The Clinical journal of pain
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Comparative Study
Acupuncture treatment in epicondylalgia: a comparative study of two acupuncture techniques.
The purpose of this study was to compare the pain-alleviating effect of classical acupuncture with superficial needle insertion in 82 patients suffering from lateral epicondylalgia. Sessions were 20 min long, two to three times weekly with 10 treatments in all. ⋯ No such differences could be observed at the follow-ups after 3 months and 1 year. This study showed that classical "deep" acupuncture is superior to superficial needle insertion in the short-term symptomatic treatment of lateral epicondylalgia, but not at 3- and 12-month follow-up.
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Case Reports
Headache in acromegaly: dramatic improvement with the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995.
Two acromegalic patients with severe headache, persisting after pituitary adenomectomy followed by radiotherapy in one, were treated with the somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995. Both had been resistant to conventional headache therapy and experienced dramatic and rapid relief after the first injection of the analogue. This result persisted with long-term treatment of the drug. Although the mechanism of action of SMS 201-995 in pain remains unclear, the rapid and efficacious analgesic effect of this compound may be one more indication for its use in pituitary tumors associated with cephalalgias.
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Clinical experience with the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block combined with a review of prior studies led to conducting a retrospective evaluation of four patients with chronic pain treated with the SPG block. The review of case reports suggests the usefulness of SPG blocks in the pain management clinic.
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Case Reports
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy and posttraumatic stress disorder. Multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) may co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A case study is reported of a challenging adolescent patient who presented to a chronic pain service with RSD and PTSD. A multidisciplinary approach utilizing nerve-block therapy with adjunctive pharmacologic treatment, physical rehabilitation, and behavioral/cognitive psychological therapy was employed to produce a significant reduction in pain as well as a more physically and psychologically functional adolescent. The diagnosis and treatment of each disease is essential for the successful resolution of symptoms.