Canadian Journal of Pain-Revue Canadienne de la Douleur最新文献

Introduction: Chronic pain is a costly and incapacitating condition, with a projected global prevalence of 20%. In South Africa, almost one in five adults experience chronic pain. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of chronic pain and the association between chronic pain intensity and the interference of pain with life domains in patients attending a primary health care center.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional quantitative study on a sample of 331 patients at Soshanguve Community Health Centre. The data were collected using the Wisconsin Brief Pain Questionnaire, a validated scale for measuring pain.

Results: The mean age of participants was 51.6 years (SD = ±15.15, range = 18-86). The median age was 48 years (interquartile range = 40-64). The prevalence of chronic pain was 21.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.0-25.9). Approximately 58% of participants were female, and female patients were affected more frequently than male patients. Chronic pain was observed to be 11.1% more prevalent in females than in males. Chronic pain mildly impacted general activity in 33.8% of patients (95% CI 23.9-45.4), mood in 42.3% (95% CI 31.4-53.8), walking ability in 29.6% (95% CI 20.2-41.0), relationships in 47.9% (95% CI 36.7-59.3), sleep in 31.0% (95% CI 21.4-42.5), enjoyment of life in 39.4% (95% CI 28.9-51.1), and normal working ability in 25.3% (95% CI 16.7-36.6).

Conclusions: Findings from this study show that among patients who attended the primary health care clinic, chronic pain was highly prevalent and interfered with their life domains. The intensity of pain was high in a significant proportion of patients. These findings provide invaluable information needed for the improvement of resources at the primary care level to comprehensively evaluate pain in our communities.

Chronic pain following distal biceps rupture (DBR) is often nonspecific in that it may arise due to the injury, subsequent surgical repair, or a combination of factors, making the painful symptoms challenging to treat. Peripheral nerve injury in the setting of DBR most commonly affects the musculocutaneous nerve or one of its terminal branches and may lead to chronic neuropathic pain involving the elbow and lateral/radial aspect of the forearm. In this brief technical report, we describe an ultrasound-guided (USG) technique for percutaneous implantation of a peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) targeting the musculocutaneous nerve, along with an illustrative case report of successful treatment of chronic refractory pain following DBR utilizing this technique. Six months postimplantation, the patient reported a greater than 60% baseline pain intensity reduction, and no complications were noted.

Background: Although delayed or decreased responses to pain are commonly reported among caregivers of individuals with Rett syndrome (RTT), previous studies in relatively small samples have documented that caregivers are concerned about pain, particularly due to gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal conditions.

Aims: The purpose of the current study was to investigate in detail caregivers' perceptions of pain sensitivity, as well as the types, severity, and effect of pain experienced by individuals with RTT in a larger sample than previous studies.

Methods: A total of 51 caregivers (mostly mothers) participated in the study, which involved standardized questionnaires and interviews. The individuals with RTT ranged in age from 2 to 52 years of age, and most (n = 46; 90%) met criteria for classic RTT.

Results: Across the sample, 84% of caregivers reported that they believed that their child was less sensitive to pain compared to her typically developing peers. Despite this perception, 63% of caregivers reported that their child had experienced at least one form of pain in the previous 7 days, and 57% reported their child experienced at least one form of chronic pain. On average, caregivers reported that their child's pain was of moderate severity and interfered with at least one activity of daily living.

Conclusions: The results suggest that pain is a substantial concern among caregivers of individuals with RTT and indicate that additional research is needed to understand the apparent paradox of frequently reported pain experiences despite widespread perceptions of decreased pain sensitivity.

Introduction: Approximately 15% to 40% of persons with chronic pain as a primary disorder experience brain fog. Prior research has investigated the etiology of "brain fog" in conditions in which pain presents as a key feature (e.g., fibromyalgia). However, it remains understudied in the context of chronic 10 musculoskeletal pain. Following current scoping review guidelines, we obtained stakeholder input from patient and health care professionals (HCPs) to define this phenomenon. Specific aims of this review were to (1) identify factors contributing to brain fog, (2) identify the functional correlates of brain fog and assessments used to measure them, and (3) establish a definition of brain fog that can be employed by researchers and HCPs to advance research and care.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted using recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology of scoping reviews and the Levac et al methodology. Embase, Cinahl, PsycINFO, and Medline was searched to identify relevant sources. Findings were verified with patient and healthcare professionals.

Results: We identified four 15 key features of brain fog: perceived variability, subjective cognitive dysfunction, participation limitations, and changes in functional activities. We developed a model of brain fog illustrating the overlapping categories of contributors to brain fog in chronic musculoskeletal pain: (1) neuroanatomical and neurophysiological, (2) mental health/emotional, and (3) environmental/lifestyle.

Conclusion: The results of this scoping review conclude that the inconsistency in research regarding brain fog in 20 chronic musculoskeletal pain is obstructing a clear understanding of the phenomenon and therefore may be impeding persons with chronic pain and brain fog from receiving optimal care.