Articles: low-back-pain.
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The most common presentation of cluneal neuropathy is ipsilateral low back and gluteal pain. Cluneal neuralgia has been described historically in surgical contexts, with much of the description and treatment related to entrapment and decompression, respectively. Treatment options for addressing axial low back pain have evolved with advancements in the field of interventional pain medicine, though clinical results remain inconsistent. Recent attention has turned toward peripheral nerve stimulation. Nonsurgical interventions targeting the superior and medial cluneal nerve branches have been performed in cases of low back and buttock pain, but there is no known review of the resulting evidence to support these practices. ⋯ Limited studies promote beneficial effects from interventions intended to target cluneal neuropathy. Despite increased emphasis and treatment options for this condition, there is little consensus on the diagnostic criteria, endpoints, and measures of therapeutics, or procedural techniques for blocks, radiofrequency, and neuromodulation. It is imperative to delineate pathology associated with the cluneal nerves and perform rigorous analysis of associated treatment options.
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Quantitative data on longitudinal associations between catastrophizing and pain or physical function are patchy. The study aimed to quantify the prognostic value of catastrophizing for pain and function in fibromyalgia and low back pain before and after rehabilitation. ⋯ Our study showed surprisingly high associations between state and change in catastrophizing to pain relief and functional improvement in chronic pain patients. This is supported by clinical experience and research data, even if the construct and measurement of catastrophizing is under debate. Our findings and those of literature point to more pessimistic self-rating of pain and catastrophizing in fibromyalgia when compared to other conditions. This might obscure positive effects on pain and function achieved by adaptive coping in fibromyalgia.
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Poor sleep quality has a negative effect on pain among older adults. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) state of emergency, lifestyle changes can cause psychologic stressors and lead to poor sleep quality. ⋯ During the COVID-19 state of emergency, poor sleep quality was associated with worsening low back or knee pain. This may indicate the need to pay attention to poor sleep quality to prevent the exacerbation of pain among old-old adults.
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Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the leading causes of pain and disability in adults in the United States and disproportionately burdens non-Hispanic Black (NHB) individuals and females. Approximately 90% of CLBP cases are of unknown cause, and it is imperative that potential causes be explored. It has been reported that diet quality can influence pain state via diet-induced inflammation. ⋯ Further research is needed to determine whether dietary interventions that reduce inflammation improve CLBP outcomes and whether these interventions may be differentially-beneficial based on sex. PERSPECTIVE: This article highlights the impact of diet-induced inflammation in a community-based sample as a whole, as well as stratified in various sociodemographic groups. This work expands our understanding of the influence of diet on pain experience and suggests that modifications to diet may be efficacious treatments for reducing chronic pain.
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Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the lumbar facet joints has demonstrated efficacy in the management of chronic low back pain. The traditional technique uses a conventional monopolar (CM) cannula placed parallel to the putative nerve to produce a thermal lesion resulting in pain relief of the facet joints. A new multi-tined (MT) cannula has come onto the market that allows targeting the putative nerve using a perpendicular to the nerve approach. ⋯ This study demonstrated that the outcomes in terms of pain, disability, quality of life, adverse events, and fluoroscopy exposure time were equivalent between the 2 cannulae. However, RFA using the MT cannula was faster to perform and involved less local anesthetic and radiation.