Greater Decrease In Pain Research Articles

"It Gave Me Hope" Experiences of Diverse Safety Net Patients in a Group Acupuncture Intervention for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy.

Purpose: To explore the experiences of living with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) and with a group acupuncture intervention in a sample of low-income, diverse patients.Methods: We conducted a randomized clinical trial of a 12-week group acupuncture intervention for PDN. Data included validated measures of patient-reported outcomes, including pain and quality of life (QOL), as well as semistructured qualitative interviews about participants' experiences with PDN and the intervention. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using an inductive thematic framework.Results: We recruited 40 participants from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds from a public hospital and conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with a subset of 17 participants. Participants randomized to acupuncture experienced greater decreases in pain compared with usual care as well as improved QOL. In interviews, they described a myriad of socioeconomic and personal life stressors that compounded the significant suffering and disability brought on by PDN. Those who received acupuncture were able to decrease reliance on pain medication, improve their sleep and daily function, reduce stress, and engage more with their own self-care. They noted that the acupuncture intervention also gave them hope in the face of their chronic disease.Conclusion: Acupuncture is a valuable adjunct treatment for low-income and marginalized populations with PDN. In addition to reducing pain and improving QOL, acupuncture may offer powerful benefits by increasing patient activation and hope.

The effect of treatment regimens on salivary cortisol levels in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders

BackgroundIncreased levels of circulating cortisol have been associated with pain severity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders (CMD). Little is known about the potential association between pain management and salivary cortisol alterations in CPM patients treated with different regimens. ObjectivesThis prospective feasibility study aimed to determine the effect of two treatment regimens in comparison with sham therapy on pain intensity and disability and salivary cortisol concentration (SCC) in patients with CMD. MethodsThirty patients were randomly assigned to 3 groups of 10: two experimental groups (A and B) and a control group (C). The experimental groups followed physiotherapy treatment (A) or acupuncture (B), while the control group (C) followed a sham therapy for 10 sessions. Pain data were collected using the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG) questionnaire and SCC was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at pre- and posttreatment. ResultsRepeated-measures analysis of variance showed that patients treated with acupuncture experienced greater decreases in pain intensity/pain disability (P < 0.05) than the physiotherapy and sham therapy groups. No statistical differences were found between the three groups for the SCC outcome variable. Bonferroni adjustments showed that the mean values of SCC were significantly decreased at posttreatment (P < 0.05) across the three groups. ConclusionThere was a significant decrease in both pain and cortisol outcomes at posttreatment in patients with CMD. Because of the limitations of this study, we cannot draw conclusions regarding whether the lower SCC could be an indication of pain reduction in patients with CMD.

Impact of daily yoga-based exercise on pain, catastrophizing, and sleep amongst individuals with fibromyalgia.

BackgroundFibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic widespread pain disorder characterized by negative affect, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. This uncontrolled pilot study investigated the efficacy of daily yoga-based exercise to improve FM symptoms and explored baseline phenotypic characteristics associated with the greatest benefit.MethodsFM patients (n=46, with 36 completers) reported psychosocial functioning and a range of FM symptoms using validated instruments before and after participation in Satyananda yoga, which included weekly in-person pain-tailored group classes for 6 weeks and daily home yoga video practice.ResultsChanges in FM symptoms from pre- to post-yoga were variable amongst participants. Group means for pain decreased, as reported by average daily diary and Brief Pain Inventory, with greater home practice minutes associated with a greater decrease in pain. Average daily ratings of sleep and fatigue improved. Pain catastrophizing was decreased overall, with greater change correlated to a decrease in FM symptoms. We did not observe any group mean changes in actigraphy sleep efficiency, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-anxiety and the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Multilevel Modeling analysis revealed a significant interaction between anxiety and catastrophizing for end-study sleep efficiency, fatigue, and pain, such that patients with higher baseline catastrophizing and lower baseline anxiety reported less pain and fatigue, and higher sleep efficiency after the sixth week of yoga practice.ConclusionThis pilot study suggests that yoga may reduce pain and catastrophizing, as well as improve sleep, but these changes were modest across study participants. Greater uptake of home yoga practice as well as a phenotype of higher baseline catastrophizing combined with lower baseline anxiety were associated with greater impact. Future randomized, controlled trials comparing different types of yoga or exercise will allow determination of the most effective treatments for FM and allow closer targeting to the patients who will benefit most from them.

The effect of music on pain and subjective experience in image-guided musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections: a randomized controlled trial.

To investigate the role of music on subjects undergoing routine image-guided musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections and its effect on post-procedure pain and subjective overall experience. This prospective study was IRB-approved and HIPAA-compliant. A total of 126 subjects referred for outpatient image-guided musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections were enrolled in the study and randomized into a music offered group ((+)MO) and a no music offered group ((-)MO). (+)MO subjects were given the opportunity to listen to music during their corticosteroid injection. All subjects were then given an anonymous survey on which they recorded their pre-procedural and post-procedural pain on a scale from 0 to 9 and rated their overall experience and how likely they were to recommend our department for musculoskeletal procedures on scales from 1 to 5. (+)MO subjects had significantly lower post-procedural pain (p = 0.013) and significantly greater decrease in pain (p = 0.031) compared to (-)MO subjects. Among the (+)MO subjects, there was no statistically significant difference in post-procedure pain (p = 0.34) or change in pain (p = 0.62) if music was accepted or declined. However, subjects who listened to music did have lower post-procedural pain compared to those who did not listen to music (p = 0.012), although the differences in the decrease of pain between the two groups did not quite reach statistical significance (p = 0.062). Playing music during image-guided musculoskeletal corticosteroid injections may reduce patients' post-procedure pain. Offering patients some measure of control over their procedure may be a factor that contributes to decreased post-procedure pain as well.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Group Acupuncture for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Among Diverse Safety Net Patients.

Existing pharmacologic approaches for painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) are limited in efficacy and have side effects. We examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of group acupuncture for PDN. We randomized patients with PDN from a public safety net hospital to 1) usual care, 2) usual care plus 12 weeks of group acupuncture once weekly, or 3) usual care plus 12 weeks of group acupuncture twice weekly. The primary outcome was change in weekly pain intensity (daily 0-10 numerical rating scale [NRS] averaged over seven days) from baseline to week 12. We also assessed health-related quality of life and related symptoms at baseline and weeks 6, 12, and 18. We enrolled 40 patients with PDN (baseline pain = 5.3). Among participants randomized to acupuncture, 92% attended at least one treatment (mean treatments = 10.1). We observed no significant differences between once- vs twice-weekly acupuncture and combined those groups for the main analyses. Compared with usual care, participants randomized to acupuncture experienced greater decreases in pain during the 12-week intervention period (between-group differences from baseline = -2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -3.01 to -1.10), but benefits were not maintained after acupuncture ended (baseline to week 18 = -0.61, 95% CI = -1.46 to 0.24). Quality of life improved for acupuncture participants (baseline to week 12 difference = 11.79, 95% CI = 1.92 to 21.66), but group differences were not significant compared with usual care (25.58, 95% CI = -3.90 to 55.06). Group acupuncture is feasible and acceptable among linguistically and racially diverse safety net patients. Findings suggest clinically relevant reduction in pain from PDN and quality of life improvements associated with acupuncture, with no differences based on frequency.

Application of Forcing Functions to Electronic Health Records Results in Improved Pain Control for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Bone Metastases

Documentation of cancer pain is a metric used by national organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and National Quality Foundation to measure quality of care. However, consistent documentation of pain remains sub-optimal in daily practice despite this imperative. The use of constraint systems, such as forcing functions, may improve physician compliance. This approach requires pain to be scored before the electronic health record (EHR) can be closed. We reviewed pain documentation rates at our institution, which recently installed changes to our EHR with successively more robust constraint systems. We hypothesized that these changes would lead to increase rates of pain documentation resulting in improved pain management for patients undergoing palliative radiation for painful bone metastases. We retrospectively compared patient on-treatment visit (OTV) pain scores from three different periods of documentation strategy: free-form (Aug-Oct 2014), pain score prompt (Jan-Mar 2015) and forcing function (May-June 2017). Patients were randomly selected from a 3-month period immediately before or after implementation of each new EHR design. The first and last OTV pain scores for patients with secondary bone metastases were selected from Jan to Dec 2016 (pain score prompt) and May to Dec 2017 (forcing function). Those with only one OTV were excluded. Pain score was documented as a numeric rating score (NRS). There were 150 patient OTVs studied for each documentation strategy (n = 450). The rate of documentation for free-form was 11% (95% CI: 7, 18); pain score prompts was 87% (95% CI: 81, 92); and forcing functions was 97% (95% CI: 93, 99). Documentation rates were different across the three groups (p < 0.001). The difference between each strategy was significant (p < 0.001 for free-form vs. prompt; p = 0.002 for prompt vs. forced function; p < 0.001 for free-form vs. forced function). Patients with secondary bone metastases (n = 72) had greater decreases in pain over the course of treatment using EHRs with forcing functions compared to pain score prompts (p = 0.026). The median improvement in NRS with use of forcing functions was -1.5 (IQR: -4 to 0), compared to pain score prompts, 0 (IQR: -1.25 to 0). Our results demonstrate that constraint systems applied to EHRs increase pain documentation rates. Forcing functions, being the most restrictive, have the highest rate of documentation. This improvement in pain documentation rates resulted in significant decreases in pain as compared to less restrictive documentation strategies for patients receiving palliative radiation therapy for painful bone metastases.

Pilot Randomized Trial of Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Neuromuscular Training for Juvenile Fibromyalgia: The FIT Teens Program

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) improves coping and daily functioning in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM), but is less effective in reducing pain. This pilot trial evaluated the efficacy of a novel intervention (Fibromyalgia Integrative Training for Teens; FIT Teens) which integrates CBT with specialized neuromuscular exercise training to enhance the effect of treatment on reducing pain and disability. Forty adolescents with JFM (12–18 years) were randomized to CBT-only or FIT Teens. Treatment was conducted in group-based sessions over 8 weeks with assessments at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up (primary end point). Primary outcomes were pain intensity and functional disability. Secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, fear of movement, and pain catastrophizing. Thirty-six participants (mean age = 15.33 years; 90% female) completed the program. Intent to treat analysis was conducted to evaluate differences between the FIT Teens and CBT groups from baseline to 3-month follow-up, controlling for baseline group differences. Participants in the FIT Teens group showed significantly greater decreases in pain than the CBT group. FIT Teens participants also showed significant improvements in disability, but did not differ from CBT-only at the 3-month end point. Results provide preliminary evidence that the FIT Teens intervention provides added benefits beyond CBT in the treatment of JFM, particularly in pain reduction. PerspectiveResults from this pilot randomized controlled trial of a new combined CBT and specialized neuromuscular exercise intervention (FIT Teens), compared with CBT alone suggested that FIT Teens offers stronger treatment benefits than CBT alone at initial treatment follow-up, especially with respect to the outcome of pain reduction.

Randomized controlled pilot study of an educational video plus telecare for the early outpatient management of musculoskeletal pain among older emergency department patients

BackgroundMusculoskeletal pain is a common reason for emergency department (ED) visits. Following discharge from the ED, patients, particularly older patients, often have difficulty controlling their pain and managing analgesic side effects. We conducted a pilot study of an educational video about pain management with and without follow-up telephone support for older adults presenting to the ED with musculoskeletal pain.MethodsED patients aged 50 years and older with musculoskeletal pain were randomized to: (1) usual care, (2) a brief educational video only, or (3) a brief educational video plus a protocol-guided follow-up telephone call from a physician 48–72 hours after discharge (telecare). The primary outcome was the change from the average pain severity before the ED visit to the average pain severity during the past week assessed one month after the ED visit. Pain was assessed using a 0–10 numerical rating scale.ResultsOf 75 patients randomized (mean age 64 years), 57 (76%) completed follow up at one month. Of the 18 patients lost to follow up, 12 (67%) had non-working phone numbers. Among patients randomized to the video (arms 2 and 3), 46/50 viewed the entire video; among the 25 patients randomized to the video plus telecare (arm 3), 23 were reached for telecare. Baseline pain scores for the usual care, video, and video plus telecare groups were 7.3, 7.1, and 7.5. At one month, pain scores were 5.8, 4.9, and 4.5, corresponding to average decreases in pain of -1.5, -2.2, and -3.0, respectively. In the pairwise comparison between intervention groups, the video plus telecare group had a 1.7-point (95% CI 1.2, 2.1) greater decrease in pain compared to usual care, and the video group had a 1.1-point (95% CI 0.6, 1.6) greater decrease in pain compared to usual care after adjustment for baseline pain, age, and gender. At one month, clinically important differences were also observed between the video plus telecare and usual care groups for analgesic side effects, ongoing opioid use, and physical function.ConclusionResults of this pilot trial suggest the potential value of an educational video plus telecare to improve outcomes for older adults presenting to the ED with musculoskeletal pain. Changes to the protocol are identified to increase retention for assessment of outcomes.Trials registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02438384. Registered on 5 May 2015.

Comparison of high-intensity laser therapy and combination of transcutaneous nerve stimulation and ultrasound treatment in patients with chronic lumbar radiculopathy: A randomized single-blind study.

Objective:To compare the effects of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) and a combination of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) with ultrasound (US) therapy on pain and functionality in patients with chronic lumbar radiculopathy.Methods:This prospective randomized comparative study was conducted in Department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, Turgut Ozal Medicine Center, Malatya, Turkey from April 2016 to September 2016. A total of 54 patients with chronic lumbar radiculopathy were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (n:27) received 10 sessions of a combination of hot pack, TENS, US and exercise, and Group 2 (n:27) received hot pack, HILT and exercise. The outcomes measured were low back with unilateral leg pain level measured by visual analog scale (VAS) and functionality measured with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at the end of the therapy and four weeks later. p-value less than 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results:In two groups, VAS (low back with unilateral leg pain) and ODI scores showed significant changes. At the end of the 2 weeks intervention, participants in Group-1 showed a significantly greater decrease in pain than participants in Group-2. Statistically significant differences in pain variation and functionality (VAS and ODI) were observed four weeks after treatment sessions for participants in the TENS+US therapy group compared with participants in the HILT group.Conclusion:HILT and TENS+US combined with exercise were effective treatment modalities in decreasing the VAS and ODI scores. TENS+US combined with exercises were more effective than HILT combined with exercise.

Efficacy of Multiwave Locked System Laser on Pain and Function in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Multiwave locked system (MLS) laser therapy utilizes the synchronized emission of an 808 nm continuous laser and a 905 nm pulsed laser. It is postulated that MLS enables greater penetration and therapeutic benefit than single-wavelength low-level laser therapy (LLLT). The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacies of MLS laser therapy and the 830 nm laser in the treatment of patients with chronic neck pain (CNP). Seventy-five patients with CNP (mean age 46.28 ± 5.89, weight 83.78 ± 5.65 kg, height 1.72 ± 4.96 m, and duration of illness of 5.98 ± 1.44 months). They were randomized into three groups. Group I received MLS laser therapy and exercises, Group II received LLLT and exercises, and Group III received placebo laser therapy plus exercises (PL + EX). Neck pain levels and neck function were measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and neck disability index (NDI), respectively. Both VAS and NDI were significantly reduced post-treatment for all treatment groups. After 6 weeks of treatment, MLS plus exercise showed a significantly greater decrease in pain and disability scores {Δ VAS (6.68) and Δ NDI (39.84)} compared to both LLLT plus exercise group {Δ VAS (5.72) and Δ NDI (37.88)} and PL + EX {Δ VAS (4.84) and Δ NDI (36.68)}. MLS laser therapy in conjunction with exercises decreased pain and increased functional activity following 6 months of therapy. MLS laser therapy in combination with exercises is a more effective therapy for CNP compared to exercise plus LLLT or exercise alone.

Comparative Analysis of the Paravertebral Analgesic Pump Catheter with the Epidural Catheter in Elderly Trauma Patients with Multiple Rib Fractures

Presently, trauma guidelines recommend epidural analgesia as the optimal modality of pain relief from rib fractures. They are not ideally suited for elderly trauma patients and have disadvantages including bleeding risk. The paravertebral analgesic pump (PVP) eliminates such disadvantages and includes ease of placement in the trauma setting. This study compares pain control in patients treated by EPI versus PVP. This is a retrospective, historical cohort study comparing two methods of pain management in the trauma setting. Before 2010, patients who had epidural catheters (EPI) placed for pain control were compared with patients after 2010 in which the PVP was used. All patients had multiple rib fractures as diagnosed by CT scan. Analysis was adjusted for age, number of fractures, and comorbid conditions. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to compare average reported pain. A total of 110 patients, 31 PVP and 79 epidural catheters, were included in the study. Overall mean age was 65 years. The mean Injury Severity Score was 12.0 (EPI) and 11.1 (PVP). Mean number rib fractures was 4.29 (EPI) and 4.71 (PVP). PVP was associated with a 30 per cent greater decrease in pain than that seen with EPI (6.0–1.9 vs 6.4–3.4). After controlling for age, Injury Severity Score, and number of rib fractures, there were no differences in intensive care unit or total length of stay (P = 0.35) or in pain score (3.76 vs 3.56, P = 0.64). In conclusion, the PVP compares well with epidural analgesia in older trauma patients yet is safe, well tolerated, and easily inserted.

Low-intensity laser (660 NM) has analgesic effects on sternotomy of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafts.

Background:The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy for reducing the acute pain of sternotomy in patients who underwent a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).Methods:This study was conducted with ninety volunteers who electively submitted to CABG. The volunteers were randomly allocated into three groups of equal size (n = 30): control, placebo, and laser (λ of 660 nm and spatial average energy fluency of 1.06 J/cm2). Pain when coughing was assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS) and McGill Pain Questionnaire, according to sensory, affective, evaluative, and miscellaneous domains. The patients were followed for 1 month after the surgery.Results:The laser group had a greater decrease in pain with analogous results, as indicated by both the VAS and the McGill questionnaire (P ≤ 0.05) on sensory and affective scores, on days 6 and 8 postsurgery compared to the placebo and control groups.Conclusion:Laser seems to be effective promoting pain reduction after coronary-arterial bypass grafting.

Celecoxib 2% Cream in Acute Soft Tissue Injuries: Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of pain reduction and tolerability of topical administration of Celecoxib 2% cream compared to Celecoxib 1% cream and placebo cream in Mexican patients who had acute soft tissue injury in lower limbs. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo control trial with 3 parallel groups was conducted. We include Mexicans patients older than 18 years with diagnosis of acute soft tissue injury in lower limbs. They were randomly assigned to Celecoxib 2% cream (CEL-2), Celecoxib 1% cream (CEL-1) or placebo cream (PLA). All treatments should be applied 3 times a day for a period of 7 days. Every day the pain was assessed with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary, we evaluate inflammation and adverse events. Results: A total of 95 patients were included. VAS on day 1 and 7 in group CEL-2 were 57.41 ± 10.39 mm and 4.34 ± 7.02 mm, in CEL-1 59.38 ± 9.37 mm and 10.41 ± 12.78 mm, and in PLA 55.61 ± 8.09 mm and 9.32 ± 9.93 mm. CEL-2 showed greater pain decrease compared to CEL-1 and PLA, p<0.05. CEL-1 group significantly decreased inflammation more than PLA, p<0.05. 15 adverse events were reported in 9 patients, none was severe. Conclusion: The results shown in the present study demonstrate that topical administration of Celecoxib cream 2%, TID for 7 days was effective in pain relief in patients with acute soft tissue injury.

Using Vibratory Stimulations in Stiffness of PIP Joint

Introduction: The management of posttraumatic stiffness of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints is common in hand therapy. Many processing devices have a localized effect but slightly stimulate motor imagery and cortical pattern. The goal of our study was to evaluate the functional results of vibratory stimulation transcutaneous in treatment of the stiffness of PIP joints. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and randomized study, within the Hand &amp; Wrist Unit in Meyrin/Geneva during June 2014 and February 2015. The patients were included and randomized in 2 groups: V (with vibrations) and T (control, without vibration). We included monoarticular stiffness PIP and painful visual analogue scale (VAS) &gt; 3. We excluded bone lesions, surgery, median strip extension injury, and cognitive disorders. The rehabilitation protocol was the same in the too groups except an additional time of 10 minutes of vibration for the group V. The evaluation criteria included pain by VAS and range of motion measured with a goniometer. This evaluation was carried out during the first session day 0 to day 21 and day 45. Statistical analysis was performed by the Student test for quantitative variables. The significance level P &lt; .05 was considered significant. Results: Twenty-one patients were included in the study, including 11 in the average V age group of 38.5 years (25-59), and 10 in the T group with mean age of 43.1 years (24-58). During the first 3 weeks of treatment, there was a greater decrease in pain for the V group and the T group, respectively with a median reduction of pain (VAS) of −2.25 and −1.5 ( P = .01). The flexion gain was better in the V group than the T group, with a rate of median recovery in flexion 57% and 43%, respectively, ( P = .03). The 2 groups were comparable for the recovery of the extension. During the last 3 weeks of the treatment, no significant difference in the range of motion (flexion and extension) was found between the 2 groups. Conclusion: The use of vibratory stimulation transcutaneous achieves better results in terms of pain and bending amplitude gain in stiffness of PIP joint during the first 3 weeks of rehabilitation. However, it has not proved its superiority over conventional treatment in stiffness in extension of PIP joint. The anatomical architecture of the tendon (flat or cylindrical) would play a role in the effectiveness of treatment. The use of vibrations seems to be more effective on the tendons near bones prominences.

Effect of Kinesio Taping on Pain and Functional Disability in Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

A randomized controlled trial with 2-week Kinesio taping intervention. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of Kinesio taping application on pain, functional disability, and trunk flexion range of motion (ROM) in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (chronic NSLBP). Kinesio taping is a therapeutic tool used for treatment of chronic NSLBP. However, there is little scientific evidence that describes its clinical efficacy. Forty-four patients with chronic NSLBP were randomized into experimental group (n = 21) and placebo group (n = 23). The experimental group was treated with Erector Spinae Taping, whereas the placebo group was treated with placebo taping. The primary endpoint was pain intensity on visual analog scale. Secondary endpoints were functional disability on Arabic version of Oswestry disability index (ODI) and trunk flexion ROM on Modified Schober's test. All measurements were recorded at baseline (W0), after 2-week intervention (W2), and at 4-week (W4) follow-up. Both group were comparable at baseline (P > 0.05). The experimental group had a greater decrease in pain than the placebo group after W2 of intervention (mean between-group difference 2.05 cm, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38-2.71 points). This was maintained to W4 follow-up (2.25 cm, 95% CI = 1.67-2.82 points). At W2, the experimental group had significantly greater improvement in disability, by 3.90 points (95% CI = 1.68-8.54 points). This effect was significant at W4 follow-up (5.6, 95% CI = 2.65-8.54 points). Similarly trunk flexion ROM was significantly better at W2 (-0.71 cm, 95% CI = -0.85 to -0.56) and W4 follow-up (-0.73 cm, 95% CI = -0.88 to -0.58). Kinesio taping reduces pain and disability and improves trunk flexion ROM after 2 weeks of application. However, thesis effects were very small to be considered clinically relevant and meaningful when compared with placebo taping. 2.

Low-Level Laser and Light-Emitting Diode Therapy for Pain Control in Hyperglycemic and Normoglycemic Patients Who Underwent Coronary Bypass Surgery with Internal Mammary Artery Grafts: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study with Follow-Up.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for reducing pain in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery with internal mammary artery grafts. This study was conducted on 120 volunteers who underwent elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The volunteers were randomly allocated to four different groups of equal size (n = 30): control, placebo, LLLT [λ = 640 nm and spatial average energy fluence (SAEF) = 1.06 J/cm(2)], and LED (λ = 660 ± 20 nm and SAEF = 0.24 J/cm(2)). Participants were also divided into hyperglycemic and normoglycemic subgroups, according to their fasting blood glucose test result before surgery. The outcome assessed was pain during coughing by a visual analog scale (VAS) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. The patients were followed for 1 month after the surgery. The LLLT and LED groups showed a greater decrease in pain, with similar results, as indicated by both the VAS and the McGill questionnaire (p ≤ 0.05), on the 6th and 8th postoperative day compared with the placebo and control groups. The outcomes were also similar between hyperglycemic and normoglycemic patients. One month after the surgery, almost no individual reported pain during coughing. LLLT and LED had similar analgesic effects in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic patients, better than placebo and control groups.

Cognitive-Behavioral–Based Physical Therapy for Patients With Chronic Pain Undergoing Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral–based physical therapy (CBPT) program for improving outcomes in patients after lumbar spine surgery. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 86 adults undergoing a laminectomy with or without arthrodesis for a lumbar degenerative condition. Patients were screened preoperatively for high fear of movement using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia. Randomization to either CBPT or an education program occurred at 6 weeks after surgery. Assessments were completed pretreatment, posttreatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcomes were pain and disability measured by the Brief Pain Inventory and Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcomes included general health (SF-12) and performance-based tests (5-Chair Stand, Timed Up and Go, 10-Meter Walk). Multivariable linear regression analyses found that CBPT participants had significantly greater decreases in pain and disability and increases in general health and physical performance compared with the education group at the 3-month follow-up. Results suggest a targeted CBPT program may result in significant and clinically meaningful improvement in postoperative outcomes. CBPT has the potential to be an evidence-based program that clinicians can recommend for patients at risk for poor recovery after spine surgery. PerspectiveThis study investigated a targeted cognitive-behavioral–based physical therapy program for patients after lumbar spine surgery. Findings lend support to the hypothesis that incorporating cognitive-behavioral strategies into postoperative physical therapy may address psychosocial risk factors and improve pain, disability, general health, and physical performance outcomes.

Can Preoperative Psychological Assessment Predict Outcomes After Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy?

Psychological assessment has been used successfully to predict patient outcomes after cardiothoracic and bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preoperative psychological assessment could be used to predict patient outcomes after temporomandibular joint arthroscopy. Consecutive patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) who could benefit from arthroscopy were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. All patients completed the Millon Behavior Medicine Diagnostic survey before surgery. The primary predictor variable was the preoperative psychological scores. The primary outcome variable was the difference in pain between the pre- and postoperative periods. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Pearson product-moment correlation were used to determine the association between psychological factors and change in pain. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using a mixed-effects linear model and multiple linear regression. A P value of .05 was considered significant. Eighty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Seventy-five patients completed the study and were included in the final analyses. The mean change in visual analog scale (VAS) pain score 1month after arthroscopy was -15.4 points (95% confidence interval, -6.0 to -24.7; P < .001). Jaw function also improved after surgery (P < .001). No association between change in VAS pain score and each of the 5 preoperative psychological factors was identified with univariable correlation analyses. Multivariable analyses identified that a greater pain decrease was associated with a longer duration of preoperative symptoms (P= .054) and lower chronic anxiety (P= .064). This study has identified a weak association between chronic anxiety and the magnitude of pain decrease after arthroscopy for TMD. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of chronic anxiety in the outcome after surgical procedures for the treatment of TMD.

Effect of diode laser in the treatment of patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Low back pain is a common, highly debilitating condition, whose severity is variable. This study evaluated the efficacy of treatment with Ga-Al-As diode laser (980 nm) with a large diameter spot (32 cm(2)), in association with exercise therapy, in reducing pain. The present study aimed to evaluate the pain reduction efficacy of treatment with the Ga-Al-As diode laser (980 nm) in combination with exercise therapy, in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). This study evaluated 100 patients with CLBP (mean age 60 years) who were randomly assigned to two groups. The laser plus exercises group (Laser+EX: 50 patients) received low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with a diode laser, 980 nm, with a specific handpiece [32 cm(2) irradiation spot size, power 20 W in continuous wave (CW), fluence 37.5J/cm(2), total energy per point 1200 J] thrice weekly, and followed a daily exercise schedule for 3 weeks (5 days/week). The exercises group (EX: 50 patients) received placebo laser therapy plus daily exercises. The outcome was evaluated on the visual analogue pain scale (VAS), before and after treatment. At the end of the 3 week period, the Laser+EX group showed a significantly greater decrease in pain than did the EX group. There was a significant difference between the two groups, with average Δ VAS scores of 3.96 (Laser+EX group) and 2.23 (EX group). The Student's t test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the two groups, at p<0.001. This study demonstrated that the use of diode laser (980 nm) with large diameter spot size, in association with exercise therapy, appears to be effective. Such treatment might be considered a valid therapeutic option within rehabilitation programs for nonspecific CLBP.

Colchicine for acute gout.

Colchicine for acute gout.