Articles: pain.
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Local anesthetics can play a significant role in the diagnosis, and possible definitive treatment, of previously intractable flank pain. Numerous patients may thus be spared unnecessary physical and mental anguish, as well as unnecessary surgery.
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Soc Work Health Care · Jan 1977
The social worker's role in a behavioral management approach to chronic pain.
The pain treatment program described in this paper teaches chronic pain patients and their families to manage pain in a constructive manner, increasing activity, eliminating pain medications, and reducing use of the health care system. The social worker carries a crucial role in this behavior modification program: working with the patient, family, and rehabilitation team in evaluation for the program, in treatment of the patient and family, and in the transition from hospital to home and the community. ⋯ For many patients traditional medical and surgical approaches have failed to bring relief. By attending to and treating the total family system, at least 75% of the patients treated are enabled to lead normally active lives again.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 1976
Peripheral nerve stimulation in the treatment of intractable pain.
Peripheral nerve stimulating devices were implanted for pain control in 33 patients with a variety of disabling chronic pain conditions, which had persisted despite usual medical and surgical therapy. The implants were placed on major nerves innervating the area of the patient's pain. Records were obtained of each patient's stated relief from pain produced by nerve stimulation, along with assessments of narcotic withdrawal, ability to return to work, sleep pattern, and relief from depression. ⋯ The most dramatic successes occurred in patients with peripheral nerve trauma. The incidence of complications has been low, and two patients have used the stimulator for 5 years without adverse effects. Techniques of peripheral stimulator implantation, possible mechanisms of action, and conclusions regarding peripheral nerve stimulation in the treatment of chronic pain are discussed.
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Langenbecks Arch Chir · Nov 1976
[Oerations on peripheral nerves, plexus and nerve roots, including subarachnoid block with phenol in chronic pain (author's transl)].
Peripheral surgery was performed in 112 patients. Neurolysis or resection of neurons gave rather poor results in pain after nerve injury and stump pain. ⋯ Subarachnoid blocks with Phenol gave similar promising results. Causalgia responds well in a high percentage of cases to sympathectomy; cases of postherpetic neuralgia phantom pain and tabetic crises generally do not respond to peripheral surgery.