Intractable Chronic Pain in the Lower Segments of the Body. Relief by Means of Sacral Epidural Injections

Addiction is a devastating disease of the body, the mind, and even the personality. Recent research shows that heart rate variability biofeedback can help the alcoholic/addict recover in three crucial ways, namely (1) treating the associated comorbidities (depression, anxiety, chronic pain), (2) treating the physiology around craving, and (3) returning to a loving and nurturing relationship with one's own body instead of an abusive and exploitive one.

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Experimentally induced pain does not influence updating of peripersonal space and body representations following tool-use

10.1101/500587 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Axel Davies Vittersø ◽

Monika Halicka ◽

Gavin Buckingham ◽

Michael J Proulx ◽

Mark Wilson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Tool Use ◽

Experimental Pain ◽

Peripersonal Space ◽

The Body ◽

Body Representations ◽

Tactile Target ◽

The Difference ◽

Chronic Pain Conditions ◽

Crossmodal Congruency

Representations of the body and peripersonal space can be distorted for people with some chronic pain conditions. Experimental pain induction can give rise to similar, but transient distortions in healthy individuals. However, spatial and bodily representations are dynamic, and constantly update as we interact with objects in our environment. It is unclear whether induced pain disrupts the mechanisms involved in updating these representations. In the present study, we sought to investigate the effect of induced pain on the updating of peripersonal space and body representations during and following tool-use. We compared performance under three conditions (pain, active placebo, neutral) on a visuotactile crossmodal congruency task and a tactile distance judgement task to measure updating of peripersonal space and body representations, respectively. We induced pain by applying 1% capsaicin cream to the arm, and for placebo we used a gel that induced non-painful warming. Consistent with previous findings, the difference in crossmodal interference from visual distractors in the same compared to opposite visual field to the tactile target was less when tools were crossed than uncrossed. This suggests an extension of peripersonal space to incorporate the tips of the tools. Also consistent with previous findings, estimates of the felt distance between two points (tactile distance judgements) decreased after active tool-use. In contrast to our predictions, however, we found no evidence that pain interfered with performance on either task when compared to the control conditions. This suggests that the updating of peripersonal space and body representations is not disrupted by induced pain. Therefore, acute pain does not account for the distorted representations of the body and peripersonal space that can endure in people with chronic pain conditions.

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Energy Medicine and Gastrointestinal Disorders

Integrative Gastroenterology ◽

10.1093/med/9780190933043.003.0014 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 293-306

Author(s):

Ann Marie Chiasson

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

The Body ◽

Self Healing ◽

Energy Medicine ◽

Energy Field ◽

Pain Syndromes ◽

Hands On ◽

Skilled Practitioner ◽

Inflammatory Bowel ◽

Chronic Pain Syndromes

Energy medicine (EM) consists of a range of modalities and techniques that work with the underlying energy field of the body. Techniques range from hands-on healing to using vibration, movement or sound. There is moderate evidence that energy medicine significantly decreases many types of chronic pain and is most utilized in patients with chronic pain syndromes. Energy medicine prevalence of use and evidence, specifically in GI disorders, has been less investigated. There are a few small studies demonstrating evidence for decreasing symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Despite the lack of specific data for GI disorders, due to its role in increasing relaxation and decreasing pain, it can be a useful adjunct therapy. Most energy medicine modalities have specific techniques for GI disorders. Finding a skilled practitioner, as well as learning how to use self-healing techniques, can be valuable additions to a patient’s plan of care.

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Characterization of New TRPM8 Modulators in Pain Perception

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms20225544 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (22) ◽

pp. 5544 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Carmen De Caro ◽

Claudia Cristiano ◽

Carmen Avagliano ◽

Alessia Bertamino ◽

Carmine Ostacolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Transient Receptor Potential ◽

Pain Modulation ◽

The Body ◽

Sprague Dawley ◽

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin ◽

Pain Models ◽

Excessive Activation

Background: Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin-8 (TRPM8) is a non-selective cation channel activated by cold temperature and by cooling agents. Several studies have proved that this channel is involved in pain perception. Although some studies indicate that TRPM8 inhibition is necessary to reduce acute and chronic pain, it is also reported that TRPM8 activation produces analgesia. These conflicting results could be explained by extracellular Ca2+-dependent desensitization that is induced by an excessive activation. Likely, this effect is due to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) depletion that leads to modification of TRPM8 channel activity, shifting voltage dependence towards more positive potentials. This phenomenon needs further evaluation and confirmation that would allow us to understand better the role of this channel and to develop new therapeutic strategies for controlling pain. Experimental approach: To understand the role of TRPM8 in pain perception, we tested two specific TRPM8-modulating compounds, an antagonist (IGM-18) and an agonist (IGM-5), in either acute or chronic animal pain models using male Sprague-Dawley rats or CD1 mice, after systemic or topical routes of administration. Results: IGM-18 and IGM-5 were fully characterized in vivo. The wet-dog shake test and the body temperature measurements highlighted the antagonist activity of IGM-18 on TRPM8 channels. Moreover, IGM-18 exerted an analgesic effect on formalin-induced orofacial pain and chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain, demonstrating the involvement of TRPM8 channels in these two pain models. Finally, the results were consistent with TRPM8 downregulation by agonist IGM-5, due to its excessive activation. Conclusions: TRPM8 channels are strongly involved in pain modulation, and their selective antagonist is able to reduce both acute and chronic pain.

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Excess Body Mass and Leisure Time Physical Activity in the Incidence and Persistence of Chronic Pain

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnaa102 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (11) ◽

pp. 3094-3101

Author(s):

Rahman Shiri ◽

Tea Lallukka ◽

Ossi Rahkonen ◽

Päivi Leino-Arjas

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Chronic Pain ◽

Body Mass ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

The Body ◽

Health Study ◽

Highly Active ◽

The City

Abstract Objective To estimate the effects of excess body mass and leisure time physical activity on the incidence and persistence of chronic pain. Design A prospective cohort study. Methods As a part of the Finnish Helsinki Health Study, we included three cohorts of employees of the City of Helsinki (18,562 observations) and defined incident chronic pain as having pain in any part of the body for more than three months at follow-up in participants without chronic pain at baseline (N = 13,029 observations). Persistent chronic pain was defined as having pain for more than three months at both baseline and follow-up (N = 5,533 observations). Results Overweight (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06–1.31) and obesity (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.45–1.88) increased the incidence of chronic pain. Moreover, overweight (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.02–1.32) and obesity (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.26–1.74) increased the risk of persistent chronic pain. Vigorous leisure time physical activity reduced the incidence of chronic pain (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.75–0.96). Physical activity did not influence the risk of persistent chronic pain. Furthermore, overweight/obesity modified the effect of leisure time physical activity on incident chronic pain. Inactive overweight or obese participants were at the highest risk of chronic pain (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.40–2.09), while the OR dropped to 1.44 (95% CI = 1.19–1.75) in moderately active overweight or obese participants and to 1.20 (95% CI = 0.97–1.47) in highly active overweight or obese participants. Conclusions Obesity not only increases the risk of developing chronic pain, but also increases the risk of persistent pain, while leisure time physical activity reduces the risk of developing chronic pain.

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GABA RECEPTORS AND PAIN REGULATION

Istituto Lombardo - Accademia di Scienze e Lettere - Rendiconti di Scienze ◽

10.4081/scie.2012.137 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Valerio Magnaghi ◽

Marcella Motta

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Acute Pain ◽

Tissue Damage ◽

Gaba Receptors ◽

International Association ◽

Emotional Experience ◽

The Body ◽

Tissue Injuries ◽

Pain Regulation

Pain is an adaptive sensation that normally appears as a warning, activated in response to a damage of the organism. Pain serves to protect the organism to further tissue injuries. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defined pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage” (see definition on the IASP homepage at www.iasp-pain.org). Pain can be generally divided into two categories, acute and chronic pain: acute pain is properly a sudden warning pain which signals that something is wrong in the body. If the cause is not removed acute pain may develop in chronic pain, which is persistent and debilitating.

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Neuronal responses to tactile stimuli and tactile sensations evoked by microstimulation in the human thalamic principal somatic sensory nucleus (ventral caudal)

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00611.2015 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 115 (5) ◽

pp. 2421-2433 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Anne-Christine Schmid ◽

Jui-Hong Chien ◽

Joel D. Greenspan ◽

Ira Garonzik ◽

Nirit Weiss ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Chronic Pain ◽

Nervous System ◽

Single Neuron ◽

The Body ◽

Neuronal Responses ◽

Tactile Stimuli ◽

Sensory Nucleus ◽

Tactile Sensations ◽

Sensory Abnormality

The normal organization and plasticity of the cutaneous core of the thalamic principal somatosensory nucleus (ventral caudal, Vc) have been studied by single-neuron recordings and microstimulation in patients undergoing awake stereotactic operations for essential tremor (ET) without apparent somatic sensory abnormality and in patients with dystonia or chronic pain secondary to major nervous system injury. In patients with ET, most Vc neurons responded to one of the four stimuli, each of which optimally activates one mechanoreceptor type. Sensations evoked by microstimulation were similar to those evoked by the optimal stimulus only among rapidly adapting neurons. In patients with ET, Vc was highly segmented somatotopically, and vibration, movement, pressure, and sharp sensations were usually evoked by microstimulation at separate sites in Vc. In patients with conditions including spinal cord transection, amputation, or dystonia, RFs were mismatched with projected fields more commonly than in patients with ET. The representation of the border of the anesthetic area (e.g., stump) or of the dystonic limb was much larger than that of the same part of the body in patients with ET. This review describes the organization and reorganization of human Vc neuronal activity in nervous system injury and dystonia and then proposes basic mechanisms.

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Testosterone-Induced Effects on Lipids and Inflammation

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2013/183041 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Stella Vodo ◽

Nicoletta Bechi ◽

Anna Petroni ◽

Carolina Muscoli ◽

Anna Maria Aloisi

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Adult Population ◽

Protective Role ◽

Gonadal Hormones ◽

The Body ◽

Pain Mechanisms ◽

Proinflammatory Mediators ◽

General Terms ◽

Inflammatory Processes ◽

Report Data

Chronic pain has to be considered in all respects a debilitating disease and 10–20% of the world's adult population is affected by this disease. In the most general terms, pain is symptomatic of some form of dysfunction and (often) the resulting inflammatory processes in the body. In the study of pain, great attention has been paid to the possible involvement of gonadal hormones, especially in recent years. In particular, testosterone, the main androgen, is thought to play a beneficial, protective role in the body. Other important elements to be related to pain, inflammation, and hormones are lipids, heterogenic molecules whose altered metabolism is often accompanied by the release of interleukins, and lipid-derived proinflammatory mediators. Here we report data on interactions often not considered in chronic pain mechanisms.

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Where does it hurt? Describing the body locations of chronic pain

European Journal of Pain ◽

10.1016/s1090-3801(98)90048-9 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 69-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

H.T.O. Davies ◽

I.K. Crombie ◽

W.A. Macrae

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

The Body

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It is aging and not antiretroviral therapy that is the strongest risk factor for chronic pain in HIV-positive population?

10.21203/rs.2.15543/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Marcin Kowalski ◽

Andrzej Horban ◽

Witold Rongies ◽

Bartosz Slomka ◽

Karen Shahnazaryan

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Pain Treatment ◽

Brief Pain Inventory ◽

General Information ◽

The Body ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Study Group ◽

Positive Population

Abstract Background Chronic pain in HIV-positive patients is a serious health problem that limits patients’ normal functioning both somatically and psychologically. The current state of knowledge on the topic is insufficient, with the underlying causes of this pain unexplained.Methods During their routine visit patients were asked to fill in a general information form and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption (AUDIT-C) form. All patients reporting any pain were additionally asked to fill in the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) form and were subject to a brief examination performed by a physician who afterwards completed a Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions form (DN4). Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with chronic pain occurrence.Results A total of 196 HIV-positive subjects, 96 (48.9% of the study group) of subjects reporting pain within the week prior to enrollment. The reported pain was mostly (75%) limited to a single area of the body (most commonly to the lower limbs). Pain duration was reported to be >6 months previous to study enrollment by 57 subjects (59.4% of those reporting pain). Most subjects were undergoing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).Conclusions The prevalence of chronic pain in the studied population of HIV-positive Polish patients was high in comparison with other HIV-positive and HIV-negative patient populations. The most prominent risk factor for chronic pain in the study group was age, which poses an important clinical and epidemiological problem due to the aging of the HIV-positive population. It is imperative to develop cooperation protocols for specialist HIV treatment clinics, pain treatment clinics, and rehabilitation units.

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