Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)
August 2, 2024
Jeremy P Steen, Vivek Kannan, Abdullah Zaidi et al.
15 citations
A systematic review of 27 studies (22 randomized controlled trials and 5 quasi-experimental studies) examined mind-body therapies for adults with fibromyalgia. Most therapies—guided imagery, qi gong, tai chi, biofeedback, yoga, mindfulness awareness training, and progressive muscle relaxation—showed significant improvements in pain at the end of treatment in at least one study. Multiple studies on guided imagery, qi gong, and tai chi also reported improvements in fatigue, multidimensional function, and sleep. About one-third of the studies reported adverse events. The evidence suggests mind-body therapies are potentially beneficial, but more research is needed to determine if effects persist.
Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)
May 3, 2024
Mayumi Oguchi, Michael K Nicholas, Ali Asghari et al.
9 citations
Psychologically based interventions may help adults with chronic neuropathic pain, but evidence remains limited. A scoping review of 33 articles identified four main approaches: cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness/meditation, trauma-focused therapy, and hypnosis. Only 13 randomized controlled trials were found, and of those, 9 had at least 20 participants per group after treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy was the most common approach, while mindfulness/meditation was the most frequently used technique. Nearly half to two-thirds of studies reported significant improvements in pain, disability, or distress, suggesting potential benefit. An updated systematic review appears warranted.
Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)
November 1, 2024
Diana J Burgess, Collin Calvert, Ann Bangerter et al.
3 citations
Participants with chronic pain who received mindfulness-based interventions were less likely to report psychological and physical worsening than those receiving usual care. In a randomized trial of 708 patients with chronic pain, 61% of whom had a mental health diagnosis, usual care participants more often reported increases in disturbing memories, sadness, anxiousness, fatigue, isolation, loneliness, and feeling upset by reminders of the past. The mindfulness interventions did not appear to cause harm for this population with high mental health comorbidities.
Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.)
September 1, 2024
Jeongsoo Kim, Hangaram Kim, Jae Eun Kim et al.
1 citation
A retrospective study at a single tertiary hospital examined whether a positive response to thoracic sympathetic ganglion block (TSGB) predicts outcomes of ketamine infusion therapy (KIT) and spinal-cord stimulation (SCS) in patients with chronic upper-extremity pain, including complex regional pain syndrome. Among 33 patients who received KIT, 60.6% reported a pain reduction of at least 2 points on a 0-10 scale. Positive TSGB response occurred in 70.0% of KIT responders, significantly higher than the 30.8% in non-responders, with a sevenfold increased odds of positive KIT outcome. Among 32 SCS patients, 68.8% experienced short-term effectiveness; positive TSGB response was 45.5% in responders versus 0.0% in non-responders.