The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society
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Pain can begin in the first year of life for individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) and continue in an unpredictably recurrent manner throughout their life span. Sickle vaso-occlusive pain (sickle pain) can also occur simultaneously with pain of other origins, complicating both assessment and management. Aims of this research were to describe the reliability and validity of a daily diary for data collection with children and adolescents with SCD and to describe characteristics of vaso-occlusive sickle pain episodes (VOE) and other pain reported by children and adolescents with SCD along with home pain management strategies. ⋯ Analgesic medication was taken on 85% of days of sickle pain, whereas analgesics were taken on only 60% of days with other pain. The diary used in this study is a valid and reliable self-report tool. The use of home diaries will improve the understanding of sickle pain and its management and assist in identifying other pain syndromes that may require alternative management.
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Many treatment options are available for the management of cancer pain including drugs, local excision, radiation, brachytherapy, and nerve blocks. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation has been used to treat painful neurologic and bone lesions and thus could potentially be used to treat cancer pain in other sites. Two superficial subcutaneous metastatic nodules were treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. The patient received significant pain relief and improved quality of life.