Articles: chronic.
-
Noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors are known to produce analgesia through a spinal action but they also act in the brain. However, the action of noradrenaline on supraspinal pain control regions is understudied. The authors addressed the noradrenergic modulation of the dorsal reticular nucleus (DRt), a medullary pronociceptive area, in the spared nerve injury (SNI) model of neuropathic pain. ⋯ Chronic pain induces brainstem noradrenergic activation that enhances descending facilitation from the DRt. This suggests that antidepressants inhibiting noradrenaline reuptake may enhance pain facilitation from the brain, counteracting their analgesic effects at the spinal cord.
-
The low back pain has become one of the greatest public health problems worldwide. The author based on the current international standards summarizes the knowledge necessary for every day treatment of low back pain. In acute low back pain the author underlines the necessity of the rapid, accurate diagnosis and separation for specific and non-specific low back pain. ⋯ Objectives of the management of chronic low back pain are effective pain reduction, continuous maintainance of physical activity, prevention of permanent disability, and restoration of working ability. Analgesics, non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants reduce pain, while multidisciplinary management programs, personalized and guided physiotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as short training programs will help to restore function. Surgical treatment is only indicated in degenerative cases and only after the failure of conservative therapy.
-
Although alterations in not only the pain sensitivity but also the analgesic effects of opioids have been reported under conditions of stress, the influence of unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) on the antinociceptive effects of opioid analgesics remains to be fully investigated. The present study examined the influence of UCMS on the thermal pain sensitivity and antinociceptive effects of two opioid analgesics, morphine (an agonist of opioid receptors) and tramadol (an agonist of μ-opioid receptor and an inhibitor of both noradrenaline and serotonin transporters). We also examined the effects of pretreatment with maprotiline (a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor) and escitalopram (a serotonin reuptake inhibitor) on the antinociceptive action of morphine in mice under an UCMS condition. ⋯ We demonstrated that the antinociceptive effect of morphine but not tramadol was reduced in mice that had experienced UCMS. The reduced antinociceptive effect of morphine under the UCMS condition was ameliorated by pretreatment with maprotiline but not escitalopram. These results suggest that the reduced antinociceptive effects of morphine under conditions of chronic stress may be ameliorated by activation of the noradrenergic but not the serotonergic system.
-
The current study was aimed at evaluating the antihyperalgesic effects of lignans (phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin) and tannin (corilagin) rich three standardized extracts of Phyllanthus amarus in a model of chronic musculoskeletal inflammatory pain. Three percent carrageenan injected in the gastrocnemius muscle produced hyperalgesia to mechanical and heat stimuli ipsilaterally, which spreads to the contralateral side within 7 to 9 days. ⋯ In conclusion, we strongly suggest that the observed antihyperalgesic and antiinflammatory effects of P. amarus in current pain model are mediated via spinal or supraspinal neuronal mechanisms, mainly by inhibition of PGE2. Modulation of chronic muscular inflammation may be due to presence of phytoconstituents like phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, and corilagin, which offers a promising means for treatment of chronic muscle pain.
-
In recent years, the influence of doctors' and therapists' attitudes and beliefs for the treatment of chronic low back pain patients has been increasingly investigated. Attitudes and beliefs of health care providers have been identified as important contributors for an activity based, guideline-oriented therapeutic approach and different questionnaires were developed to evaluate this interaction. Recent reviews discuss the quality of those questionnaires as well as the impact of attitudes towards therapeutic choices and activity recommendations by health care professionals. ⋯ Overall, it must be assumed that attitudes and beliefs of clinicians are also important in the care of older patients in pain. With regards to activity recommendations, ageism and the special situation of older people should also be taken into account including possible risk of falling, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and cognitive impairment. These topics should all be considered in adapted or newly developed questionnaires for the evaluation of attitudes and beliefs of health care providers regarding back pain in older persons.