The Clinical journal of pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Naprapathic manual therapy or conventional orthopedic care for outpatients on orthopedic waiting lists?: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
Traditionally, orthopedic outpatient waiting lists are long, and many referrals are for conditions that do not respond to interventions available at an orthopedic outpatient department. The overall objective of this trial was to investigate whether it is possible to reduce orthopedic waiting lists through integrative medicine. Specific aims were to compare the effects of naprapathic manual therapy to conventional orthopedic care for outpatients with nonurgent musculoskeletal disorders unlikely to benefit from surgery regarding pain, physical function, and perceived recovery. ⋯ The trial suggests that naprapathic manual therapy may be an alternative to consider for orthopedic outpatients with disorders unlikely to benefit from surgery.
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We investigated the influence of paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (ppTMS) of the motor cortex (M1) on perception of noxious electrical stimuli. The nociceptive flexion reflex response was assessed to determine spinal effects. ⋯ The facilitatory component of ppTMS led to increased pain perception when applied during the cortical process of Adelta fiber-mediated input, whereas the subsequent inhibitory component may lead to the opposite effect on the subsequent noxious stimulation.
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Recent models of the relationship between posttraumatic stress and whiplash pain suggest that psychological stress relating to a motor vehicle crash may influence pain perception. The mechanisms of this relationship may be through more direct, psychological pathways, or through factors proposed by the fear-avoidance models of chronic pain. This study sought to investigate the relative contribution of fear-of-pain and trauma symptomatology to daily pain and time spent in an upright posture (uptime) in chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). ⋯ Reports of trauma-related hyperarousal were associated with greater same-hour pain, and this relationship was mediated by fear-of-pain. Fear-of-pain and uptime were independently associated with reports of increased next-hour pain (controlling for first-order serial autocorrelation). Fear-of-pain was unrelated to next-hour uptime, but trauma-related avoidance symptoms were associated with reduced uptime. This study supports the relationship between psychological trauma responses and pain, suggesting behavioral (avoidance) pathways and effects on pain perception through fear-of-pain. These findings reinforce the need to evaluate traumatic stress as a factor in recovery from WAD.
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Persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) after surgery for breast cancer has a prevalence of 20% to 52%. Neuroplastic changes may play a role in the aetiology of this pain. The principal objective of this study was to examine the relationship between acute pain after surgery for breast cancer and the likelihood of subsequently developing PPSP. ⋯ Patients who developed PPSP experienced pain of greater intensity on the fifth postoperative day than those that did not.
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Intrathecal granuloma associated to the tip of catheters implanted in patients receiving long-term spinal infusion to alleviate chronic pain is a rare but potentially catastrophic complication. Its formation seems to be related to the intrathecal administration of opioid drugs, although not all opioids induce granuloma formation with the same frequency. ⋯ This case report highlights the incomplete knowledge about the mechanism of granuloma formation and discuss the alternatives in the management of catheter-tip granulomas. This is the first case report of a patient in whom an intrathecal granuloma reoccurred twice after initial surgical removal. We also present and discuss a potential management strategy to avoid further surgery and resume intrathecal therapy early.