British journal of pain
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British journal of pain · Nov 2015
Prescribing opioid analgesics for chronic non-malignant pain in general practice - a survey of attitudes and practice.
This study replicates a previous postal survey of general practitioners (GPs) to explore whether attitudes to opioid prescribing have changed at a time when the number of opioid prescriptions issued in primary care has increased. ⋯ Given the national trend for increased opioid prescriptions, it is unsurprising that more frequent self-reported prescribing is reported here; however, increased frequency does not translate into less reluctance about prescribing. The effectiveness of strong opioids for chronic pain is recognised, but concerns about addiction, dependence and misuse inform a reluctance to use strong opioids. These juxtapositions highlight a continued need for clearer understanding of GPs' perceptions of strong opioids and point to the potential benefit of dedicated guidelines or specialist education and training to address their uncertainties.
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British journal of pain · Nov 2015
The development and delivery of a female chronic pelvic pain management programme: a specialised interdisciplinary approach.
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a physically and psychologically debilitating condition. European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines (2013) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) guidelines (2012) place strong emphasis upon multi-speciality assessment and liaison, as well as interdisciplinary assessment and intervention in reference to the management of CPP. ⋯ This article presents some preliminary results that suggest there is value in delivering a specialised multidisciplinary PMP for this group. There is a clear need for further clinical research into the effectiveness of similar interventions for CPP, including the early identification of those CPP patients who may benefit from both multi-specialty and interdisciplinary management.