Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet on reported pain, blood biomarkers and quality of life in patients with chronic pain: A pilot randomised clinical trial.
A low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet has been reported to improve chronic pain by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and sensitivity within the nervous system. The main aim of this trial is to evaluate the effects of a ketogenic diet on reported pain, blood biomarkers and quality of life in patients with chronic pain. ⋯ The implementation of a whole-food diet that restricts ultra-processed foods is a valid pain management tool; however, a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets may have potentially greater pain reduction, weight loss and mood improvements.
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To establish the efficacy of medications, incidence of adverse events (AEs), and withdrawal rates associated with the pharmacological management of chronic spinal cord injury pain. ⋯ Pregabalin was found to be effective for neuropathic pain vs placebo. Cannabinoids were ineffective for neuropathic pain. AEs are a common cause for withdrawal. The nature of AEs was poorly reported, and AE reporting should be improved in future randomized controlled trials.
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The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) require medical schools to teach their students how to recognize and work toward eliminating health disparities. However, time constraints and a dearth of guidance for educators in teaching pain disparities curricula pose significant challenges. Herein we describe successes and lessons learned after designing, implementing, and evaluating an innovative pain disparities curriculum that was embedded in a longitudinal health equity curriculum for third year medical school students at an academic institution. Although the curriculum was developed for medical school students, the concepts may be broadly applicable to other training settings such as residency and fellowship programs.
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Chronic pain and depression frequently co-occur and exacerbate one another; therefore, it is important to treat both conditions to improve patient outcomes. The current study evaluates an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program (IPRP) with respect to the following questions: 1) How do clinically elevated depressive symptoms impact pain-related treatment outcomes? and 2) To what extent does IPRP participation yield reliable and clinically significant change in depressed mood? ⋯ These findings support the assertion that IPRPs represent an effective treatment for patients with comorbid chronic pain and depression and that participation is associated with improvement in both conditions.
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To explore the effectiveness and safety of three oral cannabinoid preparations (FM2®, Istituto farmaceutico militare, Firenze, Italy; Bedrocan®, Bedrocan International, Vandaam, Netherlands; and Bediol®, Bedrocan International, Vandaam, Netherlands) in the treatment of chronic migraine. ⋯ Oral cannabinoid preparations may have a role in reducing pain intensity and acute medication intake in patients with chronic migraine, but the magnitude of the effect seems modest; further studies are needed.