Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Clinical Trial
Experience of methadone therapy in 100 consecutive chronic pain patients in a multidisciplinary pain center.
The objective of the study was to describe the experience of methadone use in 100 consecutive chronic pain patients managed in a single multidisciplinary center. ⋯ From our experience, methadone is an effective alternative to conventional opioids for chronic pain management when used by experienced clinicians in a setting that allows for close monitoring and careful dose initiation and adjustment.
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To assess the influence of fear avoidance beliefs (FAB) and catastrophizing on low back pain (LBP)-related disability in Spanish community dwelling retirees. ⋯ In Spanish community dwelling retirees, the influence of FAB and catastrophizing on LBP-related disability is clinically small.
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Clinical Trial
Combination therapy with flupirtine and opioid: open-label case series in the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with cancer.
This study is a case series that was designed to provide data on the efficacy and the incidence and duration of adverse effects of flupirtine in the treatment of cancer-related neuropathic pain. ⋯ These results in humans follow animal studies that suggest a role for flupirtine in the treatment of neuropathic pain. This short duration open-label study in 10 subjects suggests that flupirtine may be useful in the treatment of neuropathic pain when used in combination with opioids.
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To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of chronic pain in a population of predominantly employed, alcoholic patients attending an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program. ⋯ Chronic severe pain was prevalent in this predominantly employed, alcoholic population attending an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program. Pain was associated with significant functional impairment, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and abuse behaviors. Few patients accessed adequate pain treatment. Efforts should be made to better address the pain problems in this patient population.
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Stretch injury to the brachial plexus may occur following traumatic flexion-extension of the cervical spine often seen in motor vehicle accidents or falls. Radiologic and conventional nerve conduction studies are negative in many cases. The present study was undertaken in an attempt to simplify, standardize, and quantify the positive and negative sensory abnormalities that are most often seen during the clinical examination. ⋯ Quantification of sensory findings may greatly facilitate and substantiate the diagnosis of this type of injury. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that brachial plexus traction injury causes dysfunction of small sensory fiber systems and results in a form of neuropathic pain.