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Lancet (London, England) May 2021Chronic pain exerts an enormous personal and economic burden, affecting more than 30% of people worldwide according to some studies. Unlike acute pain, which carries... (Review)
Review
Chronic pain exerts an enormous personal and economic burden, affecting more than 30% of people worldwide according to some studies. Unlike acute pain, which carries survival value, chronic pain might be best considered to be a disease, with treatment (eg, to be active despite the pain) and psychological (eg, pain acceptance and optimism as goals) implications. Pain can be categorised as nociceptive (from tissue injury), neuropathic (from nerve injury), or nociplastic (from a sensitised nervous system), all of which affect work-up and treatment decisions at every level; however, in practice there is considerable overlap in the different types of pain mechanisms within and between patients, so many experts consider pain classification as a continuum. The biopsychosocial model of pain presents physical symptoms as the denouement of a dynamic interaction between biological, psychological, and social factors. Although it is widely known that pain can cause psychological distress and sleep problems, many medical practitioners do not realise that these associations are bidirectional. While predisposing factors and consequences of chronic pain are well known, the flipside is that factors promoting resilience, such as emotional support systems and good health, can promote healing and reduce pain chronification. Quality of life indicators and neuroplastic changes might also be reversible with adequate pain management. Clinical trials and guidelines typically recommend a personalised multimodal, interdisciplinary treatment approach, which might include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, integrative treatments, and invasive procedures.
Topics: Chronic Pain; Humans; Pain; Pain Management
PubMed: 34062143
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00393-7 -
Neurologic Clinics Feb 2023Back pain is a common condition affecting millions of individuals each year. A biopsychosocial approach to back pain provides the best clinical framework. A detailed... (Review)
Review
Back pain is a common condition affecting millions of individuals each year. A biopsychosocial approach to back pain provides the best clinical framework. A detailed history and physical examination with a thorough workup are required to exclude emergent or nonoperative etiologies of back pain. The treatment of back pain first uses conventional therapies including lifestyle modifications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy. If these options have been exhausted and pain persists for greater than 6 weeks, imaging and a specialist referral may be indicated.
Topics: Humans; Low Back Pain; Diagnosis, Differential; Back Pain; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
PubMed: 36400559
DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2022.07.002 -
Trials Jul 2020Nonspecific chronic neck pain is a fairly common disorder that causes a great impact, and it is greatly influenced by psychosocial factors. Among a number of treatment... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Nonspecific chronic neck pain is a fairly common disorder that causes a great impact, and it is greatly influenced by psychosocial factors. Among a number of treatment modalities described for its management, the most common approach is based on manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise, which have shown a moderate effect on subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain. However, the effect times of these treatments have not been accurately detailed. Our study aims to break down and compare the effects of two experimental treatments based on manual therapy and therapeutic exercise.
METHODS
The short-term and mid-term changes produced by different therapies on subjects with non-specific chronic neck pain were studied. The sample was randomized divided into three groups: manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and placebo. As dependent variables of our research, we studied (a) pain, based on the visual analog scale and the pressure pain threshold, and (b) cervical disability, through the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Outcomes were registered on week 1, week 4, and week 12. The findings were analyzed statistically considering a 5% significance level (P ≤ 0.05).
RESULTS
No statistically significant differences (P 0.05) were obtained between the experimental groups, if they exist against the control group. Nonetheless, we found that manual therapy improved perceived pain before than therapeutic exercise, while therapeutic exercise reduced cervical disability before than manual therapy. Effect size (R) shows medium and large effects for both experimental treatments.
CONCLUSION
There are no differences between groups in short and medium terms. Manual therapy achieves a faster reduction in pain perception than therapeutic exercise. Therapeutic exercise reduces disability faster than manual therapy. Clinical improvement could potentially be influenced by central processes.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry, RBR-2vj7sw. Registered on 28 November 2018.
Topics: Brazil; Chronic Pain; Exercise Therapy; Humans; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Neck Pain; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32723399
DOI: 10.1186/s13063-020-04610-w -
The Medical Clinics of North America Mar 2020Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability. Acute neck pain largely resolves within 2 months. History and physical examination play a key role in ruling out... (Review)
Review
Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability. Acute neck pain largely resolves within 2 months. History and physical examination play a key role in ruling out some of the more serious causes for neck pain. The evidence for pharmacologic interventions for acute and chronic musculoskeletal neck pain is limited. Lower back pain is the leading cause of disability and productivity loss. Consultation with a physical medicine and rehabilitation spine specialist within 48 hours for acute pain and within 10 days for all patients with lower back pain may significantly decrease rate of surgical interventions and increase patient satisfaction.
Topics: Humans; Low Back Pain; Neck Pain; Patient Care Management; Prognosis; Time-to-Treatment
PubMed: 32035569
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2019.11.003 -
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna,... Apr 2020While pain chronicity in general has been defined as pain lasting for more than 3 months, this definition is not useful in orofacial pain (OFP) and headache (HA).... (Review)
Review
While pain chronicity in general has been defined as pain lasting for more than 3 months, this definition is not useful in orofacial pain (OFP) and headache (HA). Instead, chronicity in OFP and HA is defined as pain occurring on more than 15 days per month and lasting for more than 4 h daily for at least the last 3 months. This definition excludes the periodic shortlasting pains that often recur in the face and head, but are not essentially chronic. Although the headache field has adopted this definition, chronic orofacial pain is still poorly defined. In this article, we discuss current thinking of chronicity in pain and examine the term 'chronic orofacial pain' (COFP). We discuss the entities that make up COFP and analyze the term's usefulness in clinical practice and epidemiology.
Topics: Chronic Pain; Facial Pain; Headache Disorders; Humans
PubMed: 32130516
DOI: 10.1007/s00702-020-02157-3 -
The American Journal of Medicine Mar 2020Pain is often the initial complaint for which patients seek medical care, presenting both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the primary care provider. The... (Review)
Review
Pain is often the initial complaint for which patients seek medical care, presenting both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the primary care provider. The appreciation of pain is not merely the result of abnormal sensory stimulation causing an unpleasant sensation but rather a combination of the recognition of the somatic discomfort in association with an emotional response to that discomfort. The perception of pain and the extent of distress and disability can vary depending on previous experience, cultural background, situational factors, and comorbid psychiatric disease. Though acute pain is usually the result of tissue damage, this is not always the case, as evidenced by primary headache disorders. Chronic pain may be the result of an injury, irreversible underlying disease, or clinical conditions such as fibromyalgia for which the mechanism remains unclear. Treatment of the underlying cause will usually effect a resolution or improvement in the pain, but when the discomfort persists, a consultation with a neurologist or pain management specialist should be considered.
Topics: Humans; Neurology; Pain; Referral and Consultation
PubMed: 31419424
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.07.029 -
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna,... Apr 2020Neuropathic pain is a frequent condition caused by a lesion or disease of the central or peripheral somatosensory nervous system. A frequent cause of peripheral... (Review)
Review
Neuropathic pain is a frequent condition caused by a lesion or disease of the central or peripheral somatosensory nervous system. A frequent cause of peripheral neuropathic pain is diabetic neuropathy. Its complex pathophysiology is not yet fully elucidated, which contributes to underassessment and undertreatment. A mechanism-based treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy is challenging but phenotype-based stratification might be a way to develop individualized therapeutic concepts. Our goal is to review current knowledge of the pathophysiology of peripheral neuropathic pain, particularly painful diabetic neuropathy. We discuss state-of-the-art clinical assessment, validity of diagnostic and screening tools, and recommendations for the management of diabetic neuropathic pain including approaches towards personalized pain management. We also propose a research agenda for translational research including patient stratification for clinical trials and improved preclinical models in relation to current knowledge of underlying mechanisms.
Topics: Chronic Pain; Diabetic Neuropathies; Humans; Neuralgia
PubMed: 32036431
DOI: 10.1007/s00702-020-02145-7 -
Journal of Hand Therapy : Official... 2020Clinical commentary. (Review)
Review
STUDY DESIGN
Clinical commentary.
INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE
Pain and movement are universally relevant phenomena that influence human experiences in readily observable ways. Improved understanding of pain-movement relationships can guide medical and rehabilitative approaches to recovery and decrease risk of dysfunctional long-term consequences of otherwise normal neuromuscular responses. Therefore, the overall intent of this article is to elucidate the relationships between pain and movement as they relate to clinical decision making.
CONCLUSIONS
Motor output is highly adaptable, can be influenced by multiple mechanisms at various levels along the nervous system, and may vary between individuals despite similar diagnoses. Therefore, interventions need to be individualized and consider both the types of motor response observed (ie, whether the response is protective or maladaptive), and the patient's acute physical activity tolerance when prescribing exercise/movement.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Avoidance Learning; Exercise Therapy; Humans; Motor Activity; Muscle Strength; Pain
PubMed: 30025839
DOI: 10.1016/j.jht.2018.05.001 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2020Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is one of the common diseases in urology and gynecology. CPPS is a multifactorial disorder where pain may originate in any of the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is one of the common diseases in urology and gynecology. CPPS is a multifactorial disorder where pain may originate in any of the urogynecological, gastrointestinal, pelvic musculoskeletal, or nervous systems. The symptoms of CPPS appear to result from an interplay between psychological factors and dysfunction in the immune, neurological, and endocrine systems. The aim of this article was to present new insight about CPPS in order to raise awareness of nursing and medical staff in the identification and diagnosis of the syndrome and to promote an appropriate treatment for each woman who suffers from CPPS.
METHODS
A literature review about the factors associated with CPPS and therapeutic interventions for CPPS was conducted.
RESULTS
CPPS represents a chronic pain syndrome that combines anatomic malfunction of the pelvic floor muscles with malfunction of pain perception linked with psychological and cognitive factors.
CONCLUSIONS
The therapeutic interventions in CPPS cases should, consequently, follow a multidisciplinary approach.
Topics: Chronic Pain; Female; Humans; Pelvic Pain; Syndrome
PubMed: 32357440
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17093005 -
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine Jun 2022Chronic anal pain is difficult to diagnose and treat, especially with no obvious anorectal cause apparent on clinical examination. This review identifies 3 main... (Review)
Review
Chronic anal pain is difficult to diagnose and treat, especially with no obvious anorectal cause apparent on clinical examination. This review identifies 3 main diagnostic categories for chronic anal pain: local causes, functional anorectal pain, and neuropathic pain syndromes. Conditions covered within these categories include proctalgia fugax, levator ani syndrome, pudendal neuralgia, and coccygodynia. The signs, symptoms, relevant diagnostic tests, and main treatments for each condition are reviewed.
Topics: Anus Diseases; Chronic Pain; Humans; Neuralgia; Pain; Pelvic Pain
PubMed: 35649568
DOI: 10.3949/ccjm.89a.21102