Articles: pain-management.
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Labor pain and anxiety are significant challenges in maternal healthcare, often managed through pharmacological interventions. Virtual Reality (VR), as a non- pharmacological method, has emerged as a potential tool for pain and anxiety relief in labor. This integrative review aims to synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), qualitative studies, and mixed-methods research to evaluate the effectiveness of VR in labor pain and anxiety management and to understand patient experiences. ⋯ VR emerges as a promising tool for managing labor pain and anxiety, offering a non-invasive and patient-friendly alternative to traditional pain relief methods. Its implementation in clinical practice could enhance patient satisfaction and overall birthing experiences. However, further research is needed to standardize VR interventions, assess long-term effects, and determine cost-effectiveness. The findings encourage the consideration of VR as part of holistic maternal care, emphasizing the need to integrate patient-centered healthcare technologies.
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Pain is a complex condition and affects one's life beyond physical symptoms. National pain management recommendations include a whole-person approach that includes strengths (or resilience). ⋯ This study has clinical implications for supporting the use of digital health tools such as mobile applications for capturing contextual data directly from patients to enable nurses to provide more accessible and personalized care to patients.
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Observational Study
Group dynamics and therapy outcome of multimodal pain therapies: A prospective observational trial.
For the treatment of chronic pain, interdisciplinary treatment programs are recommended. Despite continuous adaptation and optimization of this cost- and time-intensive and comprehensive form of therapy, it is not successful in some patients. As personality disorders have an important influence on social interaction and behaviour, the aim of our study was to identify the possible impact of patients with personality disorders on group dynamics and to analyse the influence of group dynamics on individual therapy outcomes. ⋯ The study emphasizes that clinicians may include patients with personality disorders in multimodal pain treatment programs and groups, provided that the maintenance of a close therapeutic bond with the patient and within the interdisciplinary team is given.
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Using cross-sectional data from the United States, England, China, and India, we examined the relationship between education and frequent pain, alongside the modification role of gender in this relationship. We further examined patterns of 3 pain dimensions among participants who reported frequent pain, including pain severity, interference with daily activities, and medication use (these pain dimension questions were not administered in all countries). Our analytical sample included 92,204 participants aged 50 years and above. ⋯ In the United States, these associations were stronger among women. Our findings highlight the prevalent pain among middle-aged and older adults in these 4 countries and emphasize the potentially protective role of higher education on frequent pain, with nuanced gender differences across different settings. This underscores the need for tailored strategies considering educational and gender differences to improve pain management and awareness.
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Cancer pain is among the most prevalent and challenging symptoms in cancer care, with up to 95% of patients with late-stage cancer experiencing moderate-to-severe pain. Conventional pharmacologic treatments, including opioids, carry risks, and patients' conditions may be refractory to medical management or have contraindications. Neurostimulation techniques, such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS), dorsal root ganglion stimulation (DRGS), and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), have shown promise in treating treatment-induced cancer pain. However, a comprehensive review focusing on these techniques for cancer-induced pain alone is necessary. ⋯ Our scoping review synthesizes evidence on neurostimulation interventions for treating cancer-induced pain. Current evidence suggests that interventions such as SCS, DRGS, and PNS may provide clinically meaningful pain relief in patients with cancer-induced pain. Several studies also reported improvements in functionality and quality of life. However, the level of evidence is limited owing to the lack of prospective comparative studies, clinical and methodologic heterogeneity, and small sample sizes.