Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses
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There is a curious and paradoxic phenomenon, reliably demonstrated in animal models, that consists of an increased sensitivity to pain that is apparently induced by the very opioid drugs used to ameliorate the pain. This phenomenon is termed "opioid-induced hyperalgesia." Whether opioid-induced hyperalgesia occurs in humans, and, if so, to what extent and consequence, is far less established. This is a critical question for attempting to treat pain. ⋯ It would be to decrease, rather than increase, the dose of opioid. We review the evidence, particularly the clinical evidence, about opioid-induced hyperalgesia and the postulated mechanisms. We conclude that given the clinical ramifications, opioid-induced hyperalgesia is one of the most understudied important aspects of opioid research.
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Pain and functional compromise are reported as effects that can be expected after breast cancer treatment. The reported prevalence of pain after breast cancer treatment varies widely, ranging from 13% (n = 74) to 93% (n = 590). To date, pain after breast cancer treatment has not been the focus of a systematic review. ⋯ Reported average numeric intensity is low, but no study measured the impact of pain on function. Incidence of posttreatment pain has yet to be established. Further exploration of the nature, temporal factors, and impact that the pain experienced after treatment has on function, activity, and participation is needed to guide intervention and test its efficacy.
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Pain is a complex biobehavioral phenomenon. The quantification of pain involves the incorporation of many factors, including physiologic, behavioral, and psychologic factors. Recognition of pain relies heavily on the expression of the patient as well as the interpretation of the caregiver. ⋯ Pain is a combination of physiologic, behavioral, and psychologic interactions. Any tool that incorporates the measurement of only one of those domains is inherently incomplete in the assessment of pain. Therefore, the purpose of this literature review was to provide a comprehensive overview of these biobehavioral pain assessment tools used in pain assessment in the noncommunicative pediatric population.
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Anxiety and fear are among the most frequently reported emotional responses to hospitalization and are known to be contributing factors to pain and other negative patient outcomes. The first step in confronting unnecessary anxiety and fear is to identify valid and clinically feasible assessment instruments. The purpose of this paper is to review and evaluate instruments that measure children's fear or anxiety associated with hospitalization or painful procedures. ⋯ Therefore, we recommend that researchers and clinicians exercise caution in choosing assessment instruments, balancing potential strengths with reported limitations. Using more than one tool (triangulating) may be one way to achieve more credible results. Knowledge of credible existing instruments alerts us to what is possible today and to the imperative for research that will improve communication with children tomorrow.
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Review Case Reports
The role of intravenous acetaminophen in acute pain management: a case-illustrated review.
For more than a century, acetaminophen has been recognized worldwide as a safe and effective agent for relieving pain and reducing fever in a wide range of patients. However, until recently, acetaminophen was available in the United States only in oral and rectal suppository formulations. In November 2010, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted approval for the use of a new intravenous (IV) formulation of acetaminophen for: 1) the management of mild to moderate pain; 2) the management of moderate to severe pain with adjunctive opioid analgesics; and 3) the reduction of fever in adults and children (age ≥ 2 years). This case-illustrated review of IV acetaminophen begins with a discussion of the rationale for the drug's development and proceeds to analyze the clinical pharmacology, efficacy, safety, and nursing implications of its use, both as monotherapy and in combination with other agents as part of a multimodal pain therapy strategy.