Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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We examined stereotyping of chronic pain sufferers among women aged 18-40 years and determined whether perceived stereotyping affects seeking care for women with chronic vulvar pain. ⋯ Perceived negative stereotyping among chronic pain sufferers is common, particularly negative perceptions about physicians. In fact, chronic vulvar pain sufferers who felt stigmatized were more likely to have sought care than those who did not feel stigmatized.
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Chronic cancer pain is often refractory and difficult to treat. Ketamine is a medication with evidence of efficacy in the treatment of chronic pain. ⋯ Despite limitations in the breadth and depth of data available, there is evidence that ketamine may be a viable option for treatment-refractory cancer pain.
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The purpose of the study was to systematically review the historical therapeutics for chronic pain care directed at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and to identify future trends and upcoming treatment strategies. ⋯ Despite a robust understanding of the DRG and its importance in acute nociception, as well as the development and maintenance of chronic pain, relatively poor evidence exists regarding current therapeutic strategies. Novel therapies like electrical and pharmacologic strategies are on the horizon, and more prospective study is required to better qualify the role of the DRG in chronic pain care.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict, on the basis of clinical variables, the response of persons with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) to a standard, 4-week interdisciplinary pain program. ⋯ Properly trained ANNs can be a useful tool for optimal treatment selection at an early stage after diagnosis, thus contributing to minimize the lag until symptom amelioration and improving tertiary prevention in patients with FMS.
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The objective of the study was to collect data on the direct and indirect economic cost of chronic pain among patients attending a pain management clinic in Ireland. ⋯ The cost of chronic pain among intensive service users is significant, and when extrapolated to a population level, these costs represent a very substantial economic burden.