European journal of pain : EJP
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Attachment insecurity (i.e. anxiety in relationships and/or discomfort in close relationships) is associated with self-reports of physical symptoms, medically unexplained symptoms and health conditions involving pain. Medically unexplained chronic pain (MUCP) may represent a particularly severe form of symptom reporting that is also characteristic of individuals with insecure attachment. This study investigated relationships between adult attachment style ratings and past-year MUCP in a sample of the general U.S. population and the ability of attachment style ratings to account for variance in past-year MUCP beyond that accounted for by potential confounders. ⋯ Consistent with earlier research regarding transient physical symptoms, medically unexplained chronic pain was associated with attachment insecurity. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for this association could guide treatment innovations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Role of transcranial direct current stimulation on reduction of postsurgical opioid consumption and pain in total knee arthroplasty: Double randomized clinical trial.
Postoperative pain control is an important factor in determining recovery in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of 4 sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over primary motor cortex (M1) in patients undergoing unilateral TKA. ⋯ The data of the present study suggest that four sessions of transcranial direct current brain stimulation over motor cortex could reduce morphine consumption and pain perception during the postoperative period in total knee arthroplasty.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Pain thresholds, supra-threshold pain and lidocaine sensitivity in patients with erythromelalgia, including the I848Tmutation in NaV 1.7.
Nociceptive thresholds and supra-threshold pain ratings as well as their reduction upon local injection with lidocaine were compared between healthy subjects and patients with erythromelalgia (EM). ⋯ Acute pain thresholds and supra-threshold heat pain in controls and patients with erythromelalgia do not differ and have the same lidocaine sensitivity. Acute heat pain thresholds even in EM patients with the NaV1.7 I848T mutation are normal and only nociceptor sensitivity to intradermal lidocaine is changed. Only in EM patients with mutations in NaV1.7, 1.8 or 1.9 supra-threshold heat and mechanical pain shows differential lidocaine sensitivity as compared to controls.
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The primary objective of this paper is to discuss how a resilience approach to (chronic) pain may advance our current understanding of (mal)adaptation to pain. Different resilience perspectives are described, and future challenges for research, prevention and treatment of (chronic) pain are discussed. Literature searches were performed in Web of Science and PubMed to identify relevant literature on risk and resilience in the context of pain. ⋯ We describe how a resilience paradigm shifts the outcomes to pursue in pain research and intervention and argue the need for including positive outcomes in addition to negative outcomes. Psychological flexibility, positive affect and basic psychological needs satisfaction are described as potentially important resilience mechanisms with the potential to target both sustainability and recovery from pain. A resilience approach to chronic pain may have important implications for the prevention and treatment of chronic pain problems, as it may give specific indications on how to empower patients to continue living a fulfilling life (in the presence of pain).
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According to current fear-avoidance models, changes in motor behaviour (e.g. avoidance) are a key component in the development and maintenance of chronic pain complaints. Yet, experimental research assessing actual behavioural changes following painful events is relatively sparse. This study investigated the effects of pain anticipation on changes in motor behaviour using a fear conditioning paradigm and robot-generated standardized movement trajectories of the upper extremities. ⋯ Fear of pain changes movement: Movements associated with pain are performed faster, with more force and higher accuracy than movements that are not associated with pain. These changes can inform us how fear of pain translates into avoidance and escape behaviour, two important constructs in the maintenance of chronic pain.