Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine
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Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease affecting older individuals. The clinical hallmark of trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden, excruciating paroxysm of pain in the area of the trigeminal nerve. Drug therapy is considered the first line of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. ⋯ Nerve block with neurolytic solutions and radiofrequency thermocoagulation is a simple, less invasive therapy. In order to avoid hypesthesia and dysesthesia, nerve block using a high concentration of local anesthetics is recommended. In recent years, stereotactic radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia has emerged as a new therapeutic modality.
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In order to see the patients with low back pain and/or sciatica, it is most important to consider the pathophysiology of symptoms. We should know that the image findings such as X-ray and MRI do not always show the cause of symptom. Because degenerative changes in lumbar spine are common findings in asymptomatic group compared to symptomatic patients with low back pain and sciatica. According to pathophysiology (nerve root syndrome, cauda equina syndrome, facet syndrome, discogenic pain syndrome and intermittent claudication for low back pain), the treatment for low back pain and sciatica were described.
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Weak opioids have been used as analgesics in cancer patients with moderate to severe chronic pain. Codeine is one of the weak opioids which is assigned as a representative analgesic of the 2nd ladder-drugs for the treatment of cancer pain by WHO cancer pain relief programme. ⋯ Clinical ceiling effect of codeine is seemed to be 200-300 mg/day, although it is described as 600 mg/day in some textbooks. Side effects of codeine are same as those of morphine, therefore, drugs for the side effects should be given to the patients simultaneously when codeine is administered.
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Oral route morphine should be first choice for moderate or strong cancer pain. Morphine must be administered essentially at fixed interval. It is important to keep effective plasma morphine concentration. ⋯ Respiratory rate per minute of patients always must be measured during administration of morphine. Patients taking morphine have to take laxatives and antiemetics simultaneously. It is crucial to establish the cause of pain and choose other proper treatment when morphine is not effective.
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Local and regional analgesia, achieved by injecting a local anesthetic into tissues, or in proximity to certain parts of the peripheral nervous system, or into the epidural/subarachnoid space, to relieve pain has been used widely for many years. While nerve blocks no longer have the preeminent role as the pain management in cancer patients, they will remain useful tools in managing pain and increasing 'quality of life' of the cancer patients, only if they properly applied. The purpose of this chapter is to present an updated version of the regional analgesia in cancer pain management.