Emotional Pain

BACKGROUND: To analyze the pre- and postoperative anxiety level in patients undergoing ambulatory oral surgery (AOS) in a primary healthcare center (PHC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective and descriptive clinical study on 45 patients who underwent AOS procedures in the dental clinic of a public PHC of Spain between April and September 2015. Anxiety analysis was carried out with pre- and postoperative anxiety-state (STAI-S), anxiety-trait (STAI-T) and dental anxiety (MDAS) questionnaires...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To determine differences in psychological distress, symptoms, coping capacity, and coping abilities among African American (AA) women with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC and to explore differences in relationships among these variables.
. DESIGN: A prospective, descriptive, comparative, and correlational design.
. SETTING: Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.
. SAMPLE: 30 AA women with breast cancer...

Successful implementation of treatment in cancer care partially depends on how patients' perspectives are taken into account, as preferences of health care professionals and patients may differ. Objectives of this exploratory research were (I) to identify patient preferences and values (PPVs) in cancer care as indicated by patient organizations (POs), (II) to determine how these PPVs are captured in cancer care guidelines and (III) to review how guidelines take into account these PPVs. Based on a survey developed and completed by 19 POs, a literature review was conducted to analyse how patient perspectives are incorporated in oncology treatment guidelines...

Objective: The current study examined the application of a screening tool to identify biopsychosocial risk factors and derive prognostic risk groups in children and adolescents with headache pain. Methods: Youth (n = 242, 8-17 years, 75.6% female) presenting for evaluation at a tertiary pediatric headache clinic completed the nine-item Pediatric Pain Screening Tool (PPST) as well as measures of functional disability, pain catastrophizing, fear of pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms...

Keloid scars are common and have a predilection for young, ethnic skin often with a family history. Keloids can be painful and pruritic and cause significant emotional distress when particularly visible or prominent. In this article, we review the evidence underlying the use of laser- and energy-based devices for treatment of keloid scars, either as monotherapy or in conjunction with other therapies such as corticosteroids, surgery and silicone gel in the treatment of keloid scars.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) impacts millions of individuals worldwide and more than 100,000 people in the United States. Leg ulcers are the most common cutaneous manifestation of SCD. The health status of individuals living with chronic leg ulcers is not only influenced by clinical manifestations such as pain duration and intensity, but also by psychosocial factors. Garnering insights into the psychosocial impact can provide a more holistic view of their influence on quality of life...

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether sleep disturbance differs by headache diagnosis in a pediatric sample, and whether this effect remains when other factors affecting sleep are included. BACKGROUND: Primary headache disorders can be severe and disabling, impacting a child's functioning and quality of life. Many children and adolescents with chronic headaches also experience sleep difficulties, and there is likely a bidirectional relationship between headaches and sleep difficulties...

In the past, rehabilitation research initiatives for low back pain (LBP) have targeted outcome enhancement through personalized treatment approaches, namely through classification systems (CS). Although the use of CS has enhanced outcomes, common management practices have not changed, the prevalence of LBP is still high, and only selected patients meet the CS profile, namely those with a nociceptive context. Similarly, although practice guidelines propose some level of organization and occasionally a timeline of care provision, each mainly provides best practice for isolated treatment approaches...

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a form of stress-induced cardiomyopathy featured by the dilatation of the apex of the left ventricle during systole. Whereas the pathogenesis of this disorder is not well understood, it usually occurs after an emotional or physical stress such as acute asthma, surgery, chemotherapy, and stroke. However, its occurrence in ileus patients is rarely reported. We hereby report probably the first case of TCM after ileus in the literature and discuss its implications...

OBJECTIVE:  To evaluate the impact of the Integrated Pain Team (IPT)-an interdisciplinary chronic pain care intervention embedded in primary care at a large Veterans Affairs health care system. Outcomes evaluated included IPT's impact on the perceived effectiveness of chronic pain care; provider self-confidence; and primary care team satisfaction, stress, and burnout. METHOD:  This mixed-methods quality-improvement study employed: 1) qualitative semistructured interviews of 61 primary care providers, other primary care team members, and organizational stakeholders; and 2) a supplementary quantitative survey of 65 providers, comparing those who had referred patients to IPT with those who had not...

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) was first described in 1991 as a rare, spontaneous and completely reversible left ventricular regional systolic dysfunction. Today the incidence of TTS is estimated at 2% in patients with an initial diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Notably, the incidence can be as high as 5.9 to 7.5% in female patients. TTS occurs predominantly in postmenopausal women, but both sexes may be affected, at any age. Acute chest pain or dyspnoea is a characteristic symptom of TTS, but initial presentation can also include more severe disease manifestation such as acute heart failure with pulmonary oedema or haemodynamic instability, especially in an in-hospital setting...

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence, duration and cost of futile treatment for end-of-life hospital admissions. DESIGN: Retrospective multicentre cohort study involving a clinical audit of hospital admissions. SETTING: Three Australian public-sector tertiary hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients who died while admitted to one of the study hospitals over a 6-month period in 2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidences of futile treatment among end-of-life admissions; length of stay in both ward and intensive care settings for the duration that patients received futile treatments; health system costs associated with futile treatments; monetary valuation of bed days associated with futile treatment...

Objective: The fear avoidance model has served as a popular, heuristic model in explaining the transition from acute to chronic pain. In addition, the significance of pain-related acceptance in chronic pain development and adjustment is underlined in a vast number of empirical studies. The objective of the current preliminary study was to investigate pain-related acceptance as a mediator within the key cognitive relationships proposed by the fear avoidance model of chronic pain. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional design, bodily pain, pain catastrophizing, fear avoidance beliefs, and pain-related acceptance were assessed by questionnaires in 125 chronic pain patients in a Danish multidisciplinary pain center...

OBJECTIVE: The present study constructed a preliminary process model of corrective emotional experience (CEE) in an integrative affect-focused therapy. METHOD: Task analysis was used to analyse 6 in-session events taken from 6 Japanese clients who worked with an integrative affect-focused therapist. The 6 events included 3 successful CEEs and 3 partially successful CEEs for comparison. RESULTS: A rational-empirical model of CEE was generated, which consisted of two parallel client change processes, intrapersonal change and interpersonal change, and the therapist interventions corresponding to each process...

INTRODUCTION: Nocebo-induced algesic responses occurring within clinical contexts present a challenge for health care practitioners working in the field of pain medicine. OBJECTIVES: Following the recent research on algesic nocebo effects, the scope of this review is to develop ethically acceptable strategies to help avoid, or at least reduce, nocebo responses within clinical settings. METHODS: We reviewed relevant clinical studies that depict how patient-practitioner interactions may contribute to the reduction of nocebo responses...

Chronic pain is highly prevalent in older adults, contributes to activity restriction and social isolation, disrupts family and interpersonal relationships, and poses a significant economic burden to society. Negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, helplessness, and hopelessness are associated with chronic pain and contribute to poor quality of life, impaired interpersonal and social functioning, and increased disability. Psychosocial interventions for older adults with chronic pain have been historically developed for, and are almost exclusively delivered to, cognitively intact patients...

CONTEXT: Use of language with negative emotional content is likely to increase patient's pain and anxiety. AIMS: We designed a single-blinded randomized study to compare pain scores with comfort scores and to determine whether the technique of pain assessment affects patient's perceptions and experience. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After cesarean section, 180 women were randomized before postanaesthesia interview into two groups. Group P women were asked to rate their pain on a 0-10-point verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) for pain while Group C women were asked to rate their comfort on a 0-10-point VNRS for comfort...

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (ahNG) occurs in the human brain. Adult generated neurons have been proposed to functionally contribute to relevant hippocampal functions such as learning and memory, mood regulation, and stress response. Learning, environmental enrichment, and physical exercise exert positive effects on ahNG. In parallel, these proneurogenic stimuli have been shown to ameliorate cognitive performance and/or depressive-like behavior in animal models. Conversely, aging, social isolation, and chronic stress exert negative effects on ahNG...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with a pain score ≥7 (high pain group) after a mandibular block injection had a higher physiologic response compared with patients with scores <7 (low pain group). STUDY DESIGN: Before oral surgery, patients (n = 66) filled out questionnaires to measure anxiety and expected pain. The questionnaires also assessed patients' experiences with dental injections and dental anxiety, as well as their emotional state and intensity of anxiety...

PURPOSE: Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of art therapy for cancer patients. Our aim was to determine the effects of outpatient art therapy on the quality of life (QoL) of highly vs. less distressed cancer patients. METHODS: Participants completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 to measure QoL and the HADS to measure distress level before the intervention (t1), after completing the intervention (t2), and 6-months after t2 (t3). We performed analyses of covariance with repeated measures to test for group differences (highly vs...