European journal of pain : EJP
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Pain is more common in multiple sclerosis (MS) than has previously been recognised. In the present study we have investigated the occurrence of central pain (CP) in MS and defined its characteristics. Questionnaires were sent to all 429 patients with definite MS in the patient register at our neurology department. ⋯ Trigeminal neuralgia in MS started later in life and after longer disease duration than non-trigeminal pain. Both types of CP existed either chronically or as a feature of relapse. Central pain is thus an important symptom in MS (around 30%) and causes much suffering.
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The present study examined the influence of innocuous skin cooling on the perception and neurophysiological correlates of brief noxious CO2 laser stimuli. In nine normal subjects, brief CO2 laser pulses of four different intensities (duration 50 ms; diameter 5 mm; intensity range 5.8-10.6 mJ/mm2) were delivered at random every 5-10 s on the dorsum of the hand. Innocuous skin cooling was performed by a thermode (20 degrees C; 3x3 cm) with a central hole for the laser test stimuli. ⋯ Reaction times were delayed. The late-LEPs, correlates of Adelta-nociceptor activations, were also significantly depressed while the ultra-late LEPs, correlates of C-nociceptors, were not affected. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that innocuous skin cooling interfered with the sensory processing of laser heat stimuli and more prominently with those related to Adelta-nociceptive input.
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Pain prevalence among inpatients is an important indicator of quality care; it may reach over 80% in various clinical settings. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a teaching hospital to depict benchmark data regarding pain prevalence and predictors among the entire inpatient population. Overall 892 patients, 6 years old and hospitalized for at least 24 h in 57 hospital wards were interviewed using an internationally applied questionnaire. ⋯ Protracted hospitalization and prolonged pain duration were associated with major pain severity. Results yield Quality Assurance interventions to ameliorate pain undertreatment. Predictor analysis suggests that attention should be paid to pain management in young adults, socially vulnerable patients and those with protracted hospitalization and pain.
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Whiplash injury and chronic whiplash syndrome represent major health problems in certain western communities, pain being the main symptom. Sensitization of the nociceptive system may play a role for non-recovery after whiplash injury. ⋯ This study examined if tolerance to endure pain stimuli may predict outcome in whiplash injury. In a prospective fashion, 141 acute whiplash patients exposed to rear-end car collision (WAD grade 1-3) and 40 ankle-injured controls were followed and exposed to a cold pressor test, respectively, 1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the injury. VAS score of pain and discomfort was obtained before, during and after immersion of the dominant hand into cold water for 2 min. The McGill Pain Questionnaire showed that ankle-injured controls had higher initial pain scores than the corresponding whiplash group, while whiplash-injured subjects had higher scores at 6 months; pain scores being similar at other time points. No difference was found in cold pressor pain between recovered whiplash patients and ankle-injured subjects. Non-recovery was only encountered in whiplash injury. Eleven non-recovered whiplash patients (defined as: handicap after 1 year) showed reduced time to peak pain from 1 week to 3 months (P<0.001), 6 months (P<0.01), but not 12 months after the injury. A larger pain area was seen in non-recovered vs. recovered whiplash-injured subjects during the entire observation period (P<0.001). Non-recovery after whiplash was associated with initially reduced cold pressor pain endurance and increased peak pain, suggesting that dysfunction of central pain modulating control systems plays a role in chronic pain after acute whiplash injury.
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Comparative Study
Comparing acceptance- and control-based coping instructions on the cold-pressor pain experiences of healthy men and women.
The current study reflects recent developments in psychotherapy by examining the effect of acceptance-based coping instructions, when compared to the opposite, more control/distraction-based instructions, on cold-pressor pain. Since previous research indicates gender differences in how people cope with pain, we also sought to determine whether differences would be found between healthy men and women. ⋯ Finally, for affective pain, acceptance instructions only benefited women. These results suggest that acceptance-based coping may be particular useful in moderating the way in which individuals, especially women, cope with pain.