Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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Neuropathic pain is a serious chronic condition strongly affecting quality of life, which can be relieved but cannot be cured. Apart from symptomatic management, treatment should focus on the underlying disorder. The estimated prevalence is at least 1% to 5% of the general population. ⋯ Ancillary investigations may include EMG and computerized tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans, depending on the localization of the suspected lesion. A limited number of agents, primarily directed at symptom control, are currently approved for use in neuropathic pain. A mechanism-based approach to pharmacological intervention supports the use of polypharmacy in neuropathic pain.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in outcomes of long-term multiprofessional intervention in patients suffering from musculoskeletal pain. ⋯ These results indicate that multiprofessional assessment may also have beneficial effects in patients with musculoskeletal pain when measuring long-term outcomes.
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In addition to the influence of tissue damage, the intensity of pain is also related to individual cognitive factors. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) is used to measure individual tendency toward pain by inquiring about a subject's cognitive characteristics. Building on the knowledge that the venipuncture process causes severe pain and anxiety in some patients, the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the PCS score and venipuncture pain. ⋯ There was a positive correlation between venipuncture pain and PCS score. Consequently, the venipuncture pain score could be useful in informing practitioners about a patient's pain considerations.
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Chronic pain is common in persons with HIV and is often associated with psychiatric illness and substance abuse. Current literature links psychiatric illness and substance abuse with worse HIV outcomes; however, the relationship of chronic pain, alone and in the context of psychiatric illness and substance abuse, to outcomes in HIV has not been described. To develop this new area of inquiry, we propose an adapted biopsychosocial framework specifically for chronic pain in HIV. This framework will describe these relationships and serve as a conceptual framework for future investigations.
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Transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) are often used to treat lumbar foraminal stenosis. Injectate pressure (of contrast) was monitored during fluoroscopically guided TFESI to assess the effect on short-term pain reduction. ⋯ In this setting, relative injectate pressures had no significant effect on immediate outcomes of TFESI.