The Clinical journal of pain
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The goal of this study was to examine the relative importance of global affective distress, self-report of depressive symptoms, and presence or absence of major depression to the experience of chronic pain. ⋯ The GSI, Beck Depression Inventory, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale were significantly correlated with each measure of the experience of pain, although clinical depression was only significantly related to self-reported disability and negative thoughts about pain. The self-report measures of depression maintained their relation to the dependent measures when the somatic items from the scales were removed, suggesting that the relations were not spuriously due to the influence of pain symptoms on the scales. When examining the unique contribution of each variable to the experience of pain (by simultaneously controlling for the other measures of affect), the GSI was uniquely related to the sensory and affective components of pain. Self-report of depressive symptoms was more highly related to a measure of the evaluative component of pain and uniquely related to self-reported disability and negative thoughts about pain. The results are discussed within the context of theoretical models of the relation between pain and affect, and suggestions for future research are presented.
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This study was undertaken to examine the relation between muscular tenderness measured as pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and electromyographic (EMG) signs of fatigue before and after a local standardized static muscle contraction. ⋯ Pressure pain thresholds over shoulder muscles remained elevated up to 10 minutes after a unilateral static endurance test. This time course was completely different from that of EMG-defined muscle fatigue, which showed a fast recovery. These findings indicate that the mechanisms of recovery from fatigue and nociception are independent of each other. The bilateral PPT increases might be explained by central antinociceptive mechanisms activated by static muscle work.
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Traumatic events can result in a set of symptoms including nightmares, recurrent and intrusive recollections, avoidance of thoughts or activities associated with the traumatic event, and symptoms of increased arousal such as insomnia and hypervigilance. These posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms are frequently observed in persons with chronic pain syndromes. Little is known about how these two phenomena interact with one another. The present study evaluated PTSD-like symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and examined the relation between PTSD-like symptoms and problems associated with FMS. ⋯ Results suggest that PTSD-like symptoms are prevalent in FMS patients and may influence adaptation to this chronic illness. Clinicians should assess the presence of these symptoms, as the failure to attend to them in treatment may impede successful outcomes.