Pain managementPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-05-18DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2674768
Priscila Monteiro Veras, José da Mota Neto, Liliany Fontes Loures, Priscilla Ganimi Tavella Lacerda, Bruno Lionardo de Paula, Richard Eloin Liebano, Diogo Simões Fonseca, Maycon de Moura Reboredo
{"title":"Therapeutic ultrasound in elbow fractures rehabilitation: randomized clinical trial protocol.","authors":"Priscila Monteiro Veras, José da Mota Neto, Liliany Fontes Loures, Priscilla Ganimi Tavella Lacerda, Bruno Lionardo de Paula, Richard Eloin Liebano, Diogo Simões Fonseca, Maycon de Moura Reboredo","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2674768","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2674768","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>The https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/ identifier is RBR-4shpqhj.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"845-851"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13432901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-05-16DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2674771
Benjamin E Jevnikar, Ronak J Mahatme, Samuel K Gerak, William A Crites, Shawn Moore, William Campa, Marissa Koscielski, Brian Grawe
{"title":"Wearable-derived sleep architecture and chronic musculoskeletal pain: a national cohort study.","authors":"Benjamin E Jevnikar, Ronak J Mahatme, Samuel K Gerak, William A Crites, Shawn Moore, William Campa, Marissa Koscielski, Brian Grawe","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2674771","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2674771","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aims: </strong>Sleep disturbances are associated with chronic pain risk, but most large studies rely on self-reported sleep duration. We evaluated whether wearable-derived sleep architecture predicts incident musculoskeletal pain in a large United States national cohort.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We analyzed 26,852 adults in the NIH All of Us Research Program with wearable sleep data. Average nightly sleep duration and percentage of deep sleep, a wearable-derived proxy for slow-wave sleep (SWS), were estimated prior to a 12-month washout period before diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated associations with incident chronic hip, low back, neck, and shoulder pain. False discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied across site-specific models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During follow-up, 3,949 participants (14.7%) developed chronic pain. Higher deep sleep predicted lower odds of hip pain (OR 0.73; <i>p</i> = 0.020) and low back pain (OR 0.72; <i>p</i> = 0.023). Longer sleep duration predicted hip (OR 1.09; <i>p</i> = 0.041) and neck pain (OR 1.11; <i>p</i> = 0.025). After FDR correction, only the associations between higher deep sleep and hip and low back pain remained significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Lower deep sleep was associated with higher risk of hip and low back pain. Wearable-derived sleep architecture may represent a potential marker associated with musculoskeletal pain risk, although these findings require prospective validation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"897-907"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13573516/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147960211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-05-16DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2672496
Regina Hopson, Patricia Connor, James Bennett, Scott Sommerville
{"title":"PET imaging of extradigital glomus tumor: a case report and literature review.","authors":"Regina Hopson, Patricia Connor, James Bennett, Scott Sommerville","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2672496","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2672496","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extradigital glomus tumors are uncommon and challenging to diagnose. The patient had debilitating pain, and equivocal findings on examination and other soft tissue imaging modalities, without diagnosis or effective treatment, despite consulting a broad range of medical specialties. An incidental finding on fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) of a thigh lesion located at the site of 8 years of undiagnosed and treatment resistant pain led to a diagnosis of glomus tumor. The PET findings ultimately facilitated complete surgical excision and definitive cure. This case presents the utility of 18F-FDG PET as an imaging modality in patients with otherwise unexplained localized pain, to identify a lesion and lead to more timely diagnosis and treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"857-861"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13573537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147960227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-08-01Epub Date: 2026-05-16DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2675487
Muhammad Ibrahim, Mubariz Ahsan, Jaweria Imran, Malik Aqeel Ahmad, Muhammad Mohsin Khan
{"title":"Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for regional anesthesia in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Muhammad Ibrahim, Mubariz Ahsan, Jaweria Imran, Malik Aqeel Ahmad, Muhammad Mohsin Khan","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2675487","DOIUrl":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2675487","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is associated with significant postoperative pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness and safety of perineural dexmedetomidine (50 µg-1 µg/kg) combined with ropivacaine (0.375-0.5%) via ultrasound-guided nerve blocks (ESPB, TPVB, or RISSP) versus ropivacaine alone in VATS.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>PRISMA guidelines were followed; the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251086914). PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched to July 2025; data were pooled using RevMan 5.4.1.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eight RCTs (<i>n</i> = 468) were included. Dexmedetomidine significantly reduced pain at rest at 12 hours (SMD -0.52, 95% CI - 0.94 to -0.09), 24 hours (SMD -0.65, 95% CI - 0.98 to -0.32), and 48 hours (SMD -0.37, 95% CI - 0.68 to -0.05). Pain during coughing was reduced at 12 hours (SMD -0.73, 95% CI - 1.21 to -0.24) and 24 hours (SMD -0.57, 95% CI - 0.84 to -0.30). PCA pressing times (SMD -1.25, 95% CI - 1.79 to -0.71), hospital stay (MD - 1.12 days, 95% CI - 1.58 to -0.66), and ambulation time were significantly lower. PONV incidence was reduced (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.38-0.98). No significant differences were observed for dizziness, bradycardia, or hypotension.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Perineural dexmedetomidine enhances analgesia and recovery after VATS without increasing adverse events, supporting its integration into regional anesthesia protocols.<b>Protocol registration:</b> The www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero identifier is CRD420251086914.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"909-920"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13432904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147960250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-07-30DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2710342
Faria Nisar, Jessica Suratkal, Nicolas Mas D' Alessandro, Hesham Elsharkawy
{"title":"Peripheral nerve stimulation for refractory headache after whiplash injury: a case report.","authors":"Faria Nisar, Jessica Suratkal, Nicolas Mas D' Alessandro, Hesham Elsharkawy","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2710342","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17581869.2026.2710342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Whiplash injuries frequently cause headaches, which can become refractory to conservative treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We report a case of a patient with persistent post-whiplash headache treated with an 8-week course of ultrasound- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) targeting the greater occipital nerve.</p><p><strong>Outcomes measured: </strong>Patient outcomes were assessed using standardized pain scores and validated Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scales, including measures of neuropathic pain, sleep disturbance, and physical function along with global patient satisfaction at baseline and at three-month and one-year follow-ups after device removal.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The procedure reduced the patient's pain score from 10/10 to 1/10. At 3 months, the patient experienced significant improvements in sleep, physical function, and quality of life with 80-90% satisfaction. However, neuropathic pain scores worsened beyond baseline at 1 year, and physical function partially rebounded, suggesting strong short-term but uncertain long-term durability. Conclusion: Temporary PNS may offer short-term relief for refractory whiplash-associated headaches, though long-term durability requires further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148621060","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}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-07-29DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2709662
Raphael Vinicius Gonzaga Vieira, Catharina Barbosa Lima, Isadora Mar Fontes Levinthal, Adriana Rodrigues Libório Dos Santos, Marco Antonio Herculano, Paulo Henrique Pires de Aguiar
{"title":"Ventral tegmental area deep brain stimulation for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias: a comprehensive literature review.","authors":"Raphael Vinicius Gonzaga Vieira, Catharina Barbosa Lima, Isadora Mar Fontes Levinthal, Adriana Rodrigues Libório Dos Santos, Marco Antonio Herculano, Paulo Henrique Pires de Aguiar","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2709662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17581869.2026.2709662","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) - including chronic cluster headache (CCH), short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNHA, encompassing SUNCT and SUNA), and paroxysmal hemicrania - are rare but severely disabling primary headache disorders. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane (inception to December 2024) identified studies on deep brain stimulation (DBS) for TACs. A meaningful proportion of patients remain refractory to optimized pharmacotherapy, and neuromodulation has emerged as a promising avenue. The ventral tegmental area (VTA), a dopaminergic midbrain nucleus implicated in pain modulation and affective processing, has gained recognition as a DBS target. This review synthesizes the pathophysiological rationale for VTA-DBS, clinical efficacy outcomes, comparative insights against hypothalamic DBS, patient selection, laterality, long-term neuroplastic adaptations, implications for synucleinopathies, and future directions. Emerging evidence demonstrates that VTA-DBS significantly reduces headache frequency, severity, and duration in CCH and SUNHA, with approximately 60-67% of patients achieving a clinically meaningful response. Improvements in mood, anxiety, and quality of life are observed without cognitive impairment. Compared with hypothalamic DBS, VTA stimulation offers a broader therapeutic footprint and a more favorable safety profile. Most data derive from small observational studies; randomized controlled trials and multicentre registries are essential to consolidate VTA-DBS as a standardized treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148606398","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}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-07-27DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2707414
Charley Yan, Scott Pritzlaff, Naileshni Singh
{"title":"Private equity's second act in pain: consolidation, clinical practice, and the future of care.","authors":"Charley Yan, Scott Pritzlaff, Naileshni Singh","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2707414","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17581869.2026.2707414","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148593124","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}
Pain managementPub Date : 2026-07-26DOI: 10.1080/17581869.2026.2709663
Bradley Q Fox, Evan J Schrader, Devika A Shenoy, Ian P Halliday, Elizabeth Chan, Mason Dermott, Christina Colon-Sanchez, Abigail Heims, Stephanie Hendren, Brett Rocos, Anthony A Catanzano
{"title":"Sociodemographic reporting in randomized controlled trials for opioid management following lumbar fusion surgery.","authors":"Bradley Q Fox, Evan J Schrader, Devika A Shenoy, Ian P Halliday, Elizabeth Chan, Mason Dermott, Christina Colon-Sanchez, Abigail Heims, Stephanie Hendren, Brett Rocos, Anthony A Catanzano","doi":"10.1080/17581869.2026.2709663","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/17581869.2026.2709663","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Concerns over postoperative opioid use after open spinal fusion continue to rise. Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have sought to reduce postoperative opioid consumption; however, the influence of sociodemographic variables on this consumption remains underappreciated. This study evaluated the extent to which sociodemographic characteristics are reported in RCTs assessing postoperative opioid consumption following lumbar fusion surgery.</p><p><strong>Areas covered: </strong>A structured literature search (Medline via PubMed, 2015-2025) was conducted to identify English-language RCTs focused on postoperative opioid use after open lumbar fusion. Exposures of interest included demographics, insurance status, education level, and prior opioid use; the primary outcome was postoperative opioid consumption. Following full-text review of 321 articles, 63 RCTs met inclusion criteria for data extraction. Reported variables included sex (96.8%), age (93.7%), preoperative opioid history (19.0%), race (6.3%), psychiatric comorbidity (6.3%), employment (3.2%), and insurance status, ethnicity, and education (1.6% each). Reporting of preoperative opioid history was associated with North American or European trial settings (adjusted <i>p</i> = 0.017).</p><p><strong>Expert opinion: </strong>Sociodemographic underreporting limits interpretability of postoperative opioid outcomes in lumbar fusion RCTs. Greater inclusion of patient-level variables is needed to advance interpretability of postoperative opioid consumption in lumbar fusion RCTs.</p>","PeriodicalId":20000,"journal":{"name":"Pain management","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148593057","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}