Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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This prospective, open-label study was designed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of 10-kHz high-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the treatment of chronic axial low back pain with no history of spinal surgery. ⋯ These results suggest that 10-kHz high-frequency SCS may provide significant, long-term back pain relief, improvement in disability and quality of life, and reduction in opioids for nonsurgical refractory back pain.
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Review Case Reports
Neuromodulation in Postherpetic Neuralgia: Case Reports and Review of the Literature.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is common in the United States. Current treatment options for PHN are fairly limited. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) are considered mostly experimental and still rarely performed in patients with PHN. ⋯ Based on our review of the literature and the two cases at MCF, subcutaneous PNS seems to be a promising intervention in the treatment of PHN.
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Observational Study
Prescription Opioid Access Patterns and Factors Associated with Increasing Number of Prescribers, Pharmacies, and Dispensings: An Observational Study Using Pharmaceutical Claims.
To examine associations between patient factors and increasing opioid access measured by three metrics: number of unique prescribers, pharmacies, and dispensings in 12 months. ⋯ Delineating legitimate from extramedical opioid use based on pharmaceutical claims is imprecise. We demonstrated that "high" levels of access, defined in previous research, may reflect routine care for complex patients. Pharmaceutical claims have utility in examining population norms of prescription drug use and access patterns, and flagging persons at the extreme end of access, for at least one measure, who may warrant further investigation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
How Classical Conditioning Shapes Placebo Analgesia: Hidden versus Open Conditioning.
To investigate the influence of expectancy of pain intensity, fear of pain (trait), and fear (state) on the effectiveness of hidden and open conditioning to produce placebo analgesia. ⋯ Fear seems to be a more important factor than expectancy in producing placebo analgesia induced by hidden conditioning.
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Observational Study
A Survey of Physicians' Knowledge and Adherence to the Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia.
In 2010, Wolfe et al. demonstrated poor physician use of the 1990 fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria and proposed the 2010 criteria to address physician shortcomings. No follow-up studies have investigated whether physicians are using these criteria. The purpose of this study was to provide seminal data on physician knowledge and use of the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. ⋯ Physicians do not have adequate and homogenous knowledge of the fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria. Approximately half of physicians did not adhere to the criteria. Poor knowledge and adherence to the criteria may increase diagnosis delays and misdiagnoses. Knowledge translation strategies should be implemented to address this problem.