Articles: pain-management-methods.
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The public and healthcare professionals have become increasingly aware and accepting of the benefit in physical, psychological, social, and spiritual support for patients with cancer. Patients with cancer often seek nonpharmacologic interventions to complement conventional care and decrease the pain associated with cancer and its treatment. Most often referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), these supportive therapies consist of a heterogeneous group of modalities used as adjuncts to allopathic health care. ⋯ This critical review of studies of biofield therapies emphasizes research using these modalities to decrease pain in patients with cancer. Although the therapies have demonstrated clinical efficacy, additional research is warranted. Oncology nurses should familiarize themselves with biofield therapies so they can offer informed recommendations to patients with cancer experiencing pain.
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Comparative Study
Using elastomeric infusion pumps for traumatic rib fracture pain.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Feb 2012
Case ReportsIntrathecal infusion of bupivacaine and clonidine provides effective analgesia in a terminally ill child.
The intrathecal infusion of drugs to provide analgesia for terminally ill children with refractory pain is a rarely utilized but very effective technique. A number of pharmacological agents, most commonly opioids and local anesthetics, have been administered intrathecally for this purpose. ⋯ The alpha-2 agonist clonidine is commonly used to augment local anesthetic techniques for postsurgical pain in children and for the management of refractory cancer pain in adults, but there is only a single report of the use of clonidine intrathecally in a terminally ill child. We present the case of the youngest reported child to have received intrathecal analgesia for terminal care: a 3-year-old boy with advanced pelvic rhabdomyosarcoma, whose refractory pain was managed effectively with an intrathecal infusion of bupivacaine and preservative-free clonidine.
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J Am Acad Nurse Pract · Feb 2012
Older adult osteoarthritis pain management: results from the 2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
To describe practitioners' prescription of recommended initial osteoarthritis (OA) pain treatments for older adults. ⋯ Referral to a rheumatologist or pain management specialist should be considered when pain intensity and/or pain interference with daily activities remains moderate or greater.