Current pain and headache reports
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Virtual reality (VR) is a relatively new technology that enables individuals to immerse themselves in a virtual world. This multisensory technology has been used in a variety of fields, and most recently has been applied clinically as a method of distraction for pain management during medical procedures. Investigators have posited that VR creates a nonpharmacologic form of analgesia by changing the activity of the body's intricate pain modulation system. ⋯ This article presents a comprehensive review of the literature to date exploring the clinical and experimental applications of VR for pain control. The review details specific research methodologies and popular virtual environments. Limitations of the research, recommendations for improvement of future studies, and clinical experiences with VR are also discussed.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Apr 2009
ReviewEvidence base for the medical treatments used in cluster headache.
Cluster headache (CH) is a strictly unilateral headache that occurs in association with cranial autonomic features. It is an excruciating syndrome and is probably one of the most painful conditions known to exist, with some female patients describing each attack as being worse than childbirth. CH responds to specific therapies, thereby underlying the importance of distinguishing it from other primary headache syndromes and initiating appropriate treatments. This article reviews the evidence base for the medical treatments used in CH.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Apr 2009
ReviewCluster headache and obstructive sleep apnea: are they related disorders?
Patients with cluster headache (CH) have a higher prevalence of sleep apnea, and a possible relationship between these two conditions has been proposed. Although patients suffering from CH attacks often wake up from sleep, sleep apnea has been suggested to be a trigger or an associated abnormality in CH. ⋯ The exact role that sleep apnea plays in the perpetuation or precipitation of CH is still to be determined. This paper discusses the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms of these two entities and the possible relationship between CH and sleep apnea.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Apr 2009
ReviewResources for education on pain and its management: a practitioner's compendium.
Knowing enough information about pain and its management to adequately care for people in pain may seem challenging, especially for primary care providers who provide the bulk of pain management services in the United States. Few, if any, primary care providers received training beyond the names of a few analgesics and the rudiments of pain assessments. ⋯ Education may be tied to pain certification or specialization, or provided solely for the benefit of practitioners. Due in large part to the World Wide Web, much information about pain is readily available online.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Apr 2009
ReviewThe role of nerve blocks and botulinum toxin injections in the management of cluster headaches.
Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache syndrome that is classified with the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. CH treatment involves three steps: acute attack management, transitional therapy, and preventive therapy. Greater occipital nerve block has been shown to be an effective alternative bridge therapy to oral steroids in CH. Botulinum toxin type A has recently been studied as a new preventive treatment for patients with chronic CH, with limited success.