Pain physician
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Neck pain has an elevated prevalence worldwide. Most people with neck pain are diagnosed as nonspecific neck pain patients. Poor recovery in neck disorders, as well as high levels of pain and disability, are associated with widespread sensory hypersensitivity. Nevertheless, there is controversy regarding the presence of widespread hyperalgesia in chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP); this lack of agreement could be due to the presence of different pathophysiological mechanisms in CNSNP. ⋯ Widespread pressure pain hyperalgesia was detected in patients with CNSNP with NF, but not in patients with CNSNP with No-NF. Patients with CNSNP presented bilateral pressure pain hyperalgesia over the cervical region and a decreased cervical ROM compared to healthy controls. However, no differences were found between the 2 CNSNP groups. These findings suggest differences in the mechanism of pain processing between patients with CNSNP with NF and No-NF.
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Observational Study
Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy as an Alternative to Open Lumbar Microdiscectomy for Large Lumbar Disc Herniation.
Remarkable advancements in endoscopic spinal surgery have led to successful outcomes comparable to those of conventional open surgery. Large lumbar disc herniation (LLDH) is a serious condition, resulting in higher surgical failure when accessing the herniated disc. ⋯ PELD can be an effective treatment for LLDH, and it is associated with potential advantages, including a rapid recovery, improvements in back pain, and disc height preservation.
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Morton's neuroma is the fibrous enlargement of the interdigital nerve branches, usually in the second and third interspace between the metatarsal heads where the lateral and medial plantar nerves often join. Specific symptoms are dull or sharp pain, numbness and/or tingling in the third and fourth digits, burning sensation, cramping, and a feeling of "walking on a stone" around the metatarsal heads. Numerous clinical tests for Morton's neuroma have been described, such as thumb index finger squeeze, and Mulder's click and foot squeeze tests. ⋯ Further, performing dynamic imaging during the aforementioned tests is paramount and can readily be carried out with ultrasound. The treatment mainly comprises footwear modifications, radiofrequency ablation, physical therapy, local (corticosteroid and anesthetic) injections into the affected webspace, and surgery. Again the use of real-time ultrasound guidance during such interventions is noteworthy.
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Persistent pain after breast cancer surgery (PPBCS) affects 25 - 60% of breast cancer survivors and damage to the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) has been implicated as the cause of this predominantly neuropathic pain. Local anesthetic blockade of the ICBN could provide clues to pathophysiological mechanisms as well as aiding diagnosis and treatment of PPBCS but has never been attempted. ⋯ We have successfully managed to block the ICBN using ultrasound guidance and demonstrated an analgesic effect in patients in PPBCS calling for placebo-controlled studies.
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There is experimental evidence that dexmedetomidine has neuroprotective effects. So, it could be expected that its intrathecal or epidural administration presents no harm. However, whether dexmedetomidine is neurotoxic to the spinal cord remains to be fully elucidated. ⋯ On the basis of the present results, dexmedetomidine administered in the subarachnoid space in a single dose of 10 µg is capable of producing histological changes over the meninges of rabbits.