{"title":"Editorial: Acupuncture to treat pain in specific body regions","authors":"C. M. Giovanardi, Alessandra Poini, Gianni Allais","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1421548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1421548","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":" 32","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141371710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sanoussy Diallo, Serge Marchand, A. Dumais, Stéphane Potvin
{"title":"The impact of an immersive digital therapeutic tool on experimental pain: a pilot randomized within-subject experiment with an active control condition","authors":"Sanoussy Diallo, Serge Marchand, A. Dumais, Stéphane Potvin","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1366892","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1366892","url":null,"abstract":"Pain is a complex and multifaced sensory and emotional experience. Virtual reality (VR) has shown promise in reducing experimental pain and chronic pain. This study examines an immersive VR environment initially designed for endometriosis patients, which demonstrated short-term analgesic effects. The research aims to determine the impact of the VR environment on experimental pain intensity and unpleasantness both during and after VR exposure (3D with binaural beats), while using an active control condition (2D with no binaural beats). Additionally, a secondary objective of the study was to identify the psychological and psychophysical factors that predict the analgesic effects of the immersive digital therapeutic tool.The study involved twenty-one healthy individuals and used a within-subject design, comparing a VR treatment with an active control condition. Continuous heat stimulation was applied to the left forearm with a Peltier thermode. Pain ratings were collected for immediate and short-term effects.In both the VR and Control conditions, there were no significant differences in pain intensity before, during, and after exposure. However, during VR exposure, there was a significant decrease in pain unpleasantness as compared to before exposure (p < 0.001), with a 27.2% pain reduction. In the Control condition, there were no significant differences in pain unpleasantness during and after exposure. Furthermore, no psychological and psychophysical factors predicted the analgesic effects.The study investigated how a VR environment affected experimentally induced pain in healthy volunteers. It showed that VR reduced pain unpleasantness during exposure but had no lasting impact. The VR environment mainly influenced the emotional aspect of pain, possibly due to its inclusion of binaural beats and natural stimuli. The study suggests that the VR environment should be tested in chronic pain population with high distress levels.\u0000Registration number (clinicaltrials.gov)NCT06130267.","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"17 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141378990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mechanisms of complex regional pain syndrome","authors":"Jagan Devarajan, Shayla Mena, Jianguo Cheng","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1385889","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1385889","url":null,"abstract":"Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by a diverse array of symptoms, including pain that is disproportionate to the initial triggering event, accompanied by autonomic, sensory, motor, and sudomotor disturbances. The primary pathology of both types of CRPS (Type I, also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy, RSD; Type II, also known as causalgia) is featured by allodynia, edema, changes in skin color and temperature, and dystrophy, predominantly affecting extremities. Recent studies started to unravel the complex pathogenic mechanisms of CRPS, particularly from an autoimmune and neuroimmune interaction perspective. CRPS is now recognized as a systemic disease that stems from a complex interplay of inflammatory, immunologic, neurogenic, genetic, and psychologic factors. The relative contributions of these factors may vary among patients and even within a single patient over time. Key mechanisms underlying clinical manifestations include peripheral and central sensitization, sympathetic dysregulation, and alterations in somatosensory processing. Enhanced understanding of the mechanisms of CRPS is crucial for the development of effective therapeutic interventions. While our mechanistic understanding of CRPS remains incomplete, this article updates recent research advancements and sheds light on the etiology, pathogenesis, and molecular underpinnings of CRPS.","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"19 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140963394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuri Adachi, Masako Hosoi, Tomoe Nishihara, Naoki Hirabayashi, Takako Sawa, Tomoko Matsushita, K. Tatsushima, Kozo Anno, Mitsunao Tomioka, Nobuyuki Sudo
{"title":"Case Report: Nonverbal approaches in the treatment of a patient with fibromyalgia with anger rooted in adverse childhood experiences","authors":"Yuri Adachi, Masako Hosoi, Tomoe Nishihara, Naoki Hirabayashi, Takako Sawa, Tomoko Matsushita, K. Tatsushima, Kozo Anno, Mitsunao Tomioka, Nobuyuki Sudo","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1374324","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1374324","url":null,"abstract":"In psychotherapy, it is important to establish and deepen a therapeutic trusting relationship, but patients who have experienced extreme adversity in childhood tend to have difficulty in building such a relationship. This paper reports a case of fibromyalgia with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in which a nonverbal approach was successful in building a trusting relationship.The patient is a woman in her late 40s. She had strong anger rooted in ACEs, including neglect by her father, a feeling of unfair parenting by her mother compared to her younger brother, overcontrol of her life by her mother, and sexual abuse by her uncle. She was filled with strong interpersonal distrust and anger, and the experience of an unsuccessful surgery compounded her distrust of medical care. The therapist initially had severe difficulty in verbal interaction with the patient. When conducting “drawing” therapy, she ignored the therapist's comments and completely blacked out the drawing paper. However, the patient-therapist relationship gradually changed, and verbal interaction became possible through the use of nonverbal approaches such as framing her drawing paper and “Towel Baby Holding.”The therapist was able to understand the patient's emotions through these nonverbal approaches and to communicate with the patient that she understood her feelings. This approach was also successful in the patient’s understanding of her own pathology. The patient became able to honestly express her feelings in words, which eventually enabled her to be introduced to mindfulness therapy, leading to a favorable treatment course.For patients with ACEs, a nonverbal approach helps build a therapeutic relationship and plays an important role in understanding the patient.","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"13 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140969066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Terminology matters: is the International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain fully satisfactory for fetuses, neonates, and infants?","authors":"M. E. Canepa, L. Raffini, L. A. Ramenghi","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1369945","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1369945","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"30 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140967242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Kersebaum, M. Sendel, J. Lassen, S. Fabig, J. Forstenpointner, M. Reimer, Sima Canaan-Kühl, Jens Gaedeke, S. Rehm, J. Gierthmühlen, Ralf Baron, P. Hüllemann
{"title":"Cold-evoked potentials in Fabry disease and polyneuropathy","authors":"D. Kersebaum, M. Sendel, J. Lassen, S. Fabig, J. Forstenpointner, M. Reimer, Sima Canaan-Kühl, Jens Gaedeke, S. Rehm, J. Gierthmühlen, Ralf Baron, P. Hüllemann","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1352711","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1352711","url":null,"abstract":"Fabry disease (FD) causes cold-evoked pain and impaired cold perception through small fiber damage, which also occurs in polyneuropathies (PNP) of other origins. The integrity of thinly myelinated fibers and the spinothalamic tract is assessable by cold-evoked potentials (CEPs). In this study, we aimed to assess the clinical value of CEP by investigating its associations with pain, autonomic measures, sensory loss, and neuropathic signs.CEPs were examined at the hand and foot dorsum of patients with FD (n = 16) and PNP (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 23). Sensory phenotyping was performed using quantitative sensory testing (QST). The painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ), FabryScan, and measures for the autonomic nervous system were applied. Group comparisons and correlation analyses were performed.CEPs of 87.5% of the FD and 85.7% of the PNP patients were eligible for statistical analysis. In all patients combined, CEP data correlated significantly with cold detection loss, PDQ items, pain, and autonomic measures. Abnormal CEP latency in FD patients was associated with an abnormal heart frequency variability item (r = −0.684; adjusted p = 0.04). In PNP patients, CEP latency correlated significantly with PDQ items, and CEP amplitude correlated with autonomic measures (r = 0.688, adjusted p = 0.008; r = 0.619, adjusted p = 0.024). Furthermore, mechanical pain thresholds differed significantly between FD (gain range) and PNP patients (loss range) (p = 0.01).Abnormal CEPs were associated with current pain, neuropathic signs and symptoms, and an abnormal function of the autonomic nervous system. The latter has not been mirrored by QST parameters. Therefore, CEPs appear to deliver a wider spectrum of information on the sensory nervous system than QST alone.","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"120 31","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140977363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Non-invasive and minimally invasive vagus nerve stimulation for chronic pain","authors":"Anna Woodbury, Peter Staats","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1402918","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1402918","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"10 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140971884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. Dhiman, Deepika Joshi, Royana Singh, Vyom Gyanpuri, Anand Kumar
{"title":"Post-COVID-19 headache- NDPH phenotype: a systematic review of case reports","authors":"N. Dhiman, Deepika Joshi, Royana Singh, Vyom Gyanpuri, Anand Kumar","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1376506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1376506","url":null,"abstract":"Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome or “long COVID” affects patients even after the recovery from Covid infection in various ways. Persistent headache or New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH) is one of such symptoms. In this review, we will discuss about the case-reports of post covid-19 headache- NDPH phenotype both after and in the course of COVID-19 infection.Case reports/studies talked about patients having NDPH around the disease either immediately or late post COVID were included. Data was taken from the source and synthesised on a qualitative basis.Literature search showed 3,538 articles, out of which 12 were screened as per the eligibility criteria and finally, 4 case reports on NDPH and Covid-19 were chosen for analysis from the database and by human search. All case reports justify the criteria for acceptability in quality for this systematic review.NDPH in and around Covid 19 infection is something that is currently an ingenious debated topic in the scientific community. More case studies should be written and published on the same subject so that a large systematic review could be conducted.The review is registered in Prospero with no. Identifier (CRD42022354912).https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/, PROSPERO (CRD42022354912).","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":"21 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140980529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reappraising the psychosomatic approach in the study of “chronic orofacial pain”: looking for the essential nature of these intractable conditions","authors":"Akira Toyofuku, H. Matsuoka, Yoshihiro Abiko","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1349847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1349847","url":null,"abstract":"As burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and atypical odontalgia (AO) continue to remain complex in terms of pathophysiology and lack explicit treatment protocol, clinicians are left searching for appropriate solutions. Oversimplification solves nothing about what bothers us in clinical situations with BMS or AO. It is important to treat a complicated phenomenon as complex. We should keep careful observations and fact-finding based on a pragmatic approach toward drug selection and prescription with regular follow-up. We also need to assess the long-term prognosis of treatment with a meticulous selection of sample size and characteristics. Further investigation of BMS and AO from a psychosomatic perspective has the potential to provide new insight into the interface between brain function and “chronic orofacial pain.”","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":" 28","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140991152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Trigeminal somatosensation in the temporomandibular joint and associated disorders","authors":"Sienna K. Perry, J.J. Emrick","doi":"10.3389/fpain.2024.1374929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2024.1374929","url":null,"abstract":"The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) consists of bone, cartilage, ligaments, and associated masticatory muscles and tendons that coordinate to enable mastication in mammals. The TMJ is innervated by the trigeminal nerve (CNV), containing axons of motor and somatosensory neurons. Somatosensation includes touch, temperature, proprioception, and pain that enables mammals to recognize and react to stimuli for survival. The somatosensory innervation of the TMJ remains poorly defined. Disorders of the TMJ (TMD) are of diverse etiology and presentation. Some known symptoms associated with TMD include facial, shoulder, or neck pain, jaw popping or clicking, headaches, toothaches, and tinnitus. Acute or chronic pain in TMD stems from the activation of somatosensory nociceptors. Treatment of TMD may involve over- the-counter and prescription medication, nonsurgical treatments, and surgical treatments. In many cases, treatment achieves only a temporary relief of symptoms including pain. We suggest that defining the sensory innervation of the temporomandibular joint and its associated tissues with a specific focus on the contribution of peripheral innervation to the development of chronic pain could provide insights into the origins of joint pain and facilitate the development of improved analgesics and treatments for TMD.","PeriodicalId":12641,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Pain Research","volume":" 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140996886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}