Articles: neuralgia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate in neuropathic pain patients (KETAPAIN): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Neuropathic pain is difficult to treat, and the efficacy of recommended drugs remains limited. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are implicated, and antagonists are a pharmacological option. Ketamine is widely used in French pain clinics, but without consensus or recommendations. Furthermore, the association of ketamine with magnesium has been poorly studied. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the benefit of ketamine with or without magnesium in refractory neuropathic pain. ⋯ Considering the poor efficacy of the drugs available for neuropathic pain, ketamine with or without magnesium sulfate may be a valuable therapeutic option that needs to be standardized.
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The goal of our review was to emphasize important aspects that physicians should take into consideration when prescribing topical analgesics as part of chronic neuropathic pain treatment. We discuss the dermatopharmacokinetics and microstructural components of the skin, differences between topical and transdermal drug delivery, and topical medication effects on peripheral neuropathy and central sensitization. ⋯ Furthermore, we discuss new compounded topical analgesics that are becoming more popular and that are showing promising results in the management of chronic peripheral neuropathies. However, more studies are needed for elucidation of the role of topical analgesics and their effects, especially when combined with other treatments.
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Case Reports
Scrambler therapy for the treatment of neuropathic pain related to leukemia in a pediatric patient: A case report.
Cancer-related neuropathic pain often responds poorly to standard pain treatments. Scrambler therapy has relieved refractory chronic pain in several uncontrolled clinical trials. ⋯ Scrambler therapy is noninvasive, is not associated with any complications, causes minimal discomfort during treatment, and is very effective in a pediatric patient with cancer-related neuropathic pain.
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Oral Bulleyaconitine A (BLA) is effective for treating neuropathic pain in human patients, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we tested whether BLA blocked voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Compelling evidence shows that voltage-gated sodium channels are upregulated in uninjured DRG neurons but downregulated in injured ones following peripheral nerve injury. ⋯ The upregulation of protein kinase C was associated with the preferable effect of BLA on TTX-S Na channels in the uninjured DRG neurons. Local application of BLA onto L4-6 DRGs at 0.1 to 10 nM dose-dependently alleviated the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in L5 spinal nerve ligation model. Thus, preferable blockage of TTX-S Na channels in uninjured DRG neurons may contribute to BLA's antineuropathic pain effect.
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Compared with nociceptive pain, neuropathic pain is a challenging diagnosis to make and successfully treat in children with cancer. ⋯ VLDM shows promise as an effective, safe, and inexpensive way to treat refractory neuropathic pain in children with cancer.