Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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To provide pediatric care providers with insight into lidocaine infusions for analgesia. ⋯ Our limited experience suggests that lidocaine infusions are well tolerated in the adolescent and young adult pain population, with side effects resolving quickly with interruption or discontinuation of the infusion if necessary. Future studies are warranted to examine safety, efficacy, mechanism of actions, and its long-term impact on a developing central nervous system.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain have a well-documented high comorbidity; however, the underlying mechanisms of this comorbidity are currently poorly understood. The aim of this psychophysical study was to investigate the behavioral response to a prolonged suprathreshold pain stimulus in subjects with combat-related PTSD and combat controls (CC) for clinical evidence of central sensitization. ⋯ These findings are consistent with a significantly higher degree of acute central sensitization in individuals with PTSD. Increased acute central sensitization may underlie increased vulnerability for developing pain-related conditions following combat trauma.
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To evaluate the degree of knowledge about pain management and opioids use by professionals working at three pediatric units. ⋯ Problems in the processes of pain identification, measurement, and treatment have been found. Results suggest that there is a need for both an investment in continuing education of professionals and the development of protocols to optimize the analgesic therapy, thus preventing increased child suffering.
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Editorial Comment
Preventing pain requires translating biology into social change.