Current pain and headache reports
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The purpose of this review is to present an overview of common sleep disturbance pathologies and their impact on chronic pain, while examining various factors that are implicit in the relationship between sleep disturbance and chronic pain, including neurobiochemistry, anatomy, and systemic mediators, and reviewing recent and landmark literature. ⋯ Earlier literature reviews and studies have introduced the bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbance and chronic pain; that is, impaired sleep may worsen chronic pain, and chronic pain causes sleep disturbance. However, more recent reviews and studies seem to show a more associative, rather than causative relationship. There have been recent studies that attempt to determine mechanisms that link sleep disturbance and chronic pain; the results of these studies were more varied, ultimately concluding that there may be a separate, yet-to-be discovered mechanism that shows the causative relationship between sleep disturbance and pain. There are several neurotransmitters that are involved in the mediation of chronic pain and sleep disturbance as separate entities, and some studies have shown that there may be mechanisms that govern both chronic pain and sleep disturbance as a single unit. Other neuroendocrine substances also serve to mediate chronic pain and sleep disturbance. All these substances are found to be associated with various sleep disorders and are also associated with chronic pain symptoms as well. Inflammation plays a role in chronic pain and sleep disturbance, with an increase in inflammatory substances and mediators associated with an increase or worsening in chronic pain symptoms and sleep disorders. The HPA axis plays a role in chronic pain and sleep disorders, influencing pain and sleep pathways through stress response, inflammation, and maintenance of homeostasis. There are several variables that influence both chronic pain and sleep disturbance, and more research into these variables may further our understanding into the complex pathways governing the influence of sleep disturbance on pain, and ultimately to improve treatment for this issue.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2022
ReviewRegenerative Medicine: Pharmacological Considerations and Clinical Role in Pain Management.
Low back pain affects at least 80% of individuals at some point in their lifetime and is the fifth most common reason for physician visits in the USA. Treatment of an acute episode of LBP generally includes rest, activity modification, physical therapy, NSAIDs, and patient education. ⋯ A small percentage of patients will develop chronic pain lasting > 6 months duration. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is one of the main pillars of regenerative medicine, as its release of bioactive proteins supports the aim of RM of restoring the anatomical function in degenerative conditions. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells, multipotent progenitor cells, or marrow stromal cells found in various body tissues, including bone marrow, lung, and adipose tissue. Evidence from well-designed case-control or cohort studies for the use of PRP and MSCs in lumbar facet joint, lumbar epidural, and sacroiliac joint injections is currently described as level IV evidence. PRP and MSCs are used autogenously to help facilitate the healing process, and their injection has been studied in the long-term management of discogenic low back pain. PRP has been compared to steroid injections in the sacroiliac joint for chronic low back pain, with favorable results. MSCs have also been shown to be useful in intervertebral disc regeneration and treatment of chronic low back pain associated with degenerative disc disease. Currently, the price for these treatments is extremely high, and thus the standard of care continues to be steroid injections and other treatments. This could change, however, with more robust data and research on the safety and long-term efficacy of biologics compared to other interventional management.
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Curr Pain Headache Rep · Oct 2022
ReviewPelvic Floor Physical Therapy and Its Merit in the Treatment of Female Urogenital Pain.
Female urogenital pain (FUGP) affects many women and is often a diagnosis of exclusion. The long path to a diagnosis and subsequent treatment frequently leads to suffering on the individual's behalf (Obstet. Gynecol. 121: 645-50, 2013). Additionally, this delay in diagnosis and thus treatment places stress on the US medical system (Obstet. Gynecol. 121: 645-50, 2013). There is a lack of knowledge regarding the scope of pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) across the medical community that may prevent physicians from referring patients (J Urol. 193:1545-53, 2015; Sex Med Rev., 2021). PFPT is a low-risk, potentially high-reward option that should be recognized as part of the multidisciplinary approach to managing FUGP. ⋯ Research databases (PubMed and Cochrane) were used to find articles on FUGP between 2005 and 2022. Systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective and retrospective cohorts, and case-study analyses were included in reviewing the literature. The most recent studies in the last 2 years show the benefit of PFPT in certain FUGP diagnoses with improved pain scores and function when compared to no intervention or placebo treatment. The aim of this article is to elucidate the scope of PFPT in the treatment of FUGP with supporting research findings regarding efficacy. It is clear from the literature that PFPT should be recognized by referring physicians as part of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of FUGP.
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Pain medicine is rapidly expanding. The gap in treatment for patients with chronic pain in between traditional conservative therapy and major invasive surgery is closing. Neuromodulation is one therapeutic area that has continued to show promise for treatment of chronic pain. Our aim is to review updates in non-invasive neuromodulation (NIN) techniques as an adjunct for various chronic pain conditions. ⋯ Overall, the literature suggests that NIN techniques such as tCDS, TMS, TENS, tVNS, and HIFUS/LIFUS have utility in treating various types of chronic pain and have a promising future. There is a better understanding of the mechanistic basis for pain relief from NIN, as well as refinement in technology improving NIN therapy success. Future studies will need to focus on continuing to refine protocols for optimal benefit from NIN as well as implementing larger RCTs to improve the quality of data being generated in the field.