Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
The Impact of Massage Therapy on Function in Pain Populations-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials: Part III, Surgical Pain Populations.
Pain is multi-dimensional and may be better addressed through a holistic, biopsychosocial approach. Massage therapy is commonly practiced among patients seeking pain management; however, its efficacy is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis is the first to rigorously assess the quality of the evidence for massage therapy's efficacy in treating pain, function-related, and health-related quality of life outcomes in surgical pain populations. ⋯ Based on the available evidence, weak recommendations are suggested for massage therapy, compared to active comparators for reducing pain intensity/severity and anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This review also discusses massage therapy safety, challenges within this research field, how to address identified research gaps, and next steps for future research.
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Observational Study
Percutaneous Epidural Adhesiolysis with Epidural Steroid Injection: A Non-inferiority Test of Non-particulate Steroids Versus Particulate Steroids.
To evaluate the efficacy of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP), a non-particulate steroid, during percutaneous epidural adhesiolysis (PEA), as compared with triamcinolone acetate (TA). ⋯ DSP presents non-inferiority to TA in terms of success rate and percentage decrease of the VNRS 6 months after PEA.
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Despite current guideline recommendations against the use of opioids for the treatment of fibromyalgia pain, opioid use is reported in approximately 30% of the patient population. There is a lack of information describing the process and results of tapering of chronic opioids. The purpose of this study is to describe opioid tapering and withdrawal symptoms in fibromyalgia patients on opioids. ⋯ Fibromyalgia patients on higher doses of opioids were tapered off over a longer period of time but no differences in withdrawal symptoms were seen based on opioid dose. Duration of opioid use did not affect the time to complete opioid taper or withdrawal symptoms. Despite opioid tapering, pain-related measures improved at the completion of the rehabilitation program.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of the Ventral Epidural Spreading in Modified Interlaminar Approach and Transforaminal Approach: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study.
To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified interlaminar (MIL) approach for accessing ventral epidural space compared with the transforaminal (TF) approach. ⋯ In cases where access to the ventral epidural space by conventional approach is limited, our MIL approach can be considered a suitable alternative, especially in the case of foraminal stenosis.