Aǧrı : Ağrı (Algoloji) Derneği'nin Yayın organıdır = The journal of the Turkish Society of Algology
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Cervicogenic headache is a relatively common and still controversial form of headache arising from structures in the neck. Cervicogenic headache is a unilateral fixed headache characterised by pain that starts in the neck and spreads to the ipsilateral oculo-fronto-temporal area. The pathophysiology of cervicogenic headache probably depends on the effects of various local pain-producing or eliciting factors, such as intervertebral dysfunction, cytokines and nitric oxide. ⋯ Various therapies have been used in the management of cervicogenic headache. These range from lowly invasive, drug-based therapies to highly invasive, surgical-based therapies. Unfortunately, the paucity of experimental models for cervicogenic headache and the relative lack of biomolecular markers for the condition mean much is still unclear about cervicogenic headache and the disorder remains inadequately treated.
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Interlaminary epidural steroid injections have been used in pain management for many years. However, either incomplete clinical recoveries or increase of anatomical knowledge and experience lead to investigation of different techniques. ⋯ So, investigators have started to search for how to decrease these complications and even started to investigate for more safe techniques. In this review, transforaminal epidural steroid injection techniques and their complications are examined.
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Trigeminal neuralgia is a painful condition of the face characterized by paroxysmal lancinating, shock-like pain confined to the somatosensory distribution of the trigeminal nerve. The etiology of most cases of trigeminal neuralgia has been suggested to be vascular compression of the central axons of the trigeminal nerve at the level of pontocerebellar region, so called hyperactive dysfunctional syndrome. Trigeminal neuralgia is the one of the most known pain syndromes. Several neurosurgical procedures have been developed for the treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia and in this review, idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia was discussed in aspect of different surgical modalities.
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Epidural fibrosis and adhesions can have many causes. Postsurgical bleeding and the healing process frequently produce scarring. The associated irritation or inducement of epidural venous engorgement may contribute to pain production. Lysis of epidural adhesions could be performed after rest, drug therapies such as NSAID and muscle relaxants, physical therapy with activity programs and epidural steroid injections.
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The perception and interpretation of pain is the end point of an interaction of cognitive, cultural, and environmental factors and this complex interaction effects the pain response and quality of life of each person which shows that pain perception and the verbal and behavioral response shows variations and is specific for each patient. Chronic pain can be due to Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) and Neuropathic Pain (NP) where the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are being revealed or it can be chronic low back pain (CLBP) where pain persists in spite of healing of tissue and no underlying pathologic mechanism can be defected. Central sensitization, inhibition of descending pain inhibitory systems, functional changes in autonomic nervous system amd neurotransmitter as well as changes in stress response system are factors contributing to the initiation and maintenance of pain and cognitive, behavioral factors are also important contributors in chronic pain. ⋯ The targets of activity should be physical, functional and social. Psychologic based programs as cognitive-behavioral techniques and operant conditioning are also valid procedures in rehabilitation of chronic pain patients. Rehabilitation should be multidisciplinary and of long-term targeted to valid out-come for success.