Current pain and headache reports
-
Curr Pain Headache Rep · May 2020
ReviewHeadache in the Older Population: Causes, Diagnoses, and Treatments.
Primary headaches are less common and differ in presentation in older versus younger individuals. Secondary headaches become more common among older patients. ⋯ Diagnosis and management of headaches in those > 65 years are discussed. Migraine and tension-type headaches are rarely new onset in this age group and should be a diagnosis of exclusion. In older individuals, migraine is more likely to be bilateral with less sensory sensitivities. Migraine aura may present without headache; careful assessment is needed to exclude stroke. Other primary headaches discussed include cough, hypnic, and other headaches. Secondary causes discussed include giant cell arteritis, trigeminal post-herpetic neuropathy, sleep apnea, cardiac cephalgia, cervicogenic pain, vascular etiologies, medications, and burning-mouth syndrome. In older individuals, primary headaches are diagnoses of exclusion, and treatment is affected by comorbidities and polypharmacy. Secondary headaches are a major consideration requiring appropriate workup. Many treatments can safely be offered regardless of age.
-
The purpose of this review is to summarize the role of avoidance behavior in headache-related disability and overview relevant clinical implications. ⋯ Avoidance occupies a central role in contemporary psychological perspectives on headache disorders and other chronic pain conditions. Several cognitive constructs of relevance to headache are influenced and maintained by avoidance behavior. A growing body of literature attests to the notion that avoidance of headache triggers, of stimuli that exacerbate headache, and of broader life domains can negatively affect headache progression, disability/quality of life, and comorbid psychiatric symptoms. Interventions targeting avoidance behavior, such as therapeutic exposure to headache triggers, mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), hold promise for headache disorders but need to be tested in larger trials. Researchers and clinicians are encouraged to attend to functional impairment as a critically important treatment outcome. Comprehensive understanding of headache disorders necessitates attention not merely to diagnostic symptoms and their reduction, but to patterns of avoidance behavior that inadvertently exacerbate headache and contribute to functional impairment.
-
Curr Pain Headache Rep · May 2020
ReviewAcupuncture for Migraine: a Review of the Data and Clinical Insights.
The purpose of this review is to discuss the current evidence for acupuncture in migraine and to provide insight into which patients may benefit most from acupuncture. ⋯ Multiple studies support acupuncture as a validated modality for the prevention of episodic migraine. While small studies on acupuncture for the prevention of chronic migraine are encouraging, evidence for its benefit is limited. Likewise, the existing studies on acupuncture for acute migraine treatment are insufficient. Acupuncture is commonly used to treat migraine and has gained popularity as a validated non-pharmaceutical option. Although the specific mechanisms of acupuncture are not clearly understood, there is evidence for its effectiveness in treating migraine. Results of acupuncture studies are quite variable and depend on multiple factors, including frequency, duration, and consistency of treatments, as well as acupoint selection. A better understanding of the flaws inherent in acupuncture research will help guide the development of future studies.
-
Intracranial dermoid cysts are benign, rare mass-occupying lesions of the central nervous system arising from the neuroectodermal cell lines. While rupture of intracranial dermoid cysts is rare, it can present with a variety of clinical manifestations. To explore the headache manifestations among patients with ruptured intracranial dermoid cysts. To our knowledge, limited studies focusing on headache due to the intracranial dermoid cysts rupture have been published to date. A literature review was done through PubMed/Medline. Articles within the past 10 years were reviewed. Articles in languages other than English were excluded. ⋯ Rupture of intracranial dermoid cysts could have various manifestations including headache, seizure, and meningitis. Depending on the location of the cyst, headache secondary to the rupture of the intracranial dermoid cysts could present in different ways. A detailed systematic literature review of headache presentations due to intracranial dermoid cysts rupture is provided.
-
Curr Pain Headache Rep · May 2020
Review Meta AnalysisIs Percutaneous Adhesiolysis Effective in Managing Chronic Low Back and Lower Extremity Pain in Post-surgery Syndrome: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
The growing prevalence of spinal pain in the USA continues to produce substantial economic impact and strain on health-related quality of life. Percutaneous adhesiolysis is utilized for recalcitrant, resistant conditions involving spinal pain when epidural injections have failed to provide adequate improvement, especially low back and lower extremity pain, specifically in post-lumbar surgery syndrome. Despite multiple publications and systematic reviews, the debate continues in reference to effectiveness, safety, appropriate utilization, and medical necessity of percutaneous adhesiolysis in chronic pain. This systematic review, therefore, was undertaken to evaluate and to update effectiveness of percutaneous adhesiolysis to treat chronic refractory low back and lower extremity pain, post-surgical patients of the lumbar spine. ⋯ From 2009 to 2016, there was a decline of 53.2% utilization of percutaneous adhesiolysis with an annual decline of 10.3% per 100,000 fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare population. Multiple insurers, including Medicare, with Medicare area contractors of Noridian and Palmetto have issued noncoverage policies for percutaneous adhesiolysis resulting in these steep declines and continued noncoverage by Medicare Advantage plans, Managed Care plans of Medicaid, and other insurers. Since 2005, 4 systematic reviews of percutaneous adhesiolysis were published with 3 of them showing proper methodology and appropriate results with effectiveness of adhesiolysis, whereas one poorly performed systematic review showed negative results. In addition, there were only 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to be included in the previous systematic reviews of post-surgery syndrome, whereas now, the RCTs and other studies have increased. This systematic review shows level I or strong evidence for the effectiveness of percutaneous adhesiolysis in managing chronic low back and lower extremity pain related to post-lumbar surgery syndrome.