Articles: pain-management.
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To explore knowledge of and perceived barriers to pain management among emergency nurses in Taiwan. ⋯ The pain education should target knowledge deficits and barriers to changing pain management approaches for Taiwanese emergency nurses.
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Gen Hosp Psychiatry · Nov 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialStepped Care for Affective Disorders and Musculoskeletal Pain (SCAMP) study: design and practical implications of an intervention for comorbid pain and depression.
Depression and pain are common comorbid conditions that have reciprocal adverse effects on disability and treatment outcomes. The objective of this article is to describe a study that tests the effectiveness of a stepped-care approach using a combined medication-behavioral intervention. ⋯ When completed, SCAMP will test whether optimized antidepressant management improves outcomes in patients with comorbid depression and pain and whether PSM produces additional benefits. The findings will be important for both primary care and mental health clinicians confronted by the prevalent depression-pain dyad.
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It is claimed that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) operates via a segmental mechanism by reducing ongoing transmission and sensitization of nociceptive dorsal horn neurons. Hence, TENS electrodes are usually placed at the site of pain. ⋯ Taken at face value, the findings suggest that TENS effects were nonspecific and that electrode location does not affect outcome. However, this study should be seen as a call for further research rather than a definitive conclusion.
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Lasers in medical science · Nov 2007
Comparative StudyTreatment of carpal tunnel syndrome by low-level laser versus open carpal tunnel release.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist. It is one of the most common peripheral nerve disorders. The cause of idiopathic CTS remains unclear. ⋯ LLLT has proven to be an effective and noninvasive treatment modality for CTS especially for early and mild-to-moderate cases when pain is the main presenting symptom. However, surgery could be preserved for advanced and chronic cases. Refinement of laser tools and introduction of other wavelengths could make LLLT for CTS treatment a field for further investigations.
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The aim of this systematic review was to assess the clinical evidence of external qigong as a treatment option for pain conditions. Databases were searched up to January 2007. Randomized, clinical trials (RCTs) testing external qigong in patients with pain of any origin assessing clinical outcomes were considered. Trials using any type of control group were included. The selection of studies, data extraction, and validation were performed independently by at least 2 reviewers. One hundred forty-one potentially relevant studies were identified and 5 RCTs could be included. All RCTs of external qigong demonstrated greater pain reductions in the qigong groups compared with control groups. Meta-analysis of 2 RCTs showed a significant effect of external qigong compared with general care for treating chronic pain (Pain 100 mm VAS; weighted main differences, 36.3 mm; 95% CI, 22.8 to 49.8; P < .001; heterogeneity: chi(2) = 1.79, P = .18, I(2) = 44.0%, n = 80). The evidence from RCTs testing the effectiveness of external qigong for treating pain is encouraging. Further studies are warranted. ⋯ This review of clinical studies focused on the efficacy of qigong, an energy-healing intervention used to prevent and cure ailments. A meta-analysis shows that evidence for the effectiveness of external qigong is encouraging, though further studies are warranted.