American journal of therapeutics
-
Review Comparative Study
Management of peritonsillar abscess: needle aspiration versus incision and drainage versus tonsillectomy.
Peritonsillar abscess is the most common deep infection of the head and neck. This article focuses on the different methods to manage this infection. Efficacy, cost-effectiveness, patient discomfort, recovery time, and possibility of recurrence are the issues considered to determine the best treatment option.
-
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Lidocaine patch treatment in patients with low back pain: results of an open-label, nonrandomized pilot study.
This prospective, 6-week, multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized pilot study was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of a lidocaine patch 5% in patients with low back pain (LBP). Patients with moderate to severe LBP, defined as acute/subacute (< 3 months, n = 21), short-term chronic (3-12 months, n = 33), or long-term chronic (> 12 months, n = 77), were recruited from 5 clinics; participants applied < or = 4 patches (560 cm total) once daily to area of maximal LBP as add-on treatment through week 2, with the option to taper concomitant analgesics during weeks 3-6. Scores on Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) were obtained at weeks 2 and 6. ⋯ Most common AEs were dizziness and rash (n = 5, 3.8%), and most AEs (80%) were mild to moderate in intensity. Significant improvement in pain intensity and QOL in this cohort of LBP patients was noted during treatment with the lidocaine patch 5%. Controlled clinical trials are warranted.
-
Cluster headache is a well-known primary headache syndrome with a prevalence of about 5/10,000 of the adult population, making it much less common than migraine. Diagnostic terms such as histaminic cephalalgia, Horton's headache and ciliary neuralgia have been used for what is now known as cluster headache. This disorder can be differentiated from migraine by clinical and pathophysiologic features. ⋯ There are a variety of different medications for abortive and prophylactic therapy, accompanied by a variable amount of evidence-based medicine. For patients refractory to medical management, interventional procedures are available as a last resort. Most procedures are directed against the sensory trigeminal nerve and associated ganglia, eg, anesthetizing the sphenopalatine ganglion.