Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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Comparative Study
Diagnosis of the vertebral level from which low back or leg pain originates. A comparison of clinical evaluation, MRI and epiduroscopy.
The precise localization of painful structures in the spine of patients with low back pain and/or pain radiating (LBP/RP) to the lower extremities is important for targeted therapeutic intervention. The aim of the study reported here was to determine and compare the spinal segment(s) where pain was elicited via endoscopic evaluation vs. the vertebral level from where the pain was thought to originate as determined by clinical evaluation and by MRI. ⋯ Results of this study indicate that epiduroscopy is more reliable than is either clinical evaluation or MRI for determining the vertebral level where clinically significant spinal pathology occurs in patients with LBP/RP.
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Pain is generally undertreated in the United States, owing to a number of barriers including geographic distance from specialty treatment providers; functional disability that limits mobility; treatment-related stigma; economic limitations; and educational barriers. Pain undertreatment exacerbates pain chronicity and emotional disruption that can significantly erode a pain patient's quality of life, and there is widespread agreement that pain care must evolve to address this significant problem. The growing field of telehealth (defined for the purposes of this paper as technology that allows for distance interaction between providers and/or patients) offers a novel opportunity to expand pain assessment, consultation, and treatment services beyond the walls of the specialty pain clinic, but there is limited availability of resources describing how to best use this technology to improve access to care. ⋯ Of the studies available, there are very few randomized trials of telehealth pain care and only one general overview of e-health and chronic pain, which dedicates just a few paragraphs to telehealth. This manuscript represents one of the first comprehensive reviews of the current state of telehealth and pain management research and practice. The goals are to provide a rationale for the potential benefit of telehealth-based pain management services; describe the various applications of telehealth technology for pain management; orient the reader to cost models for telehealth; present examples of services in place; and offer recommendations for future research based on the current state of knowledge.
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To characterize adherence with antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, and beta blockers as prophylaxis against migraine in typical clinical practice. ⋯ Our findings suggest that many patients who begin migraine prophylaxis with antidepressants, antiepileptics, or beta blockers are no longer taking these medications at 6 months.
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Editorial Comment
Epiduroscopy: the missing link connecting diagnosis and treatment?
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Chronic pain (CP) poses a diverse and substantial burden for employees, employers, and society. The deleterious consequences of CP in the workplace are frequently underestimated. ⋯ The body of evidence identified from the systematic review indicates that CP has a substantial negative impact on work-related outcomes, supporting the importance of interventions to reduce the burden of CP. Well-designed prospective studies specifically assessing the direct consequences of CP on employment are needed to confirm these findings.