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Archives of Physical Medicine and... Nov 2023To Identify evidence-based rehabilitation interventions for persons with non-specific low back pain (LBP) with and without radiculopathy and to develop recommendations... (Review)
Review
A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Persons With Non-specific Low Back Pain With and Without Radiculopathy: Identification of Best Evidence for Rehabilitation to Develop the WHO's Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To Identify evidence-based rehabilitation interventions for persons with non-specific low back pain (LBP) with and without radiculopathy and to develop recommendations from high-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to inform the World Health Organization's (WHO) Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (PIR).
DATA SOURCE
We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, National Health Services Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment Database, PEDro, the Trip Database, the Index to Chiropractic Literature and the gray literature.
STUDY SELECTION
Eligible guidelines were (1) published between 2009 and 2019 in English, French, Italian, or Swedish; (2) included adults or children with non-specific LBP with or without radiculopathy; and (3) assessed the benefits of rehabilitation interventions on functioning. Pairs of independent reviewers assessed the quality of the CPGs using AGREE II.
DATA SYNTHESIS
We identified 4 high-quality CPGs. Recommended interventions included (1) education about recovery expectations, self-management strategies, and maintenance of usual activities; (2) multimodal approaches incorporating education, exercise, and spinal manipulation; (3) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs combined with education in the acute stage; and (4) intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation that includes exercise and cognitive/behavioral interventions for persistent pain. We did not identify high-quality CPGs for people younger than 16 years of age.
CONCLUSION
We developed evidence-based recommendations from high-quality CPGs to inform the WHO PIR for people with LBP with and without radiculopathy. These recommendations emphasize the potential benefits of education, exercise, manual therapy, and cognitive/behavioral interventions.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Radiculopathy; Low Back Pain; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; World Health Organization
PubMed: 36963709
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.02.022 -
Pain Practice : the Official Journal of... Sep 2023Cervical radicular pain is pain perceived in the upper limb, caused by irritation or compression of a cervical spine nerve, the roots of the nerve, or both. (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Cervical radicular pain is pain perceived in the upper limb, caused by irritation or compression of a cervical spine nerve, the roots of the nerve, or both.
METHODS
The literature on the diagnosis and treatment of cervical radicular pain was retrieved and summarized.
RESULTS
The diagnosis is made by combining elements from the patient's history, physical examination, and supplementary tests. The Spurling and shoulder abduction tests are the two most common examinations used to identify cervical radicular pain. MRI without contrast, CT scanning, and in some cases plain radiography can all be appropriate imaging techniques for nontraumatic cervical radiculopathy. MRI is recommended prior to interventional treatments. Exercise with or without other treatments can be beneficial. There is scant evidence for the use of paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and neuropathic pain medications such as gabapentin, pregabalin, tricyclic antidepressants, and anticonvulsants for the treatment of radicular pain. Acute and subacute cervical radicular pain may respond well to epidural corticosteroid administration, preferentially using an interlaminar approach. By contrast, for chronic cervical radicular pain, the efficacy of epidural corticosteroid administration is limited. In these patients, pulsed radiofrequency treatment adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion may be considered.
CONCLUSIONS
There is currently no gold standard for the diagnosis of cervical radicular pain. There is scant evidence for the use of medication. Epidural corticosteroid injection and pulsed radiofrequency adjacent to the dorsal root ganglion may be considered. [Correction added on 12 June 2023, after first online publication: The preceding sentence was corrected.].
Topics: Humans; Radiculopathy; Neuralgia; Chronic Pain; Pain Management; Neck Pain; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37272250
DOI: 10.1111/papr.13252 -
European Spine Journal : Official... Mar 2024Neck pain is one of the most common complaints in clinical practice and can be caused by a wide variety of conditions. While cervical spine surgery is a well-accepted... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Neck pain is one of the most common complaints in clinical practice and can be caused by a wide variety of conditions. While cervical spine surgery is a well-accepted option for radicular pain and myelopathy, surgery for isolated neck pain is controversial. The identification of the source of pain is challenging and subtle, and misdiagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a thorough literature review to discuss and compare different causes of neck pain. We then supplemented the literature with our senior author's expert analysis of treating cervical spine pathology.
CONCLUSIONS
This study provides an in-depth discussion of neck pain and its various presentations, as well as providing insight into treatment strategies and diagnostic pearls that may prevent mistreatment of cervical spine pathology.
Topics: Humans; Treatment Outcome; Radiculopathy; Neck Pain; Spinal Cord Diseases; Cervical Vertebrae
PubMed: 38191741
DOI: 10.1007/s00586-023-08053-0 -
Pain Aug 2023Pain radiating from the spine into the leg is commonly referred to as "sciatica," "Sciatica" may include various conditions such as radicular pain or painful...
Pain radiating from the spine into the leg is commonly referred to as "sciatica," "Sciatica" may include various conditions such as radicular pain or painful radiculopathy. It may be associated with significant consequences for the person living with the condition, imposing a reduced quality of life and substantial direct and indirect costs. The main challenges associated with a diagnosis of "sciatica" include those related to the inconsistent use of terminology for the diagnostic labels and the identification of neuropathic pain. These challenges hinder collective clinical and scientific understanding regarding these conditions. In this position paper, we describe the outcome of a working group commissioned by the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group (NeuPSIG) of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) which was tasked with the following objectives: (1) to revise the use of terminology for classifying spine-related leg pain and (2) to propose a way forward on the identification of neuropathic pain in the context of spine-related leg pain. The panel recommended discouraging the term "sciatica" for use in clinical practice and research without further specification of what it entails. The term "spine-related leg pain" is proposed as an umbrella term to include the case definitions of somatic referred pain and radicular pain with and without radiculopathy. The panel proposed an adaptation of the neuropathic pain grading system in the context of spine-related leg pain to facilitate the identification of neuropathic pain and initiation of specific management in this patient population.
Topics: Humans; Radiculopathy; Leg; Quality of Life; Neuralgia; Sciatica
PubMed: 37235637
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002919 -
Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.) Oct 2023This article discusses the clinical manifestations and management of infectious peripheral neuropathies.
OBJECTIVE
This article discusses the clinical manifestations and management of infectious peripheral neuropathies.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Several infectious etiologies of peripheral neuropathy are well-recognized and their treatments are firmly established. The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with several central and peripheral nervous system manifestations, including peripheral neuropathies. Additionally, some COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. These disorders are an active area of surveillance and research. Recent evidence-based guidelines have provided updated recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.
ESSENTIAL POINTS
Infectious agents of many types (primarily bacteria and viruses) can affect the peripheral nerves, resulting in various clinical syndromes such as mononeuropathy or mononeuropathy multiplex, distal symmetric polyneuropathy, radiculopathy, inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, and motor neuronopathy. Knowledge of these infections and the spectrum of peripheral nervous system disorders associated with them is essential because many have curative treatments. Furthermore, understanding the neuropathic presentations of these disorders may assist in diagnosing the underlying infection.
Topics: Humans; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; COVID-19 Vaccines; Pandemics; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Communicable Diseases
PubMed: 37851037
DOI: 10.1212/CON.0000000000001334