Experiencing Pain Research Articles

Painful Subjects, Desiring Relief: Experiencing and Governing Pain in a Medical Cannabis Program.

Cannabis can provide patients benefits for pain and symptom management, improve their functionality, and enhance their well-being. Yet restrictive medical cannabis programs can limit these potential benefits. This article draws on four years of research into Minnesota's medical cannabis program-one of the most restrictive in the United States-including in-depth interviews with patients and a survey of health care professionals. Drawing on the new materialist concepts of Deleuze and Guattari, this article analyzes (a) the benefits patients in Minnesota's medical cannabis program derive from cannabis, (b) how program restrictions mediate access to cannabis and its derived benefits, and (c) some key ways in which medical and criminal justice institutional authorities are reconfigured around medical cannabis. I show how the imperative to authoritatively govern "dangerous drugs" persists in consequential ways as the War on Drugs shifts toward a medicalized, criminalized, and commercial-legalized mixed regime.

655 Aching for Change: Musculoskeletal Pain in the Operating Room Amongst KSS Trainees

Abstract Aim Work-related injuries are common among surgeons, with some studies finding up to 70% report difficulties. Given the increasing career longevity expected from today's surgical trainees, injury prevention is more important than ever. However, ergonomics education for surgical trainees in the UK is deficient. We aimed to gauge whether current trainees in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex (KSS) experience pain whilst operating and what strategies, if any, they utilise. Method A questionnaire was distributed to trainees in the KSS School of Surgery collecting data on basic demographics, pain related to operating and pain management strategies. Results 75 trainees across the KSS region responded. Mean age was 32 years (range 26-42) and median training level was ST4. General surgery (n=22), orthopaedics (n=19) and urology (n=13) were the most prevalent specialties. All trainees reported musculoskeletal pain attributed to operating, with 36% (n=27) experiencing pain “frequently” or “always”. 69% (n=52) found this pain “sometimes”, “frequently” or “always” distracted them whilst operating. The most common sites for pain were the lower back (73%), neck (49.3%), upper back (38.7%) and shoulders (37.3%). No participants had received formal ergonomics training and the majority (86.7%) had not discussed pain with their supervisors. Conclusions Musculoskeletal pain from operating was found to be a common issue in this cohort, with the majority reporting distraction while operating. Ergonomics is not currently addressed by any formal training programmes. We have recommended a regional training initiative for trainees in KSS to address and prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Feeling older, feeling pain? Reciprocal between-person and within-person associations of pain and subjective age in the second half of life.

Experiencing pain in middle adulthood and old age might be interpreted as a sign of aging and make people feel older, whereas feeling older has behavioral, motivational, and physiological consequences that might increase the risk of pain. We investigated between-person and within-person associations between pain, subjective age, and chronological age in middle-aged and older adults. Data from the German Ageing Survey were used (n = 13,874 who provided more than 32,000 observations, baseline mean age = 62.3 years). The observation period comprised up to 13 years (M = 4 years) and five (M = 2.4) measurement occasions. Based on the longitudinal multilevel regression models, we found significant between-person and within-person effects in both directions, which were small but robust when controlling for sociodemographic variables, depressive symptoms, and number of chronic diseases. At the between-person level, participants reporting overall more severe pain also felt older than others. Likewise, those who felt overall older than others reported more pain. At the within-person level, when participants experienced more pain than they usually do, they also reported feeling older than usual. Likewise, on measurement occasions when participants reported feeling older than usual, they reported more pain than usual. Additionally, those with overall stronger pain exhibited steeper age-related increases in their subjective age than those with less severe pain. Our findings suggest that an older subjective age may operate as both antecedent and consequence of pain, and pain might prompt a steeper increase in subjective age over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Physicians' perception about predictors of opioid abuse in patients with chronic non-cancer pain: a Delphi study.

Opioids are being prescribed widely, and increasingly, for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). However, several side effects are associated with mid- and long-term opioid use and, for certain patients, with the risk of problematic opioid use. The aim of this study is to know the perception of the physicians about which variables could be associated with increased risk of patients with CNCP developing a problem of abuse or misuse of the prescribed opioid medication. Twenty-nine physicians with experience in CNCP pain management and opioids prescription participated in a two-round Delphi study focused on the risk factors for opioid misuse and abuse. The variables that reached consensus regarding their relationship with the increased risk of suffering a problem of opioid abuse or misuse were: (1) Experiencing pain on a daily basis, (2) previous use of high-dose opioids, (3) generalized anxiety, (4) hopelessness, (5) benzodiazepine intake, (6) use of opioids for reasons other than pain, (7) family problems, family instability or family breakdown, and (8) having access to several opioid prescribers. The only variable that reached consensus regarding it not being associated to a possible risk of abuse or misuse was having mild pain intensity (0-4 on a NRS-11). This study provides useful information that could help make decisions about the use of opioids for CNCP treatment and prevent future difficulties. Prospective studies testing the relationship of the variables that reached consensus with the risk of opioid misuse and abuse are warranted. This study shows the variables of CNCP that the professional must take into account in order to avoid possible problems when prescribing opioids.

Exploring the limits to our understanding of whether fish feel pain.

Exploring the limits to our understanding of whether fish feel pain.

Studi Literatur Intensitas Nyeri Pada Orang Dengan HIV/AIDS

Pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in people living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA). There are three main reasons why people with HIV / AIDS experience pain: as a symptom of HIV infection, as a result of other illnesses or opportunistic infections, and as a side effect of ARV treatment. This literature review aims to determine the intensity of pain and the location of pain with HIV/AIDS. It uses research articles that include quantitative data. The search for articles used four databases, namely PubMed, Science Direct, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar, using the deadline from January 2015 to August 2020. The search terms chosen are "pain intensity" or "pain level" or "pain" and "People Living with HIV/AIDS" or "PLWHA." After a full-text review, ten studies meet the inclusion criteria. The results of the identification of the article show that people living with HIV who have an older age tend to experience more intense pain than the younger age. The six articles that have been identified show that people with HIV/AIDS experience pain mildly to moderate. In contrast, four other studies show that pain experienced by PLWHA is moderate to severe, with the head as the most predominantly experiencing pain. The pain in PLWHA can reduce individuals' quality of life and interfere with their ability to carry out daily activities. Nurses are required to perform routine and repeated pain assessments in HIV patients to determine appropriate pain management. Keywords: pain intensity; HIV / AIDS; literature review.

Association between pain and e-cigarette use stratified by cigarette smoking status: Results from National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2019–2020

IntroductionPrevious studies have shown frequent co-morbidities between pain and tobacco use. However, the investigation in use of e-cigarettes, a relatively new tobacco product, at the intersection of pain and cigarette smoking is still lacking. This study used a US national dataset to examine associations between pain experience (pain lasting 3 months) and e-cigarette use, stratified by cigarette smoking status. MethodsThis study used a pooled dataset of the 2019 and 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (N = 63,565). We estimated multivariable binomial logistic regressions predicting current e-cigarette use by pain experience, after controlling for survey year, age, sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, education level, health insurance status, other tobacco use, diagnosis of anxiety and depression, use of pain management methods (e.g., physical therapy, behavioral therapy), and prescribed opioid pain reliever use among the overall population, and stratified by cigarette smoking status – never, former, and current cigarette smoking. ResultsAfter controlling for covariates, past-3-month pain experience was associated with current e-cigarette use (aOR = 1.26; 95 % CI = 1.08, 1.46) in the overall population. When stratified by current cigarette smoking, pain experience was associated with current e-cigarette use among current combustible cigarette smokers (aOR = 1.62, 95 % CI = 1.20, 2.18). However, there was no significant difference in e-cigarette use by pain experience among non-current cigarette smokers (p = 0.103). ConclusionsWe observed a higher likelihood of e-cigarette use among US adults experiencing pain. Future studies are needed to investigate mechanisms linking pain and e-cigarette use to inform smoking/vaping prevention and cessation interventions.

Update on Prevalence of Pain in Patients with Cancer 2022: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis.

Experiencing pain and insufficient relief can be devastating and negatively affect a patient's quality of life. Developments in oncology such as new treatments and adjusted pain management guidelines may have influenced the prevalence of cancer pain and severity in patients. This review aims to provide an overview of the prevalence and severity of pain in cancer patients in the 2014-2021 literature period. A systematic literature search was performed using the databases PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane. Titles and abstracts were screened, and full texts were evaluated and assessed on methodological quality. A meta-analysis was performed on the pooled prevalence and severity rates. A meta-regression analysis was used to explore differences between treatment groups. We identified 10,637 studies, of which 444 studies were included. The overall prevalence of pain was 44.5%. Moderate to severe pain was experienced by 30.6% of the patients, a lower proportion compared to previous research. Pain experienced by cancer survivors was significantly lower compared to most treatment groups. Our results imply that both the prevalence of pain and pain severity declined in the past decade. Increased attention to the assessment and management of pain might have fostered the decline in the prevalence and severity of pain.

Social support against suicide in burn survivors: A vital but overlooked protective factor

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with more than 20 suicide attempts for every suicide death, causing significant suffering and a financial burden [1, 2]. Individuals with chronic health conditions, particularly those experiencing chronic pain, are at a higher risk of developing suicidal ideation and behavior, including attempted suicide [2]. Due to the nature of their injuries, the extensive rehabilitation period, and the psychological and physical ramifications, burn victims may be at a disproportionately elevated risk of developing suicidal tendencies and psychiatric comorbidities [3-5]. Sustaining a burn injury is often a distressing and traumatic experience that can result in high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder, which may persist for years after the initial injury. In addition, caring for burn injuries often involves extended hospitalization and painful procedures, including multiple surgeries and wound debridement [6]. The painful procedures used in treating burn wounds, such as numerous surgeries, wound debridement, and mobilization, can prolong hospital stays and cause extra trauma [7-10].

Factors Related to Experiencing Pain in Patients Affected by Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pain experienced by patients with CIRD and to analyze the associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst patients with rheumatic diseases using a questionnaire providing information on patients and disease characteristics. Patients were asked to assess the level of pain they had experienced before and during the pandemic, using a single Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (greatest pain). Statistical Analysis System IBM SPSS Statistics V20.0.0 was used to analyze the study data. We performed univariate multivariate analysis to search for any related factors to pain perception during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative values were analyzed by the chi2 test. Quantitative values were analyzed by the Student test when the measures were normally distributed or by nonparametric tests (Mann–Whitney U) when the measures were not normally distributed (the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was used to test normality). Results: Amongst the 350 patients who answered the questionnaire online, rheumatoid arthritis represented 62.3%, spondyloarthropathy 34.3%, and undifferentiated CIRD 3.4%. CIRD-related pain was reported by 79.1% of the patients The level of pain, using the VAS of Pain, increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (4,6 ± 2,8 and 5,4 ± 3 before and during the pandemic; p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the factors causing the pain were: the negative impact of the coronavirus on accessing rheumatology care, the discontinuation of treatment, the disturbed sleep, and the negative psychological impact. Conclusion: This survey showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased CIRD-related pain in patients. Factors influencing this pain should be considered to help patients cope with their chronic rheumatism in this global health crisis.

20·30대 남성의 개신교 탈신앙 경험에 대한 근거이론 연구

This study was intended to deeply understand the experiences of church youth in their 20s and 30s with Protestant faith in the process of breaking away from faith, and to present a substantive theory in this process. Study participants were recruited according to the intentional sampling method. Announcements were posted on one graduate school community cafe and three or more Internet employment/study portal sites. Among those around the research director who lived a long-term religious life, those in their 20s and 30s who experienced the process of deconversion, a total of 13 males (aged 19 to 39) were recruited through snowball sampling. After that, data collection and analysis were conducted using the grounded theory methodology. As a result of the analysis of open coding, 218 semantic units, 75 subcategories, and 35 categories were derived. It was found that male participants in their 20s and 30s who went through deconversion experienced the central phenomenon of ‘Experiencing pain in gradual cracks’. As a result of the selective coding analysis, it was revealed that the young participants went through the process of ‘Conflict discovery and mediation stage - Isolation and communication inability stage - Conversion and distance stage - Adaptation and averting stage’. As a result of the selective coding analysis, the core category was derived as Faith, once beneficial, but I was not able to become a subject in it, Breaking the shell of faith that did not have a relationship with God and walking my own path.’ The study participants were classified into 4 types including ‘Existentialist atheism type,’ ‘Non-religious spirituality type’, ‘Post-church faith type’, and ‘Involuntary disguise type’. This study explores what young men in their 20s and 30s with Protestant beliefs experience in the process of breaking away from faith and presents a substantive theory to understand the meaning of the experiences of participants from the perspective of counseling and provide basic data for the counseling.

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE USAGE OF PROSTHESES AMONG PERSONS WITH LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION IN THE KUMASI METROPOLIS

There has been numerous technological advancements in dealing with major etiologies of lower limb amputation but lower limb amputation has been on the rise. According to Amoah et al (2018), it is estimated that about 145,299 people have been amputated in Ghana. Yet, estimates by WHO (2010) indicates that only 5-15% percent of Ghanaians in need of assistive technology only have access to it. The objectives of this study is to assess the knowledge on usage of prostheses, determine the prevalence level of usage of prostheses, determine the factors that influence the use of prostheses and to identify the challenges of usage of prostheses among persons with lower limb amputation. A descriptive research design which made use of a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) approach. The study was carried out within the confines of the Kumasi Metropolis from March, 2021 to September. The study involved 72 persons with lower limb amputation out of the 90 participants earlier proposed. 62 persons with lower limb amputation responded to a structured questionnaire whiles 10 other persons with lower limb amputation participated in an interview to help in the data collection to satisfy the objectives of the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and thematic Analysis. The findings reveal that most persons with lower limb amputation have good and very good knowledge of what prostheses are, the sources they can get prostheses from, prostheses training centers in Ghana. The number of persons with lower limb amputation who use prostheses are very low (40.3%) as opposed to the number who uses prostheses (59.7%). Cost is a major barrier to usage of prostheses among all the factors. Most persons with lower limb amputation said the prosthetic devices are very expensive unless through the benevolence of the society. The findings revealed that most persons with lower limb amputation experience pain when ambulating with the use of prostheses. Despite experiencing pain, they still use the prostheses. This study concluded that prostheses have become very necessary to use because of the benefits derived from them. Prostheses have become more accessible in the advanced countries relative to that in lower income countries like Ghana and the major factor is attributed to the cost involved and the exchange rates of our currency. It is recommended from evidence gathered from this study that a separate ministry which will be in the helm of affairs for only issues related to disability-related issues should be established so as to address the inadequacies and challenges faced by persons with disabilities in having access to assistive devices and more importantly subsidize the cost of prostheses. KEYWORDS: Prosthesis, Amputation, Limbs, Disability

Manual development for a multi-modal, dyadic intervention for persistent pain: A Qualitative Study.

People who experience persistent pain often require help from a family member, partner, or friend. These caregivers frequently have pain but are often not included in interventions. Caregivers and care receivers who both experience pain are more likely to be socially isolated, and experience communication conflict and decreased quality of life. Interventions should target caregiving dyads to help them manage their pain together. However, there are few intervention manuals or research protocols developed to support the dyad. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the needs of caregiving dyads, including input from dyads and medical and allied health experts to inform the development of an intervention manual for dyads with persistent pain. A total of 16 caregiving dyads experiencing persistent pain, one care receiver (caregiver could not participate), and 8 health experts, recruited from the community, participated in focus groups. Data were transcribed verbatim, uploaded into NVivo software, and analyzed using constant comparison qualitative methods. Findings identified the importance of a new intervention to focus on modifiable approaches to managing pain as a dyad, addressing the emotional and psychological effects of experiencing pain as a dyad, and careful consideration of logistics to implement an intervention with dyads in persistent pain. These results highlight important considerations to meet the needs of caregiving dyads with pain. This study informed the development of the MY-Skills intervention, a novel program that merges self-management education with adaptive yoga to treat persistent pain in caregiving dyads.

Case report on efficacy of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization in a patient having heel pain

Heel pain is the most common ailment of foot, affecting 10% of population including both younger as well as elder people. It also affects the lifestyle of these patients. Plantar fasciitis is one of such conditions which can cause heel pain. Plantar fasciitis is the result of inflammation of plantar aponeurosis due to its attachment on calcaneal tuberosity. Physiotherapy in form of soft tissue mobilization and stretching can be beneficial to achieve functional goals. The commonest sites for identifying this condition are: 1) Experiencing tenderness and pain in medial tubercle of heel bone 2) painful first step in morning and 3) Pain due to prolonged standing or weight bearing. Instrument Assisted Soft-tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and aggressive manual soft-tissue mobilization (AMSTM) are reported in improving soft-tissue mobility in individuals having plantar fasciitis. A 28-year-old female, diagnosed case of plantar fasciitis complaining of heel pain and difficulty in walking, underwent physiotherapy for 4 weeks, which resulted in reduction in pain intensity and increased foot and ankle’s abilities. This case report suggests that physiotherapy given in the form of IASTM led to improving the functional goals progressively and significantly which is a major aspect leading to a successful recovery. Keywords: Physiotherapy, Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, Heel pain, Plantar fasciitis.

Women, Painful Sex, and Mindfulness

ObjectivesMindfulness-based approaches to treatment of sexual dysfunction associated with vulvar pain appear promising, but little is known about the specific processes of mindfulness in sexual interactions or if mindfulness may be of particular benefit to women who experience pain associated with sexual activity. This study aimed to examine the associations between sexual mindfulness and sexual function and distress among women who currently experience pain with sexual activity as compared to women who do not.MethodsWomen over the age of 18 were invited to complete an online survey, including measures of mindfulness in sexual activity, pain associated with sexual activity, sexual function, and sexual distress. Of the participants, 134 (42.1%) were experiencing pain and 184 (57.9%) were pain free.ResultsHigher levels of mindfulness during sexual activity were associated with greater sexual functioning and less sexual distress both among women with and without pain. However, the association between Observing skills and sexual functioning among women with pain was weaker if the capacity for nonreactivity was low. Sexual mindfulness contributed significantly to the explanation of sexual function and distress in both groups. Of the mindfulness facets, Acting with awareness consistently contributed, beyond the other facets, to the explanation of sexual outcomes.ConclusionsThe capacity to stay mindful in sexual interactions appears to be important to sexual functioning both among women who experience pain with sexual activity and among women who do not. These findings encourage further examination of the role of mindfulness and its facets in sexual outcomes.

The effects of pain induced by blood flow occlusion in one leg on exercise tolerance and corticospinal excitability and inhibition of the contralateral leg in males.

Experiencing pain in one leg can alter exercise tolerance and neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) responses in the contralateral leg; however, the corticospinal modulations to nonlocal experimental pain induced by blood flow occlusion remain unknown. In three randomized visits, 13 male participants performed 25% of isometric maximal voluntary contraction (25%IMVC) to task failure with one leg preceded by (i) 6-min rest (CON), (ii) cycling at 80% of peak power output until task failure with the contralateral leg (CYCL), or (iii) CYCL followed by blood flow occlusion (OCCL) during 25%IMVC. NMF assessments (IMVC, voluntary activation [VA], and potentiated twitch [Qtw]) were performed at baseline and task failure. During the 25%IMVC, transcranial magnetic stimulations were performed to obtain motor-evoked potential (MEP), silent period (SP), and short intracortical inhibition (SICI). 25%IMVC was the shortest in OCCL (105±50s)and shorter in CYCL (154±68s)than CON (219±105s)(p<0.05). IMVC declined less after OCCL (-24±19%) and CYCL (-27±18%), then CON (-35±11%) (p<0.05). Qtw declined less in OCCL (-40±25%) compared to CYCL (-50±22%) and CON (-50±21%) (p<0.05). VA was similar amongst conditions. MEP and SP increased and SICI decreased throughout the task, while SP was longer for OCCL compared to CYC condition (p<0.05). The results suggest that pain in one leg diminishes contralateral limb exercise tolerance and NMF development and modulate corticospinal inhibition in males. Novelty: Pain in one leg diminished MVC and twitch force decline in the contralateral limb. Experimental pain induced by blood flow occlusion may modulation corticospinal inhibition of the neural circuitries innervating the contralateral exercise limb.

Development of a Multi-Modal, Dyadic Intervention for Persistent Pain: A Qualitative Study

People who experience persistent pain often require help from a family member, partner, or friend. These caregivers frequently have pain, but are often not included in interventions. Caregivers and care-receivers who both experience pain are more likely to be socially isolated, experience communication conflict, and have decreased quality of life. Interventions should target caregiving dyads to help them manage their pain together. Feasibility studies that include manual development, intervention evaluation, and refinement of intervention manuals support randomized controlled trials and help move interventions from research to practice. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore (a) the needs of caregiving dyads, (b) input from medical and allied health experts, and (c) feedback from intervention facilitators and evaluators, informing the development and refinement of an intervention manual for people with persistent pain. A total of 16 caregiving dyads and one individual (caregiver couldn’t participate) experiencing pain participated in focus groups. Eight experts then participated in a focus group or one-on-one interview. Lastly, after the intervention ended, 15 intervention facilitators and fidelity evaluators participated in one focus group. Data were uploaded into NVivo software and analyzed using constant comparison. Findings identified the importance of interventions to focus on pain interference, novel and modifiable approaches to managing pain as a dyad, and addressing the emotional and psychological effects of experiencing pain. Using qualitative approaches to develop, test, and refine an intervention manual enhances the relevancy, acceptability, and translation of our intervention to meet the needs of caregiving dyads experiencing pain.

The Effect of Pain Experienced During the COVID-19 Infection on the Fear of Pain and Quality of Life

AimsThis study was conducted to determine the effect of pain experienced during the COVID-19 infection on the fear of pain and quality of life of individuals. BackgroundPain is a complex, multidimensional, neurophysiological and psychosocial experience known only to the person experiencing pain. Although there are studies showing that individuals with COVID-19 experience pain, there are no studies that evaluate the relationship between fear of pain and quality of life of people after COVID-19 infection. DesignThe study was carried out as descriptive, comparative and correlational design. MethodsSnowball sampling method was used in the research and the data were collected online. A total of 404 individuals participated in the study. The data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire, Numeric Rating Scale, Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III and The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire. ResultsIt was determined that 87.1% of the individuals experienced pain during COVID-19 and the mean intensity of this pain was 6.16 ± 2.75. In addition, 37.1% of the individuals experienced pain for a while after COVID-19 and the mean intensity of this pain was 3.81 ± 3.00. The individuals who experienced pain during COVID-19 had higher fear of pain and lower quality of life than those who did not experience pain. There was a significant correlation between the severity of pain experienced during COVID-19 with the fear of pain and the quality of life. ConclusionsAccording to the results of the study, it can be said that individuals who experienced intense pain during COVID-19 infection have higher fear of pain and lower quality of life. In addition, as the fear of pain increases, the quality of life of individuals decreases.

The effects of endurance exercise training and methadone on acute and chronic pain responses in morphine-dependent rats going through the withdrawal syndrome

Experiencing pain during the withdrawal period is one of the most significant complications of addiction to opioids. Thus, the main objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of endurance exercise training and methadone on acute and chronic pain responses in morphine-dependent rats going through the withdrawal syndrome. In this study, 48 male Wistar rats (mean age: 9 weeks, mean weight: 295 ± 20 g) were randomly assigned to six subgroups, each with eight rats. The subgroups were control (Ctrl), healthy exercise (CT), control addicts (CTA), addicts treated with exercise (TA), addicts treated with methadone (MA), and addicts treated with methadone plus exercise (TMA). Substance dependence was induced through oral consumption of morphine. The interventional therapy protocol included a combination of methadone and a regular aerobic exercise program. Acute and chronic pain responses were evaluated using the model proposed by Dubuisson and Dennis. The results show significant decreases in the mean scores of acute and chronic pain in (CtA), (MA), and (TA) groups of morphine-dependent rats going through the withdrawal syndrome compared to the control group (Ctrl). Moreover, treatment of morphine-dependent rats with training (TA) alone or with methadone (MA) alone resulted in a significant decrease in the scores of acute and chronic pain compared to the animals receiving both training and methadone (i.e., the TMA group). However, no significant differences were observed among (TMA), (CT), and control groups in terms of the mean scores of acute and chronic pains. It seems that the regular aerobic exercise program and methadone administration in the animal model can serve as useful tools for the modulation of pain in morphine-dependent rats going through the withdrawal syndrome. However, further studies are needed in human samples.

Prelimbic cortex glucocorticoid receptors regulate the stress-mediated inhibition of pain contagion in male mice

Experiencing pain with a familiar individual can enhance one’s own pain sensitivity, a process known as pain contagion. When experiencing pain with an unfamiliar individual, pain contagion is suppressed in males by activating the endocrine stress response. Here, we coupled a histological investigation with pharmacological and behavioral experiments to identify enhanced glucocorticoid receptor activity in the prelimbic subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex as a candidate mechanism for suppressing pain contagion in stranger mice. Acute inhibition of glucocorticoid receptors in the prelimbic cortex was sufficient to elicit pain contagion in strangers, while their activation prevented pain contagion in cagemate dyads. Slice physiology recordings revealed enhanced excitatory transmission in stranger mice, an effect that was reversed by pre-treating mice with the corticosterone synthesis inhibitor metyrapone. Following removal from dyadic testing, stranger mice displayed enhanced affective-motivational pain behaviors when placed on an inescapable thermal stimulus, which were reversed by metyrapone. Together, our data suggest that the prelimbic cortex may play an integral role in modulating pain behavior within a social context and provide novel evidence towards the neural mechanism underlying the prevention of pain contagion.