The Clinical journal of pain
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Multicenter Study Meta Analysis
Treatment of chronic, intractable pain with a conventional implantable pulse generator: a meta-analysis of 4 clinical studies.
To provide further short-term (6 mo) and long-term (1 y) evidence for the use of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with a conventional implantable pulse generator in the management of chronic, intractable pain. ⋯ This analysis provides further evidence of the safety and effectiveness of SCS in treating chronic intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs. Specifically, it underscores a high level of effectiveness and acceptable safety concerns in the use of nonrechargeable SCS devices.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor cortex in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain: a randomized, double-blind exploratory study.
To test the proof of principle that active anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the motor cortex reduces pain significantly more than sham stimulation in a group of participants with chronic nonspecific low back pain. ⋯ These results do not provide evidence that tDCS is effective in the treatment of chronic back pain. The use of a small convenience sample limits the generalizability of these findings and precludes definitive conclusions on the efficacy of tDCS in chronic nonspecific low back pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Sensory impairment in obese patients? Sensitivity and pain detection thresholds for electrical stimulation after surgery-induced weight loss, and comparison with a nonobese population.
Obese patients have a high prevalence of painful musculoskeletal disorders that may decrease after massive weight loss. Pain thresholds may be different in obese participants. ⋯ Further studies are required to explore sensory dysfunction in obese individuals and to investigate the implications of this dysfunction for pain management.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Validation of two novel electronic devices to time-link transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and pain report in patients with chronic back pain.
The analgesic effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is uncertain. Negative findings, interpreted as ineffectiveness, might be due to poor methodological quality. Monitoring is necessary to differentiate between ineffectiveness and low implementation fidelity. Electronic data-logging devices, "TLOG" and "TSCORE," were developed to monitor and time-link TENS and pain report. TLOG records the time and duration of TENS use and output parameters; TSCORE records time-stamped pain scores. The purpose was to determine the accuracy, reliability, and acceptability of the devices. ⋯ TLOG and TSCORE are accurate, reliable, and acceptable devices for monitoring TENS implementation fidelity and pain outcome, with potential for improving TENS research methodology and clinical application.