Articles: pain-measurement.
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Pain is the hallmark symptom of sickle cell disease (SCD), yet the types of pain that these patients experience, and the underlying mechanisms, have not been well characterized. The study purpose was to determine the safety and utility of a mechanical and thermal quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol and the feasibility of utilizing neuropathic pain questionnaires among adults with SCD. ⋯ The QST protocol can be safely conducted in adults with SCD and provides evidence of central or peripheral sensitization, which is consistent with a neuropathic component to SCD pain. These findings are novel, warrant a larger confirmatory study, and indicate the need for normative QST data from African American adults and older adults.
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Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a neurologic disorder of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), which is characterized by a localized area of paresthesia and numbness on the anterolateral aspect of the thigh. In most patients with MP, symptoms can be successfully managed with conservative treatment. However, in a small group of MP patients who are refractory to medical treatment, more aggressive low-risk treatment should be considered. ⋯ PRF neuromodulation of the LFCN provides immediate and long-lasting pain relief without complications. Therefore, PRF of the LCFN can be used as an alternative treatment in patients with MP who are refractory to conservative medical treatment.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Mar 2016
Multidimensional neuropathic pain phenotypes after spinal cord injury.
Identifying clinical neuropathic pain phenotypes is a first step to better understand the underlying pain mechanisms after spinal cord injury (SCI). The primary purpose of the present study was to characterize multidimensional neuropathic pain phenotypes based on quantitative sensory testing (QST), pain intensity, and utilization of catastrophizing coping strategies. ⋯ A factor analysis including all CSQ subscales, the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) total score, and thermal pain sensitivity above and below the LOI resulted in three factors: (1) adaptive pain coping including increasing activities, diverting attention, and reinterpreting pain sensations; (2) catastrophizing, neuropathic pain, and thermal sensitivity including greater NPSI total score, thermal pain sensitivity below the LOI, and catastrophizing; and (3) general pain sensitivity including greater thermal pain sensitivity above the LOI and lower catastrophizing. Our results suggest that neuropathic pain symptom severity post-SCI is significantly associated with residual spinothalamic tract function below the LOI and catastrophizing pain coping.
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Although the prevalence of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain is relatively high (15 - 30%), there is no unambiguous reference standard to diagnose SIJ pain. Pressure tenderness in the SIJ region is used for diagnostic purposes, but the clinimetric properties of this procedure remain to be determined. ⋯ Pressure pain algometry appears to be a reliable method to establish differences in PPTs between healthy volunteers and patients with SIJ pain. The diagnostic accuracy of this test should be investigated further.
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Cataract remains a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) is currently practiced as the technique of choice in Sub-Saharan Africa to reduce the backlog of cataract blindness. Optimal pain control during surgery remains a challenge to cataract surgeons. ⋯ The mean pain score in this study is low. There is no correlation between perception of pain with gender or age. Surgeons experience is excellent in most of the cases. This method of anesthesia in MSCIS is adequate for patient's comfort and safe cataract surgery.