Current pain and headache reports
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Patients diagnosed with neuropathic pain experience continuous or intermittent spontaneous pain throughout their lives. Pharmacological treatments often provide limited relief; therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be utilized to manage neuropathic pain. This review examines the current literature on integrative health modalities (anti-inflammatory diets, functional movement, acupuncture, meditation, and transcutaneous therapy) for treating patients with neuropathic pain. ⋯ The use of an anti-inflammatory diet, functional movement, acupuncture, meditation, and transcutaneous therapy in treating neuropathic pain has been investigated in prior literature with positive outcomes. However, there remains a large void in evidence-based knowledge and clinical applicability for these interventions. Overall, integrative health offers a cost-efficient and harmless way of creating a multidisciplinary approach to managing neuropathic pain. There are many complementary approaches to treating neuropathic pain as part of an integrative medicine approach. Research is needed to explore other herbs and spices not yet reported in the peer-review literature. Additionally, follow-on research is needed to understand the clinical applicability of the proposed interventions as well as the dose and timing of the interventions to predict response and duration.
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Cannabis has been used since ancient times for medical and recreational research. This review article will document the validity of how medical cannabis can be utilized for chronic nonmalignant pain management. ⋯ Current cannabis research has shown that medical cannabis is indicated for symptom management for many conditions not limited to cancer, chronic pain, headaches, migraines, and psychological disorders (anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder). Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are active ingredients in cannabis that modulate a patient's symptoms. These compounds work to decrease nociception and symptom frequency via the endocannabinoid system. Research regarding pain management is limited within the USA as the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies it as a schedule one drug. Few studies have found a limited relationship between chronic pain and medical cannabis use. A total of 77 articles were selected after a thorough screening process using PubMed and Google Scholar. This paper demonstrates that medical cannabis use provides adequate pain management. Patients suffering from chronic nonmalignant pain may benefit from medical cannabis due to its convenience and efficacy.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Apr 2023
ReviewThe Relationship of Tobacco Use and Migraine: A Narrative Review.
Tobacco use is associated with significant health consequences especially for people with medical conditions. Although lifestyle strategies (e.g., sleep, diet) are commonly recommended as part of migraine treatment, tobacco-related strategies (e.g., smoking cessation) are rarely included. This review is aimed at elucidating what is known about tobacco use and migraine and at identifying gaps in the research. ⋯ The prevalence of smoking is higher among people with migraine, and people with migraine believe that smoking makes migraine attacks worse. There is also evidence that smoking may exacerbate migraine-related consequences (e.g., stroke). Very few studies have examined other aspects of smoking and migraine or tobacco products other than cigarettes. There are significant gaps in our knowledge of smoking and migraine. More research is needed to understand the relationship of tobacco use to migraine and potential benefits of adding smoking cessation efforts into migraine care.