Journal of pain research
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2019
The effectiveness of ultrasound-guided cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections in cervical radiculopathy: a prospective pilot study.
Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection (CTFESI) is used to provide pain relief and restore function in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Traditionally, it is performed under the guidance of fluoroscopy or computed tomography. Here, we introduce a novel technique - ultrasound-guided CTFESI - with which operators can easily distinguish the close soft tissue (nerve, vessels) around the cervical foramina to avoid intravascular injection during the procedure. ⋯ We suggest that ultrasound-guided CTFESI is an effective, safe, and simple procedure free of radiation or magnetization and provides sustained pain relief in patients with cervical radiculopathy who have failed previous conservation therapies.
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2019
Pre-emptive scalp infiltration with dexamethasone plus ropivacaine for postoperative pain after craniotomy: a protocol for a prospective, randomized controlled trial.
Background: Approximately 55-87% of the patients undergoing craniotomy experience moderate to severe pain during the first 48 hrs after surgery, which negatively influences patients' postoperative rehabilitation. Recently, local infiltration of analgesia (LIA) has been widely performed clinically as a promising analgesic method that could avoid the side effects of analgesics but only has a short pain-free duration; researchers have clarified that the addition of dexamethasone to LIA could provide significant analgesic effects and significantly prolong the duration of analgesic effects without obvious complications for various types of surgeries. To date, no studies have evaluated the addition of dexamethasone to LIA for patients receiving craniotomy. ⋯ The intervention will involve pre-emptive scalp infiltration with ropivacaine plus dexamethasone (the dexamethasone group) or ropivacaine alone (the control group), and the participants in both groups will complete a 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome will be the cumulative sufentanil consumption within 48 hrs postoperatively. Discussion: The intervention, if effective, this study will provide clinically important information on the role of dexamethasone in scalp infiltration for post-craniotomy pain management.
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2019
Intramuscular electrical stimulus potentiates motor cortex modulation effects on pain and descending inhibitory systems in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, factorial, sham-controlled study.
Neuroplastic changes in nociceptive pathways contribute to severity of symptoms in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). A new look at neuroplastic changes management includes modulation of the primary motor cortex by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). ⋯ This study provides additional evidence regarding additive clinical effects to improve pain measures and descending pain inhibitory controls when the neuromodulation of the primary motor cortex with tDCS is combined with a bottom-up modulation with EIMS in KOA. Also, it improved the ability to walk due to reduced pain and reduced analgesic use.
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2019
Inhibition of electroacupuncture on nociceptive responses of dorsal horn neurons evoked by noxious colorectal distention in an intensity-dependent manner.
The transmission of visceral nociception can be inhibited by electroacupuncture (EA) at the spinal level. However, relationships between current intensity and EA-induced analgesia are still lacking. This study compares the effects of different intensities of EA at local acupoints and heterotopic acupoints on nociceptive responses of spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons induced by noxious colorectal distension (CRD). ⋯ Within a certain range, the nociceptive responses of dorsal horn neurons induced by CRD could be inhibited by EA in an intensity-dependent manner.
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Journal of pain research · Jan 2019
Local ozone (O2-O3) versus corticosteroid injection efficacy in plantar fasciitis treatment: a double-blinded RCT.
To compare the efficacy of local ozone injection versus corticosteroid in plantar fasciopathy treatment. ⋯ The present results showed no remarkable superiority between the two groups. In other words, although ozone injection showed a slower efficacy than methylprednisolone, it could be used in plantar fasciitis management as an appropriate alternative.