Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Changes in Muscle Tone, Function, and Pain in the Chronic Hemiparetic Shoulder after Dry Needling Within or Outside Trigger Points in Stroke Patients: A Crossover Randomized Clinical Trial.
To investigate the effects of applying dry needling into a trigger point (TrP) or non-TrP area in people who have suffered a stroke and to investigate if the effects of dry needling are maintained at six-week follow-up. ⋯ The effect of dry needling on muscle tone (spasticity) and upper extremity function is not related to its application in or outside of a TrP area. The effect of dry needling on shoulder pain was slightly superior when applied over a TrP in poststroke people. These effects were maintained six weeks after treatment.
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Despite evidence of the analgesic benefits of cannabis, there remains a relative scarcity of research on the short- and long-term effects of cannabis use in individuals with chronic pain. ⋯ Our results are among the first to examine concurrent cannabis use as a prognostic variable regarding trajectories of pain-related variables in tertiary care. Future studies may benefit from examining the effect of cannabis initiation, concurrent medication use, and specific aspects of cannabis use (dose, duration of use, or cannabis type) on clinical outcomes.
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Meta Analysis
Effect of Physical Exercise Programs on Myofascial Trigger Points-Related Dysfunctions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Myofascial pain syndrome is one of the primary causes of health care visits. In recent years, physical exercise programs have been developed for the treatment of myofascial trigger points, but their effect on different outcomes has not been clarified. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effect of physical exercise programs on myofascial trigger points. ⋯ Physical exercise programs may be an effective approach in the treatment of pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, and range of motion among patients with myofascial trigger points.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for People with Painful Diabetic Neuropathy in the United Kingdom: A Single-Arm Feasibility Trial.
This study aimed to assess the feasibility of online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for painful diabetic neuropathy in the United Kingdom and to determine if a larger randomized controlled trial testing treatment efficacy is justified. ⋯ This preliminary trial suggests feasibility of recruitment and follow-up questionnaire completion rates, supporting planning for a larger randomized controlled trial. However, treatment completion rates did not achieve the prespecified feasibility target. Changes to the treatment content and delivery may enhance the feasibility of online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with painful diabetic neuropathy on a larger scale.
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Incomplete pain relief after administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is common, but it is unknown whether malabsorption or heightened metabolism contributes to NSAID resistance. To explain the etiology of NSAID resistance, we evaluated naproxen absorption and metabolism in relation to pain relief in a pilot study of women with dysmenorrhea. ⋯ Our preliminary findings suggest that poor drug absorption contributes to ineffective pain relief in dysmenorrheic women. Future studies should explore whether malabsorption contributes to NSAID resistance for other pain conditions.