European journal of pain : EJP
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Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the primary motor cortex has been shown to be effective in the treatment of a number of chronic pain conditions. However, there is a lack of understanding of the top-down analgesic mechanisms involved. ⋯ The analgesic effects of tDCS are dependent on spinal cord excitability. This work provides insight into top-down modulation during acute pain and temporal summation. This knowledge may explain why tDCS has a higher analgesic efficacy in chronic pain patients.
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Individuals experiencing chronic widespread pain (CWP) have greater disability and poorer quality of life compared to those with other chronic painful conditions; although research identifying risk factors for CWP is lacking. We aimed to investigate whether parental CWP increases the risk of offspring CWP, and if offspring body mass index (BMI) and leisure time physical activity modify this association. ⋯ The parent-offspring transmission of CWP is stronger in obese offspring (particularly when both parents have CWP). This study is the first to investigate the interaction between modifiable lifestyle factors, familial factors and CWP.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has growing support for chronic pain. However, more accessible treatment delivery is needed. This study evaluated the feasibility of online ACT for patients with complex chronic pain in the United Kingdom to determine whether a larger trial is justified. ⋯ This study supports the feasibility of online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain in the United Kingdom and a larger efficacy trial. Refinements to treatment delivery, particularly to better engage employed patients, may improve treatment completion and outcomes.
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Persistent or increased long-term opioid consumption has previously been described following total hip- (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, detailed information on postoperative analgesic consumption trajectories and risk factors associated with continued need of analgesics in fast-track THA and TKA is sparse. ⋯ We found a considerable fraction of patients with continued or increased opioid consumption 9-12 months after fast-track THA and TKA. Increase in opioid consumption was more frequent in preoperative opioid users than opioid-naive patients, but a pattern of increased analgesic consumption was present across all analgesics. Our data demonstrate a need for increased focus on long-term analgesic strategies and postoperative follow-up after THA and TKA, especially in preoperative opioid users.
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Visualizing one's own painful body part appears to have an effect on reported pain intensity. Furthermore, it seems that manipulating the size of the viewed image can determine the direction and extent of this phenomenon. When visual distortion has been applied to clinical populations, the analgesic effects have been in opposition to those observed in some experimental pain models. To help resolve this problem, we explored the effect of visualisation and magnification of the visual image on reported pain using a delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) pain model. ⋯ We present delayed onset muscle soreness as a model for exploring visually induced analgesia. Our findings suggest that this phenomenon is expressed differently in exogenous and endogenous experimental pain models. Further exploration may offer a potential pathway for the integration of visual analgesia into the management of clinical pain.