Current pain and headache reports
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2003
Review Comparative StudyCytokines in parvovirus B19 infection as an aid to understanding chronic fatigue syndrome.
Human parvovirus B19 infection has been associated with various clinical manifestations of a rheumatic nature such as arthritis, fatigue, and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which can persist for years after the acute phase. The authors have demonstrated recently that acute B19 infection is accompanied by raised circulating levels of IL-1b, IL-6, TNF-a, and IFN-g and that raised circulating levels of TNF-a and IFN-g persist and are accompanied by MCP-1 in those patients who develop CFS. A resolution of clinical symptoms and cytokine dysregulation after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, which is the only specific treatment for parvovirus B19 infection, also has been reported. Although CFS may be caused by various microbial and other triggers, that triggered by B19 virus is clinically indistinguishable from idiopathic CFS and exhibits similar cytokine abnormalities and may represent an accessible model for the study of CFS.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2003
ReviewAcupuncture in the management of myofascial pain and headache.
Acupuncture encompasses a host of healing techniques that have been practiced for more than 2000 years. Many different techniques and styles are in use in the West. ⋯ However, acupuncture, unlike many indigent medical practices in the world, has withstood the test of time in China and in the West, with many practitioners and patients reporting real benefits for the conditions of headache and myofascial pain when treated by acupuncture. This review provides a brief overview of acupuncture and what is known of its effectiveness in treating headache and myofascial pain.
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Chronic widespread pain, the cardinal symptom of fibromyalgia (FM), is common in the general population, with comparable prevalence rates of 7.3% to 12.9% across different countries. The prevalence of FM in the general population was reported to range from 0.5% to 5% and up to 15.7% in the clinic. The common association of FM with other rheumatic disorders, chronic viral infections, and systemic illnesses has been well documented in several studies. ⋯ FM is considered a member of the family of functional somatic syndromes. These syndromes are very common and share a similar phenomenology, epidemiologic characteristics, high rates of occurrence, a common pathogenesis, and similar management strategies. A high prevalence of FM was demonstrated among relatives of patients with FM and it may be attributed to genetic and environmental factors.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2003
ReviewCentral sensitization in fibromyalgia and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Muscle hyperalgesia and referred pain play an important role in chronic musculoskeletal pain. New knowledge on the involved basic mechanisms and better methods to assess muscle pain in the clinic are needed to revise and optimize treatment regimens. ⋯ Some manifestations of sensitization, such as expanded referred muscle pain areas in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, can be explained from animal experiments showing extrasegmental spread of sensitization. An important part of the pain manifestations (eg, tenderness and referred pain) related to chronic musculoskeletal disorders may result from peripheral and central sensitization, which may play a role in the transition from acute to chronic pain.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2003
ReviewFibromyalgia, hepatitis C infection, and the cytokine connection.
Fibromyalgia and chronic hepatitis C infection share many clinical features including prominent somatic complaints such as musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. There is a growing body of evidence supporting a link between cytokines and somatic complaints. ⋯ The association between chronic hepatitis C infection and fibromyalgia is discussed, including a description of key cytokine changes in chronic hepatitis C infection. Future studies are encouraged to further characterize these immunologic alterations with potential pathophysiologic and therapeutic implications.