Current pain and headache reports
-
The scope of this review is to describe the epidemiology, physiology, symptomatology, and treatment of diabetic painful neuropathy, which is a common complication of diabetes with significant morbidity. This article focuses on treatment options. Various clinical trials of several classes of medications (eg, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical medications) and alternative treatments (eg, acupuncture, electrostimulation, magnets) are reviewed. ⋯ However, a number of these treatments have significant side effects, which are noted, that limit their use. As the understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of diabetic neuropathy improves, new medications are under investigation, which are reviewed in this article. There is great hope that the future may hold treatments that would prevent nerve damage.
-
New daily persistent headache was first described by Vanast in 1986 as a benign form of chronic daily headache that improved without therapy. In the headache specialist's office, new daily persistent headache is anything but benign and is thought to be one of the most treatment refractory of all headache conditions. ⋯ It is unique in that the headache begins daily from onset, typically in a patient without a history of headache, and can continue for years without any sign of alleviation despite aggressive treatment. This article discusses the epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, clinical characteristics, and treatment strategies for new daily persistent headache.
-
Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jun 2003
ReviewPharmacotherapy for pain in rheumatologic conditions: the neuropathic component.
Nociceptive and neuropathic types of pain occur in rheumatologic conditions. Most clinicians are familiar with the former, but many are not aware of the prevalence of the latter. ⋯ Common rheumatologic conditions and their pathophysiology in relation to pain mechanisms also are described. Pharmacotherapeutic recommendations for the treatment of both types of pain in the common rheumatologic conditions are presented.
-
Neuropathic low back pain is examined from a structural standpoint, distinguishing processes that start from chronic inflammation and mechanical compromise and cross into the realm of neuropathy with primary neurogenic pathophysiology. The disease of chronic pain is discussed, examining peripheral and central changes in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neuromolecular dynamics. The limitations of inadequate random controlled trials regarding long-term pharmacologic interventions are contrasted with excellent work in the basic science of chronic pain. Complex rational pharmacologic strategies for structural pathology, central pain processes, sites of medication action, and differing routes of administration are delineated.
-
Pseudomigraine with temporary neurologic symptoms and lymphocytic pleocytosis is a self-limited syndrome of unknown origin characterized by headache accompanied by transient neurologic symptoms and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis. Patients with this condition are between 15 and 40 years of age. The syndrome is more frequent in men. ⋯ Single photon emission computed tomography reveals transient focal areas of decreased uptake consistent with the clinical symptoms. It is possible that pseudomigraine with temporary neurologic symptoms and lymphocytic pleocytosis could result from an activation of the immune system secondary to a recent viral infection, which would produce antibodies against neuronal or vascular antigens. This autoimmune attack may induce an aseptic leptomeningeal vasculitis, accounting for the headache and the transient symptoms likely through a spreading depression-like mechanism.