Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
-
Age-related patterns in postoperative pain are unclear with reports of no age differences and less pain with age. The objective of this study was to identify correlates of pain and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (i.v. PCA) morphine use in younger and older patients. ⋯ The correlates of postoperative pain and morphine use may differ with age, and the same factor may have different effects across age groups. Research is needed into the mechanisms of these age-specific profiles.
-
Cutaneous application of menthol in healthy subjects induces cold allodynia via sensitization of cold-sensitive nociceptors. We investigated the effects of menthol on preexisting cold allodynia in patients to test whether the allodynia was exacerbated. ⋯ These results suggest that, unlike in controls, menthol is not more hyperalgesic, but may be analgesic in some patients with peripheral and central neuropathic pain.