Monthly Archives: September 2010

Complex Regional Pain – What are the Features?

Criteria for Complex Regional Pain sydrome may be being relaxed with perhaps only 2 features being necessary and only 1 feature needing to be visible at any time.

Posted in complex regional pain | 1 Comment

Rampant New Disease in Canadian Universities – Hand-held Thumb

A new canadian university study finds 86% of mobile device users have musculosketal issues.

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Idea Chronic Pain Is Psychological Dispelled by Recent Studies

Several studies presented at the International Association for Study of Pain at Montreal 2010, all find the association of psychological problems and Chronic pain to be weak.

Posted in Insurer issues, psychology | Leave a comment

Chronic Opioid Consumption Not the Answer in Chronic Pain and Politics Gets in the Way

Previously, Dennis Turk has contended that only 1/2 of chronic pain sufferers will tolerate of find opioids effective.  See: http://painmuse.org/ref/turk.pdf Now a Norwegian study suggests even in “planned” opioid users, only 23% will be taking opioids 3 years later.  Meanwhile, doctors in Orthopaedic Medicine, … Continue reading

Posted in Drugs, Insurer issues, Regina Pain News | Leave a comment

Manual Therapy May Help Trigeminal Neuralgia

A case  demonstrating that work on the neck can be helpful in Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN).

Posted in Manual Med, Neck, Trigeminal Neuralgia | 1 Comment

Question Related To Interstitial Cystitis Problem

Do you have any further info up to date for 2010 as my IC friend’s condition is very severe presently for last 2 weeks & here in India we are being told they know little about IC. She’s desperate for … Continue reading

Posted in Interstial Cystitis/Gynecologic, pelvic | 1 Comment

Subcutaneous (Under Skin) Electrical Stimulation For Chronic Back Pain

Back Spinal leads – Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is useful for leg pains where you can elicit Funny feeling “paresthesias” with implanted leads. Obtaining the same for back pain has been more difficult. In cases where they were unable to … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Stimulation | 1 Comment

Progress in Mastocytosis Diagnosis in Saskatchewan

After a talk with our provincial lab, serum tryptase levels will be allowed for select patients

Posted in Abdominal pain, Interstial Cystitis/Gynecologic, mast cell disease, Sask Pain Advice | Leave a comment

Sacral Nerve Root Stimulation Helps Coccygodynia

Sacral Nerve Root Stimulation (SNS) was compared with Peripheral Subcutaneous Field Stimulation (PSFS).  SNS attenuated pain 50 – 60% at low stimulation with good patient satisfaction.

Posted in Back Pain, coccygodynia, Stimulation | 1 Comment

LANSS Neuropathic Scale

This is my favorite neuropathic scale- for your use – it’s 2 pages from: The LANSS Pain Scale: the Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs Michael Bennett Pain 92 (2001) 147-157 free article here

Posted in neuropathic | 1 Comment

Fast Fix For Laryngospasm in kids and Hiccups in all

Laryngeal spasms are a frightening life threatening condition in anesthesia.  Bilateral Pressure behind the ears at TMJ level might release this spasm in kids. Hiccups can be relieved by lifting the “thingy” uvula in the back of your throat’s palate.

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IV Ketamine – Pain Rescue For Refractory Pain Flareups

Not a Pain Meeting Goes By Without someone extolling the virtues of IV Ketamine in refractory patients. Its use has been thwarted by preceived side effects. Now it appears these fears have been over-rated.  Here are some protocols I have … Continue reading

Posted in Drugs, IV therapy | 1 Comment

Proteases Newer Inflammatory Chemical in Diseases – Including Now Chronic Prostatitis

Proteases are inflammatory chemicals like cytokines. They were first described in 1991 and have become a target for therapy. Now they are connected to chronic prostatitis.

Posted in pain mechanisms, prostatitis / prostatism | Leave a comment

Perineural “Tarlov” Spinal Nerve Outlet Cyst Pains – Overlooked and Treatable

I have a patient with multiple level cysts where the nerves exit the spine in the neck. He also has some mild foraminal stenosis. He is symptomatic with arm and referred upper back pain. Getting his problem taken seriously has … Continue reading

Posted in Abdominal pain, Back Pain, Neck, pelvic | 1 Comment

Close is Close Enough in Steroid Injections of Shoulder

Just got back from a course showing how to give ultrasound guided injections so you can hit the right spot.  Now it appears you don’t need to be close at least for shoulders…

Posted in Injection, shoulder | Leave a comment

Lumbar Radiculopathy Paraspinous Blocks Simple and Effective

Author devised a 3.5 cm out for L4-5,  3.5 cm down from there, for L5-S1 –  2 mm down for each model for injections.  Injected 60 mg Depomedrol each level needed for radiculopathy.  Got excellent results without image intensifier in 100 … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Injection | 1 Comment

Electrodiagnostically, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Rampant in Diabetics

I have written how tarsal tunnel syndrome is commonly missed in Dabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: Surgery For Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy – Another Option Not Available Here Now it appears that Tarsal Tunnel syndrome enerve slowing is to be expected in Diabetes.

Posted in neuropathic | 1 Comment

Music Therapy in Chronic Pain May Drop Pains by 50% 0ver 2 Months

Program of twice daily 20 minute of specific music therapy dropped chronic pains from 6.3 to 3.2/10 over 6 weeks.

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Mechanical aids, psychology | 1 Comment

Topiramate So-So in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Radiculopathy

I often say I hate the term neuropathy because it assumes they can all be treated similarly. Now three trials using Topiramate in Diabetic peripheral neuropathy have failed to show benefit. – yet one using less strick response criteria has…

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Body’s Painkilling Endorphin Response Absent in 25% of Victims with Chronic Pain

The endorphin system in the brain and its counterpart enkephalin system in the spine help to shut down pain awareness in acute situations. Had a bad headache that suddenly disappeared? That is that system kicking in. This system is called … Continue reading

Posted in central & spinal, pain mechanisms | Leave a comment

Confirmed – Intrathecal (Spinal) Midazolam Gives 1-3 Months Relief in Chronic and Failed Back Pain

Those who have epidural steroid injections for back pain know they are limited often to injections every 3 months (except for initial 3 shots). When the pain comes back in 3-6 weeks – what can one do? Now it looks … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Injection | 3 Comments

Treating Peripheral Triggers in Fibromyalgia (FM) Helpful

Just treating Infraspinatus and Trapezius triggers will drop pains in FM by 20% – renewing interest in idea that a portion of FM is peripherally driven.

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ASA in Ether Effective for Herpetic and Post herpetic Neuralgia

ASA in Diethylether gets good to excellent results in over 3/4 cases of herpetic and post herpetic neuralgia. Development of post- herpetic neuraliga was under 3%. However, there is a trick involved in using the suspension…

Posted in post herpetic neuralgia, Uncategorized | Leave a comment