The Clinical journal of pain
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To demonstrate that chronic pain patients' (CPPs') perceptions about their preinjury jobs determine their intent to return to the same type of job post pain facility treatment. ⋯ There appears to be a relationship between preinjury job perceptions and intent to return to the same type of job post pain treatment. However, subgroups of CPPs will differ by which job perceptions are important towards making that decision.
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Comparative Study
Effects of producing a radiofrequency lesion adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion in patients with thoracic segmental pain.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a radiofrequency lesion adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion (RF-DRG) on a consecutive group of patients presenting with chronic thoracic pain. ⋯ There was a significantly (p < 0.05) better short-term and long-term pain relief in patients with a clearly localized pain that was confined to one or two thoracic segmental levels, compared to patients with more than two segmental levels involved in the pain syndrome.
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(1) To demonstrate a relationship between intent to return to preinjury job and preinjury job perceptions about that job; and (2) to demonstrate that worker compensation chronic pain patients (WC CPPs) would be more likely than non-worker compensation chronic pain patients (NWC CPPs) not to intend to return to a preinjury type of job because of preinjury job perceptions. ⋯ There may be a relationship between some preinjury job perceptions and intent to return to the preinjury type of work in some groups of CPPs. However, a specific relationship between WC status, intent not to return to the preinjury type of work, and preinjury job perceptions in comparison to NWC CPPs could not be demonstrated.
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We investigated the association of physical/sexual abuse to pain description, coping, psychological distress, and health-care utilization in a heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients. ⋯ No differences between abused and nonabused groups were found for the pain description or functional interference variables. Compared to the nonabused group, the abused group had significantly lower Self-Control Schedule scores, higher Pain Locus of Control Scale Chance Factor scores, and higher SCL-90-R Global Severity Index scores and was more likely to use the emergency room for pain symptoms. These results replicate the findings of previous studies of the effects of abuse in more specific pain samples and underscore the importance of assessment of abuse in patients with chronic pain. The data suggest that interventions which involve coping-skills training or self-control management of pain may be affected by an abuse history via reduced perceptions of efficacy, resourcefulness, and beliefs that external variables are responsible for pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The utility of comparative local anesthetic blocks versus placebo-controlled blocks for the diagnosis of cervical zygapophysial joint pain.
The development of target-specific local anesthetic blocks has enabled pain physicians to explore the anatomical source of chronic spinal pain. However, such blocks rely on subjective responses and may be subject to the placebo effect. Comparative local anesthetic blocks have been advocated as a means of identifying true-positive cases and excluding placebo responders. This paradigm employs two local anesthetics with different durations of action; only patients who obtain reproducible relief and correctly identify the longer-acting agent are considered positive. ⋯ Whether physicians use comparative or placebo-controlled blocks depends upon the implications of their results. If innocuous therapy will be prescribed, comparative blocks might suffice. However, when diagnostic certainty is critical, such as in a medicolegal context or when surgical intervention is contemplated, placebo-controlled blocks are recommended.