Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects such as nausea and vomiting are common following opioid analgesia and represent a significant cause of patient discomfort and treatment dissatisfaction. This review examines the mechanisms that produce these side effects, their impact on treatment outcomes in chronic pain patients, and counteractive strategies. ⋯ Nausea and vomiting side effects limit the analgesic efficiency of current opioid therapies. There is a clear need for the development of improved opioid-based analgesics that mitigate these intolerable effects.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with fibromyalgia and major depression.
To study the efficacy of low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with fibromyalgia and major depression. ⋯ With the methodology used in this study, patients with fibromyalgia and major depression who received real magnetic stimulation did not present significant differences in symptoms with respect to those who received sham magnetic stimulation.
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In the multimodal treatment approach to chronic back pain, interventional back procedures are often reserved for those who do not improve after more conservative management. Psychological screening prior to lumbar surgery or spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been widely recommended to help identify suitable candidates and to predict possible complications or poor outcome from treatment. However, it remains unclear which, if any, variables are most predictive of pain-related treatment outcomes. ⋯ At present, while there is insufficient empirical evidence that psychological screening before surgery or device implantation helps to improve treatment outcomes, the current literature suggests that psychological factors such as somatization, depression, anxiety, and poor coping, are important predictors of poor outcome. More research is needed to show if early identification and treatment of these factors through psychological screening will enhance treatment outcome.
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Biography Historical Article
Hubert Rosomoff, MD, DMedSc: pioneer in neurosurgery and pain medicine.