Reliability and responsivity of pain intensity scales in individuals with chronic pain
Prior research supports the validity and short-term test-retest stability of 4 commonly used scales for assessing pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS], 6-point Verbal Rating Scale [VRS-6], Numerical Rating Scale [NRS-11], and Face Pain Scale-Revised [FPS-R]). However, the relative stability and ability of these measures to detect changes in pain intensity over longer time periods […]
Pharmacological management of cancer pain: Novel therapeutics
Patients diagnosed with cancer often experience pain during their treatment course, making it difficult to care for themselves and continue with their activities of daily living. When cancer is found at later stages, the pain can become severe and constant; reducing their quality of life and significantly affecting mental and physical well-being. Despite opioids being […]
Practical approach to a patient with chronic pain of uncertain etiology in primary care
Chronic pain of uncertain etiology often presents a challenge to both patients and their healthcare providers. It is a complex condition influenced by structural and physiological changes in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and it directly influences and is modulated by, psychological well-being and personality style, mood, sleep, activity level and social circumstances. Consequently, […]
Postgraduate Diploma in Interdisciplinary Pain Management
Are you a healthcare professional working with people with complex pain conditions? Would you like to learn more and develop your skills in interdisciplinary pain management? Now is the time to register for a Postgraduate Diploma in Interdisciplinary Pain Management. Who is this course for? This Postgraduate Diploma is designed for health care professionals registered […]
Pain chronification: what should a non-pain medicine specialist know?
Pain is one of the most common reasons for an individual to consult their primary care physician, with one in five adults in Europe estimated to be affected by chronic pain. However, one of the challenges of managing pain in the primary care setting is that it is poorly assessed and reported. Chronic pain has […]
MSc and PhD Opportunities available for study in Pain
About half of individuals with diabetes mellitus develop damage to peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy), and in about half of the individuals with peripheral neuropathy, pain is a salient feature that significantly affects the quality of life. Moreover, this pain is resistant to treatment with standard analgesics. In this project, you will phenotype individuals with diabetes […]
Astrocytes Mediate Migraine-related Intracranial Meningeal Mechanical Hypersensitivity
The genesis of the headache phase in migraine with aura is thought to be mediated by cortical spreading depression (CSD) and the subsequent activation and sensitization of primary afferent neurons that innervate the intracranial meninges and their related large vessels. Yet, the exact mechanisms underlying this peripheral meningeal nociceptive response remain poorly understood. We investigated […]
The Use of Very-Low-Dose Methadone for Palliative Pain Control and the Prevention of Opioid Hyperalgesia
Opioid dose escalation may cause hyperalgesia, mediated by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) pathway. Methadone is an atypical opioid that inhibits hyperalgesia through NMDA blockade, especially at low doses. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of using very-low-dose methadone as the sole long-acting opioid agent in a hospice practice.
Analgesic effect of perineural local aesthetics, steroids, and conventional medical management for trauma and compression-related peripheral neuropathic pain
Peripheral neuropathic pain (NP) is defined as pain caused by a lesion or disease affecting the peripheral somatosensory nervous system. Peripheral NP has a prevalence of 2.5% to 4% in the general population. Neuropathic pain is often severely debilitating, it is largely resistant to pharmacological treatment and its management and sequelae are a significant burden […]
A year like no other: introduction to a special issue
on COVID-19 and pain
As of the end of January 2021, one full year into the coronavirus pandemic, more than 100 million people around the world have been sickened, according to official counts. More than 2 million have died, and the virus has been detected in nearly every country. Major news outlets, such as the New York Times, publish […]