Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of chronic low back pain (CLBP) on patients' personal and professional lives, and management strategies applied to treat CLBP. ⋯ Chronic low back pain has pronounced effects on patients' personal relationships, ability to work, and daily living. Almost 1 in four patients with severe CLBP reported a psychological comorbidity. Adherence to guidelines appears inconsistent, which is noteworthy as a substantial subgroup of patients with severe CLBP had been prescribed opioid medication for more than 5 years. Improved education is required to support healthcare professionals (HCPs) in identifying and understanding the complex biopsychosocial needs of CLBP patients to optimize pain management and to encourage referral of CLBP patients to physiotherapists and psychologists.
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Despite the wide variety of Covid-19 symptoms, pain and the related mechanisms underlying unsettled nociceptive status are still under-prioritized. Understanding the complex network of Covid-19-related pain may result in new lines of study. It is unknown whether patient's immunological background influences pain in the acute phase of Covid-19, including musculoskeletal pain. Thus, we evaluated the blood levels of selected molecules that are upregulated in SARS-CoV-2 infection and analyzed a possible correlation with pain during Covid-19. ⋯ IL-10 has been described over the years as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic cytokine. The present data support that low IL-10 levels might contribute to Covid-19-associated pain.
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The aim of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a structured exercise stretching routine targeted at resolving myofascial pain is effective in improving outcomes of "legacy pain" patients. ⋯ The addition of a structured stretching exercise program focusing on the resolution of the myofascial pain in the treatment of "legacy pain" patients was shown to significantly reduce and often discontinue opioid use without adversely affecting pain score or functionality.