Current pain and headache reports
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2023
ReviewAcupuncture for the Treatment of Migraine: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.
Over the past few years, there have been many systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) used to assess the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine. Our aim is to assess the methodological and reporting quality of SRs/MAs and make an evaluation about the available evidence of the safety and efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine. ⋯ Migraine is one of the most common primary headaches, with various symptoms, threatening human health. Acupuncture is a specific treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and a validated non-pharmaceutical option as well, widely used in the treatment of migraine, and has gained remarkable therapeutic effect. An overview can evaluate research methods and evidence for SRs/MAs in evidence-based medicine, although there is much relevant research, it's still a hard work to synthesis all the evidence or to make robust conclusions, the variation in the methodological and quality evidence in such SRs/MAs play a significant role. For this overview, we searched six electronic databases from inception until 8 September 2022, and without languages restrictions, the results showed that, acupuncture as a more safety and more convenient therapeutic, and it has been shown to be effective in the treatment of migraine, that is worthy of clinical promotion. However, there are also some limitations because of the low-quality evidence of most of the studies. In conclusion, most included SRs/MAs suggested that acupuncture was more effective than the control group in the treatment of migraine. However, the quality evidence of most of the studies still needs to be improved.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2023
ReviewInterventional Pain Physician Burnout During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience.
The study sought to assess the prevalence of physician burnout among interventional pain physicians in 2022. ⋯ Physician burnout is major psychosocial and occupational health issue. Prior to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, over 60% of physicians reported emotional exhaustion and burnout. Physician burnout was reported to become more prevalent in multiple medical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. An 18-question survey was distributed electronically to all ASPN members (n = 7809) in the summer of 2022 to assess demographics, burnout characteristics (e.g., Have you felt burned out due to COVID?), and strategies to cope with burnout and stress (e.g., reached out for mental health assistance). Members were able to complete the survey once and were unable to make changes to their responses once submitted. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the prevalence and severity of physician burnout within the ASPN community. Chi-square tests were used to examine differences in burnout by provider characteristics (age, gender, years practicing, and practice type) with p-values less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. There were 7809 ASPN members that received the survey email, 164 of those members completed the survey, a response rate of 2.1%. The majority of respondents were male (74.1%, n = 120), 94% were attending physicians (n = 152), and 26% (n = 43) have been in practice for twenty years or longer. Most respondents expressed having experienced burnout during the COVID pandemic (73.5%, n = 119), 21.6% of the sample reported reduced hours and responsibilities during the pandemic, and 6.2% of surveyed physicians quit or retired due to burnout. Nearly half of responders reported negative impacts to their family and social lives as well as personal physical and mental health. A variety of negative (e.g., changes in diet, smoking/vaping) and positive coping strategies (e.g., exercise and training, spiritual enrichment) were employed in response to stress and burnout; 33.5% felt they should or had reached out for mental health assistance and suicidal ideations were expressed in 6.2% due to burnout. A high percentage of interventional pain physicians continue to experience mental symptoms that may lead to risk for significant issues going forward. Our findings should be interpreted with caution based on the low response rate. Evaluation of burnout should be incorporated into annual assessments given issues of survey fatigue and low survey response rates. Interventions and strategies to address burnout are warranted.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2023
ReviewThe Effect of Perioperative Auditory Stimulation with Music on Procedural Pain: A Narrative Review.
Music therapy has seen increasing applications in various medical fields over the last decades. In the vast range of possibilities through which music can relieve suffering, there is a risk that-given its efficacy-the physiological underpinnings are too little understood. This review provides evidence-based neurobiological concepts for the use of music in perioperative pain management. ⋯ The current neuroscientific literature shows a significant convergence of the pain matrix and neuronal networks of pleasure triggered by music. These functions seem to antagonize each other and can thus be brought to fruition in pain therapy. The encouraging results of fMRI and EEG studies still await full translation of this top-down modulating mechanism into broad clinical practice. We embed the current clinical literature in a neurobiological framework. This involves touching on Bayesian "predictive coding" pain theories in broad strokes and outlining functional units in the nociception and pain matrix. These will help to understand clinical findings in the literature summarized in the second part of the review. There are opportunities for perioperative practitioners, including anesthesiologists treating acute pain and anxiety in emergency and perioperative situations, where music could help bring relieve to patients.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Aug 2023
ReviewA Review of the Paravertebral Block: Benefits and Complications.
Paravertebral nerve blocks (PVB) have experienced a surge over the past 2 decades as improved access to ultrasound has increased ease of performance. The purpose of this review is to identify recent findings with regard to PVB's uses, including benefits, risks, and recommendations. ⋯ PVB is reported as an effective method of analgesia both in intraoperative and postoperative applications, with novel applications showing its potential to replace general anesthesia for certain procedures. The use of PVB as a method of analgesia postoperatively has shown lower opioid usage and faster PACU discharge, when compared to alternative approaches like the intercostal nerve block, erector spinae plane block, pectoralis II block, and patient-controlled analgesia. Thoracic epidural analgesia and a serratus anterior plane block are comparable to PVB and can be used as alternatives. The incidence of adverse events is consistently reported to be very low with few new risks being identified as the use of PVB expands. While there are worthwhile alternatives to PVB, it is an excellent option to consider, particularly for higher-risk patients. For patients undergoing thoracic or breast surgery, PVB can improve opioid usage and shorten the length of stay leading to an overall positive impact on patient recovery and satisfaction. More research is needed to further expand novel applications.
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We aim to present current understanding and evidence for meditation, mostly referring to mindfulness meditation, for the management of acute pain and potential opportunities of incorporating it into the acute pain service practice. ⋯ There is conflicting evidence concerning meditation as a remedy in acute pain. While some studies have found a bigger impact of meditation on the emotional response to a painful stimulus than on the reduction in actual pain intensities, functional Magnet Resonance Imaging has enabled the identification of various brain areas involved in meditation-induced pain relief. Potential benefits of meditation in acute pain treatment include changes in neurocognitive processes. Practice and Experience are necessary to induce pain modulation. In the treatment of acute pain, evidence is emerging only recently. Meditative techniques represent a promising approach for acute pain in various settings.