Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain
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The aim of this study was to evaluate patient characteristics, concomitant analgesic medication, and pain intensity in a real-world setting in Germany, focusing on the repeated application of high-concentration capsaicin patch (HCCP) for neuropathic pain. ⋯ This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of HCCP treatment in reducing pain intensity and concomitant opioid use in patients with neuropathic pain. Further research is needed to explore the long-term outcomes and optimal treatment regimens for different patient populations.
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Pain in the head and the face is highly prevalent but may have changed during the past years. This study aimed to analyze changes in the prevalence of pain in the head and the face in Switzerland from 1997 to 2017. ⋯ The proportion of people reporting headaches, pressure in the head, or facial pain has dropped in Switzerland from 1997 to 2017. However, in women, the prevalence diminished more strongly and consistently in the middle-aged and the elderly than in the young.
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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a debilitating disturbance among patients who received chemotherapy, with no effective treatment available. Scrambler therapy (ST) is a noninvasive treatment capable of improving multiple quality-of-life symptoms beyond pain. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ST for pain and nonpain symptoms related to CIPN. ⋯ The results of this pilot trial support the use of ST by demonstrating improvement in multiple domains of quality of life for CIPN patients during an extended follow-up of 6 months. However, further large-scale studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Stellate ganglion block (SGB) provides diagnostic and therapeutic benefits in pain syndromes in the head, neck, and upper extremity, including complex regional pain syndrome Types I and II, Raynaud's disease, hyperhidrosis, arterial embolism in the region of the arm. ⋯ We hope that we can provide fewer complications and additional benefits with this new approach.
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Transversus abdominis plane blocks are an established method of postoperative analgesia for abdominopelvic surgeries. Liposomal bupivacaine is an extended-release formulation of bupivacaine providing up to 72 h of analgesia. This study aims to determine if transversus abdominis plane blocks performed with liposomal bupivacaine are associated with reduced opioid consumption and level of pain intensity compared to conventional bupivacaine in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. ⋯ Transversus abdominis plane blocks using an admixture of liposomal bupivacaine conventional bupivacaine are not associated with decreased opioid consumption or reduced pain up to 72 h following elective abdominopelvic surgery.