European journal of pain : EJP
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Dysfunctional psychological pain responses, namely fear-avoidance (FAR), including catastrophizing and helplessness, as well as endurance-related responses (ER), including thought suppression and overactivity, have been shown to be risk factors for persistent low back pain (LBP). Literature suggests that athletes may differ from non-athletes regarding psychological responses to pain. ⋯ Athletes train to endure pain in the course of athletic socialization, at least in the context of exercise. However, there is sparsity of knowledge about psychological pain responses in athletes with low back pain and whether they differ from those in non-athletes. The results of this comparative study suggest that endurance responses are more frequent than avoidance responses among athletes and non-athletes alike. However, both types of responses seem relevant to clinical pain management in athletes as well as non-athletes.
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Although the influence of genetics on chronic low back pain (LBP) has been previously examined, few studies have investigated whether the impact of genetic factors on LBP depends on how the condition is assessed. ⋯ Heritability estimates were similar for different low back pain definitions, and therefore not dependent on how chronic low back pain is experienced or assessed, in the same population-based sample.
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Pain at any age is related to pain experienced at younger ages, but not much is known on how pain develops over the adult life course. We studied long-term individual trajectories of pain over 15 years of the life course and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors and health characteristics. ⋯ Asking adults about pain every 5 years over a 15-year period shows that almost one-third never reported pain and one-fifth persistent pain. "Persistent" and "developing" pain is associated with smoking, obesity and short sleep duration. Long-term pain trajectories may reflect relevant pain phenotypes.
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The Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ) is a self-rating instrument developed as a time- and cost-saving alternative to quantitative sensory testing (QST). The aims of the study were to assess (a) the associations between PSQ scores and QST in women with persistent pelvic pain and in pain-free controls and (b) to what extent demographic variables and psychological distress influenced PSQ scores. ⋯ The PSQ reflects pain sensitivity in women with PPP and can be used as a non-invasive and painless way to assess this condition in clinical practice.
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Pain descriptors capture the multidimensional nature of pain and can elucidate underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. This study determined whether the pain descriptors chosen by subjects experiencing acute dental pain associate with the outcomes of two commonly performed dental sensory tests. The goal of the study is to clarify whether pain descriptors are useful in discriminating the underlying biological processes contributing to dental pain. ⋯ In subjects experiencing acute toothache, specific pain descriptors associate with the responses to routine clinical sensory tests performed on the injured tooth. The frequent reporting of neuropathic pain descriptors suggests that neuropathic mechanisms could create a diagnostic challenge to differentiate toothache from intraoral neuropathic conditions. Persons experiencing toothache with mechanical hypersensitivity experience more intense pain overall, suggesting patients with this clinical feature will have distinct clinical pain management needs.