Der Schmerz
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Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are typically characterized by pain in the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and by limitation of mandibular mobility. In June 2019, the German Society of Craniomandibular Function and Disorders presented a screening tool to identify individuals with TMDs. The assessment tool consists of patient history (three questions related to jaw pain, one question related to impaired mandibular mobility) and a clinical examination (palpation of masticatory muscles and TMJs; evaluation of maximum jaw opening; assessment of the presence of occlusal disturbances; documentation of TMJ noises). ⋯ While the anamnestic questions, as well as the assessment of maximum mandibular opening, reflect the clinically relevant symptoms and signs of TMD patients, the remaining four clinical measures do not. Furthermore, TMD screening for painful TMDs appears unnecessary because patients suffering from orofacial pain and/or restricted mandibular mobility are likely to consult a therapist by themselves. Therefore, the use of this screening tool may lead to overdiagnosis, possibly resulting in nonindicated diagnostic and therapeutic measures.
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Osteoporosis is a very common disease all over the world, in which a reduction in bone density can lead to an increased risk of fractures and a diminished physical height. Osteoporosis is also associated with acute and chronic pain, which especially occurs in the back and can significantly reduce the quality of life. To provide sufficient care for affected patients, it is essential to know the particularities of pain management in osteoporosis, such as pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options. This article gives a comprehensive review of pain management in osteoporosis and also explains the underlying pathomechanisms, risk factors, and diagnostic procedures.
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Neuropathic pain consistently presents a significant therapeutic challenge. Topically applied analgesics have the advantage of showing low systemic side effects, but data on long-term effectiveness are lacking. Consequently, interviews were carried out with all patients being treated with topical analgesics in hospital. ⋯ Despite the long duration of the disease, the most used off-label topical drugs L and B demonstrated a high primary response rate (in contrast to C), with most benefiting from long-term treatment.