical Trial
Ketamine and midazolam delivered by patient-controlled analgesia in relieving pain associated with burns dressings.
A study involving the use of a mixture of ketamine and midazolam delivered via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device was trialed to assess its effectiveness in reducing pain associated with repeated burns dressings in an adult population. ⋯ The use of ketamine/midazolam delivered by PCA was shown to be an effective means of pain control during burns dressings as assessed by both staff and patients. The incidence of adverse events was low.
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Comparative Study
Whiplash (grade II) and cervical radiculopathy share a similar sensory presentation: an investigation using quantitative sensory testing.
Recent research has identified the coexistence of generalized sensory hypersensitivity and hypoesthetic changes suggestive of a neuropathic component to chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). This study aimed to compare chronic whiplash with a cervical neuropathic condition-cervical radiculopathy, using Quantitative Sensory Testing. ⋯ Generalized sensory hypersensitivity and hypoesthesia occur in both chronic whiplash and cervical radiculopathy. This may represent disordered central pain processing but could indicate peripheral nerve dysfunction.
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Clinical Trial
Prevalence rates for and predictors of self-reported adherence of oncology outpatients with analgesic medications.
Inadequate adherence with an analgesic regimen may be a reason why oncology patients experience unrelieved pain. However, only a limited number of studies have evaluated the prevalence rates for adherence and no studies have attempted to determine predictors of adherence in patients with cancer pain. On the basis of concepts from the Health Belief Model, the purposes of this study were to describe oncology outpatients' level of adherence with an analgesic regimen and to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of selected demographic variables, pain characteristics, barriers to pain management, and self-efficacy (SE) on adherence with an analgesic regimen. ⋯ Improvements in pain management may occur if clinicians routinely assessed patients' level of adherence with their analgesics regimen.