Der Schmerz
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most relevant disorders of patients with chronic pain, but is often underdiagnosed. This also applies to expert testimony. ⋯ This forms the basis for a differentiated expert testimony in the different fields of law (e.g., criminal law, statutory or private accident insurance or social security benefits), in which different requirements must be taken into consideration by the expert. The recognition of malingering is described at length, which plays a major role in PTSD expert testimony in all fields of law.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
[Social desirability in pain therapy : Response behavior of various professional groups on the implementation of multi-professional pain management.]
Research on the quality of pain management is often based on self-reported data pertaining to internal regulations provided by employees. However, data examining the correctness of the information given are rare. The project "Pain-Free Hospital" facilitated such an analysis and compared the answers provided by staff members with currently existing regulations. ⋯ Therapy plans and pain management-related regulations are known in hospitals after a systematic training. Data suggest that hospitals without regulations show a trend towards social desirability.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
[Capsaicin 8 % cutaneous patches for phantom limb pain : Results from everyday practice (non-interventional study).]
Post amputation pain presents a challenge for pain physicians and is often detrimental to the patient's quality of life. ⋯ Capsaicin 8 % cutaneous patches seem to be effective and safe for the treatment of post amputation pain, notably in patients suffering from phantom limb pain.
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In pain therapy neurostimulation procedures have replaced the previously used lesional methods with only very few exceptions. This is especially true for neuropathic pain, i.e. pain which occurs as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease of the somatosensory system. Nowadays, various stimulation procedures are included in the neurosurgical and anesthesiological armamentarium for pain therapy, depending on the site of damage. This article gives an overview of the currently used invasive stimulation procedures and the indications.
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Persistent chronic pain leads to cortical changes in areas involved in the recognition of emotions. Wand et al. suggest a close correlation between the affective pain component and the extent to which these changes occur. As a consequence, the emotion profile may be influenced and difficulties in emotional communication may arise. ⋯ The results suggest changes in the recognition of emotions and that patients with CLBP show signs of alexithymia. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the detected trends.