pain-relief-2.matches: pain relief
Study on Application of Static Magnetic Field for Adjuvant Arthritis Rats.

Taniguchi N, Kanai S, Kawamoto M, Endo H, Higashino H.

Kansai College of Oriental Medicine, Sennan-gun, Osaka, Japan.

In order to examine the effectiveness of the application of static magnetic field (SMF) on pain relief, we performed a study on rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA). Sixty female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (age: 6 weeks, body weight: approximately 160 g) were divided into three groups [SMF-treated AA rats (Group I), non-SMF-treated AA rats (Group II) and control rats (Group III)]. The SD rats were injected in the left hind leg with 0.6 mg/0.05 ml Mycobacterium butyrium to induce AA. The rats were bred for 6 months as chronic pain model. Thereafter, the AA rats were or were not exposed to SMF for 12 weeks. We assessed the changes in the tail surface temperature, locomotor activity, serum inflammatory marker and bone mineral density (BMD) using thermography, a metabolism measuring system and the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method, respectively. The tail surface temperature, locomotor activity and femoral BMD of the SMF-exposed AA rats were significantly higher than those of the non-SMF-exposed AA rats, and the serum inflammatory marker was significantly lower. These findings suggest that the pain relief effects are primarily due to the increased blood circulation caused by the rise in the tail surface temperature. Moreover, the pain relief effects increased with activity and BMD of the AA rats.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15480444&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-2.matches: pain relief
Trigeminal neuralgia: what are the important factors for good operative outcomes with microvascular decompression.

Li ST, Pan Q, Liu N, Shen F, Liu Z, Guan Y.

Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular decompression has been widely used as the first choice in treating trigeminal neuralgia, but in a few patients, facial pain cannot be effectively controlled by microvascular decompression. We sought to clarify the important factors for good operative outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed 62 patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by microvascular decompression during the period 2000 through 2002, including clinical presentation, operative findings, techniques, and outcomes. Neurovascular conflicts were divided into single contact, contact and indentation, single adhesion, adhesion and indentation, and trigeminal nerve atrophy. Operative outcomes were graded into immediate postoperative complete pain relief (excellent), delayed postoperative complete pain relief (better), significant pain relief (good), and no response to microvascular decompression (poor). RESULTS: All patients' presentations were typical at the time of pain onset, but the symptom in 17 patients changed to atypical before surgery. During operation, single contact and single adhesion was found in 14 patients and 15 patients, respectively; contact or adhesion in combination with indentation was found in 7 patients and 18 patients, respectively; atrophy occurred in 8 patients. Postoperatively, immediate and delayed complete pain relief was achieved in 32 (51.6%) patients and 17 (27.4%) patients, respectively; 11(17.7%) patients got significant pain relief; and 2 patients showed no response. The overall rate of complete pain relief in patients with shorter duration, typical presentation, artery compression and complete decompression was higher than that in patients with longer duration, atypical presentation, venous compression, and incomplete decompression. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter duration, typical presentation, single artery compression, and complete decompression are the positive factors for better operative outcomes with microvascular decompression. Worse outcomes are usually related to venous compression, longer duration, and atypical presentation.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15518843&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-30.matches: pain relief
Cost analysis of a mucoadhesive foam versus conventional treatment for postepisiotomy patients.

Bouis P Jr, Hoffman M, Newton W, Johnson S, Mack M.

The cost of treating postepisiotomy pain and edema with foam containing 1% hydrocortisone acetate and 1% pramoxine hydrochloride and a spray with 20% benzocaine was compared in 200 postpartum patients. Treatment with foam was demonstrated to be more effective than benzocaine spray with greater pain relief and reduction of edema as shown by lower patient need of supplemental pain-relief measures. Treatment with foam was also determined to be less expensive than benzocaine spray when the cost of the supplemental pain-relief measures for benzocaine-treated patients were assessed. Methods used to determine actual hospital costs are presented, and supplemental pain relief treatments are discussed. Use of this type of cost analysis may be useful to the P & T Committee when determining actual cost-effectiveness of different treatment modalities.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10311783&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-30.matches: pain relief
Unresectable and locally recurrent rectal cancer treated with radiotherapy or bilateral internal iliac artery infusion of 5-fluorouracil.

Carlsson G, Hafstrom L, Jonsson PE, Ask A, Kallum B, Lunderquist A.

Seventy-nine patients with histopathologically verified unresectable or locally recurrent rectal cancer were nonrandomly allocated to radiotherapy or regional intra-arterial infusion of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). Fifteen patients with unresectable and 32 with locally recurrent rectal cancer were subjected to radiotherapy. The absorbed dose was 30 Gy in patients with an unresectable tumor and 45 Gy in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer. Six patients with unresectable and 26 with locally recurrent rectal cancer received bilateral internal iliac artery infusion of 5-FU in a median dose of 7.5 g. There was no difference in survival between the two methods of treatment. Resection of an initially unresectable tumor could be performed in 5 of 21 patients (4 after radiotherapy and 1 after chemotherapy). All except eight patients had pelvic or perineal pain before treatment. Forty of 43 (93%) patients reported pain relief after radiotherapy and 21 of 28 (75%) after infusion therapy. Ten nonresponders were subjected to alternative treatment (three to intra-arterial infusion and seven to radiotherapy). Five of these ten patients reported complete pain relief and five partial pain relief. After radiotherapy, no significant side effects or complications were observed. The infusion chemotherapy was the cause of death in one patient. In summary, similar palliation was achieved with bilateral iliac artery 5-FU-infusion and radiotherapy. Owing to the complications registered with infusion therapy, radiotherapy must be considered the treatment of choice for these patients. Patients who do not respond to radiotherapy or suffer recurrence of pelvic and perineal pain may receive further palliation from intra-arterial infusion.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2424584&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-30.matches: pain relief
Once-a-week lower hemibody irradiation (HBI) for metastatic cancers.

Nag S, Shah V.

Hemibody irradiation (HBI) of 8 Gy has been shown to produce pain relief in widespread metastatic disease. The major problems occurred with high dose (over 6 Gy) to the upper hemibody. Because 8 Gy lower HBI was well tolerated, we decided to study the efficacy and tolerance of even higher radiation doses given to the lower hemibody. Nineteen patients with widespread metastatic cancers in the lower hemibody were treated from 1982 to 1984 with 16 Gy (8 Gy one week apart) to the lower hemibody (from top of iliac crest to knee joint) after premedication with an antiemetic. All the patients tolerated this high dose, lower HBI well, except for two patients who had slight nausea and vomiting, and one patient who had moist reaction in the perineum. There was no significant bone marrow depression. All patients had improvement in performance status and had prompt pain relief, ten (53%) with complete pain relief and nine (47%) with partial pain relief. The median duration of pain relief was 5 months. Ten of the 15 patients who died were pain-free at the time of death. The four patients still living are free of pain. The median survival was 7 months, and five patients survived 1 year. High dose (8 Gy X 2 spaced one week apart), lower HBI produces prolonged, prompt and effective palliation of pain with minimal morbidity and is well tolerated. It probably does not prolong survival. Because it requires only two treatments spaced one week apart, it is a very convenient and cost effective regimen for the sick and elderly patient.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2424877&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-30.matches: pain relief
The pituitary as a target of antalgic treatment of chronic cancer pain: a possible mechanism of pain relief through pituitary neuroadenolysis.

Takeda F, Uki J, Fuse Y, Kitani Y, Fujita T.

Surgical hypophysectomy performed in 18 cases with hormone-dependent carcinoma resulted in tumour regression in 38.8% of the cases, and pain relief in 88%. Neuroadenolysis performed 170 times on 130 cases resulted in pain relief in 94% with hormone-dependent carcinoma, and 70% with non-dependent carcinoma. The clinical investigations, following performance of neuroadenolysis, indicate suppressed pituitary function, significant increase of ACTH, thyrotropin-releasing hormone and vasopressin in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), delay of long latencies in somatosensory evoked potential and increased pain threshold of C-fibres. Increase of beta-endorphin in CSF was very brief. Though the exact physiological activity in pain sensation of those peptides other than endorphins still remains obscure, increase of the peptides which are mainly synthesized in the hypothalamopituitary axis, along with suppressed pituitary function, is considered to exert a long-lasting suppressive effect on the mediation and perception of cancer pain through C-fibres and the central nervous system.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2433639&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief



pain-relief-30.matches: pain relief
Pain relief for the pediatric surgical patient.

Dilworth NM, MacKellar A.

Modern techniques available for the relief of pain following major surgical procedures or trauma in childhood receive scant attention in pediatric surgical textbooks. A range of options for pain relief have been offered to children in our hospital, which include: regional analgesia; appropriate use of intermittent intramuscular narcotic injections; and variable-rate intravenous narcotic infusions. Since 1982 regional analgesia has been used in more than 2,000 patients following operations on the penis and in the inguinoscrotal region. Two hundred forty five children with fractured femora have been managed using femoral nerve blocks. Intermittent intramuscular narcotic injections are the most common method of pain relief. However, the variable nature of children's pain frequently results in an unsatisfactory outcome. Variable-rate intravenous narcotic infusions were introduced in 1982 and the first 155 infusions in 144 patients have been analyzed. The protocol and method of administration are described along with the dosage and problems encountered during the introduction of the technique. It has now been employed postoperatively in 242 more patients and many infusions have been commenced in the emergency department, intensive care, and neonatal units bringing the total number of infusions to more than 600. Assessment of effective pain relief has been made on the basis of observation and comment by parents and patients and by medical and nursing staff. The steady increase in demand for the use of this technique is an index of its value. It is concluded that there is a real need to improve pain relief for children by better education of medical and nursing staff and inclusion of this important subject in pediatric surgical text books.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2881992&dopt=Abstract pain, pain medicine, pain relief