Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
-
Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition most common in middle-aged and elderly women, with prevalence rates in the general population ranging from 0.5% to 5%. Defined by the International Headache Society as "an intraoral burning sensation for which no medical or dental cause can be found," BMS is considered a form of neuropathic pain. The management of BMS remains unsatisfactory. ⋯ Acupuncture treatment lasted 8 weeks and consisted of 20 sessions. Patients reported a mean reduction in pain of 0.99 points on the VAS (max 2.1-min 0.1), which, although slight, was statistically significant (Wilcoxon test P < 0.009). No significant improvement in the overall score for quality of life was observed, although subjects receiving acupuncture treatment seemed better able cope with their oral symptoms.
-
Case Reports
Introducing Interventional Pain Services in a Large African Teaching Hospital: Challenges and Opportunities.
There is a need for interventional pain management in the developing world; however, there are many barriers to the introduction of interventional pain therapies. This brief report describes one approach to the introduction of interventional pain medicine to a Nigerian teaching hospital. Although many barriers exist, interventional pain medicine can be brought to the developing world, as demonstrated in this case series.
-
Case Reports
Duloxetine and Pregabalin for Pain Management in Multiple Rheumatic Diseases Associated with Fibromyalgia.
The fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by chronic and widespread musculoskeletal pain and soreness accompanied by sleep disorders, chronic fatigue and affective disorders. FMS is often associated with other forms of immuno-rheumatic diseases. ⋯ The present case describes the success of a therapeutic scheme, which associates two different pharmacological classes, anticonvulsants and new-generation antidepressants, when FMS complicates a rare pathology called Cogan's syndrome. The association of two drugs might noticeably affect the molecular mechanisms of difficult pain, thus solving painful conditions of multifactorial origin.
-
Pain is a major problem for chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients. Unfortunately, medical therapy often fails. Endoscopic and surgical treatments are invasive, and results vary. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of the splanchnic nerves (RFSN) is a relatively new and minimally invasive procedure for treatment of intractable pain in CP patients. ⋯ Radiofrequency ablation of the splanchnic nerves is a minimally invasive, effective procedure for pain relief. After the effect has subsided, RFSN can be successfully repeated. RFSN might become an alternative treatment in a selected group of CP patients. A larger, randomized trial is justified to substantiate these findings.