Articles: chronic-pain.
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The safest pain treatment strategy for an individual at risk or recovering from addiction is a nonopioid and benzodiazepine-free approach. If an opioid treatment is necessary, the extent of the risk can be stratified by the use of a biopsychosocial assessment and opioid screening tools. Individuals at high risk should have the greatest amount of structure and monitoring. ⋯ Both the provider and the patient need a personal investment in the treatment plan and protocol to increase the safety of opioid treatment. New medications and treatment monitoring are being developed to provide maximal relief for the patient while protecting the public health. The optimal ingredients for safe opioid treatment include a strong provider-patient relationship and clinician training in the assessment and treatment of addiction and pain.
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Questions from patients about pain conditions and analgesic pharmacotherapy and responses from authors are presented to help educate patients and make them more effective self-advocates. The topics addressed in this issue are Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and associated chronic pain; the information is meant to help readers understand the mechanisms for pain in this connective tissue disorder as well as general treatment principles for chronic pain management.
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Chronic pain frequently is associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and is a significant cause of morbidity. The classic approach to treat pain in patients with this disease starts with nonpharmacologic therapy and progresses to high-dose opioid therapy and more invasive procedures, including surgery. We present the case of a 43-year-old white woman presenting in our clinic with poorly controlled chronic left flank and epigastric pain secondary to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease despite high-dose opioids and multiple cyst decompression procedures. After temporarily successful management with celiac plexus neurolysis and intercostal nerve radiofrequency ablations for years, the next more permanent step was dorsal column neurostimulation, affording excellent analgesia with significantly improved quality of life to this day.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Jun 2012
ReviewSpinal cord stimulation: neurophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms of action.
Chronic neuropathic pain can significantly reduce quality of life and place an economic burden on individuals and society. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an alternative approach to the treatment of neuropathic pain when standard pharmacological agents have failed. However, an improved understanding of the mechanisms by which SCS inhibits pain is needed to enhance its clinical utility. This review summarizes important findings from recent studies of SCS in animal models of neuropathic pain, highlights current understanding of the spinal neurophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms by which SCS produces an analgesic effect, and discusses the potential clinical applicability of these findings and future directions for research.
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Journal of wound care · Jun 2012
An introduction to the biopsychosocial complexities of managing wound pain.
Using the Manchester pain management model (PAIN), this review discusses the care of acute and chronic wounds, focussing on the particular skills required to manage pain associated with different types of wounds, and addressing the important area of dressing change. Acute and chronic wounds can be associated with either acute or chronic pain, making management of wound pain a significant challenge. ⋯ Understanding the biopsychosocial and cultural elements of pain enables the practitioner to prepare, assess, intervene and normalise effectively, during all aspects of wound care management. Utilising individualised evidence-based practice is essential to ensure that high-quality care is delivered in this key area.