• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.270-273
• /
• 2016

Muscular hypertrophy is caused mainly due to myopathic disorder. But, it is also rarely produced by neurogenic disorder. A 74-year-old woman complained of right calf pain with hypertrophy for several years. Recent lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed central and lateral canal narrowing at the L4-L5 intervertebral space. Lower extremity MRI revealed fatty change of right medial head of the gastrocnemius and soleus, causing right calf hypertrophy. Electrodiagnostic examinations including electromyography and nerve conduction velocity testing demonstrated $5^{th}$ lumbar and $1^{st}$ sacral polyradiculopathy. Integrating all the results, the diagnosis was neurogenic muscle hypertrophy. Neurogenic muscle hypertrophy is very rare, but we recommend that clinicians consider this problem when a patient complains of lower limb hypertrophy and pain.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2023

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) receptors are major polymodal nociceptors that generate primary pain responses in the peripheral nerve endings of the dorsal root ganglion neurons. Recently, we reported that the activation of TRPA1 receptors by reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling, which is triggered by Ca²⁺ influx through T-type Ca²⁺ channels, contributes to prolonged pain responses induced by jellyfish toxin. In this review, we focus on the characteristics of the TRPA1 receptor involved in intracellular signaling as a secondary pain modulator. Unlike other transient receptor potential receptors, TRPA1 receptors can induce membrane depolarization by ROS without exogenous stimuli in peripheral and central sensory neurons. Therefore, it is important to identify the functional characteristics of TRPA1 receptors to understand pain modulation under several pathogenic conditions such as neuropathic pain syndromes and autoimmune diseases, which are mediated by oxidative signaling to cause chronic pain in the sensory system.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.200-205
• /
• 2022

Pain from nervous or musculoskeletal disorders is one of the most common complaints in clinical practice. Corticosteroids have a high pain-reducing effect, and their injection is generally used to control various types of pain. However, they have various adverse effects including flushing, hyperglycemia, allergic reactions, menstrual changes, immunosuppression, and adrenal suppression. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is known to have a pain-reducing effect similar to that of corticosteroid injection, with nearly no major side effects. Therefore, it has been widely used to treat various types of pain, such as neuropathic, joint, discogenic, and muscle pain. In the current review, we outlined the pain-reducing mechanisms of PRF by reviewing previous studies. When PRF was first introduced, it was supposed to reduce pain by long-term depression of pain signaling from the peripheral nerve to the central nervous system. In addition, deactivation of microglia at the level of the spinal dorsal horn, reduction of proinflammatory cytokines, increased endogenous opioid precursor messenger ribonucleic acid, enhancement of noradrenergic and serotonergic descending pain inhibitory pathways, suppression of excitation of C-afferent fibers, and microscopic damage of nociceptive C- and A-delta fibers have been found to contribute to pain reduction after PRF application. However, the pain-reducing mechanism of PRF has not been clearly and definitely elucidated. Further studies are warranted to clarify the pain-reducing mechanism of PRF.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
• /
• 2005.04a
• /
• pp.89-92
• /
• 2005

The effects of acupuncture are complex and how it works is not entirely clear. Research suggests that the needling process, and other modalities used in acupuncture, may produce their complex effects on a wide variety of ways in the brain and the body. For example, it is theorized that stimulated nerve fibers transmit signals to the spinal cord and brain, thus activating parts of what is called the central nervous system. The spinal cord and brain then release certain hormones responsible for making us feel better overall and, more specifically, feel less pain. In fact, a study using images of the brain confirmed that acupuncture increases our pain threshold, which may explain its ability to produce long-term pain relief. Also, acupuncture may increase blood circulation and body temperature. It may also affect white blood cell activity (responsible for our immune function).

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.688-698
• /
• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the overall effects and the clinical effect of Korean medicine treatment on chronic atypical chest pain. Case Report: A 56-year-old male patient suffering from chronic atypical chest pain was treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture. We used the Baseline Dyspnea Index (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a verbal numerical rating score (VNRS) to assess the patient's symptoms. The administration of the new herbal medicine and local acupuncture point stimulation improved the chest pain and dyspnea symptoms. No side effects were observed during the treatment. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that Korean medicine treatments, such as herbal medicine and local acupuncture point stimulation, may be effective as treatments for atypical chest pain and secondary symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.357-365
• /
• 2020

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of vibration as a counter-stimulatory measure in reducing subjective pain due to local anesthesia administration in children. Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, Ovid SP, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched until April 2020. Studies were screened by titles and abstracts, followed by full text evaluation of the included studies. Results: A total of seven studies involving 376 children aged 5-17 years were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis compared vibration as a counter-stimulatory measure with no vibration as a comparator. The primary outcome evaluated was pain perception or subjective pain reported by the child. The secondary outcome evaluated was objective pain evaluated in each study. The pooled mean difference favored vibration to be effective for the first outcome. Conclusion: Within the limits of this systematic review, low quality evidence suggests that vibration as a counter-stimulatory measure is effective in reducing the subjective pain reported by children during local anesthesia administration.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.2314-2322
• /
• 2021

Background: Back pain is associated with a high risk of recurrence. Various physical therapy techniques for back pain have been studied, including reprogramming the central nervous system by integrating sensation and motion with sensory exercise training. Objectives: To aimed verify the effectiveness of sensorimotor training in improving postural stability and pain levels. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: The study population was randomized into a sensory exercise training group and trunk stabilization training group and treated three times a week for 4 weeks. Each group took part in sensorimotor training for 15 minutes or lumbar stabilization exercise for 15 minutes. Results: After the intervention both groups showed Improvements in the variables. There was a significant difference in the dynamic postural stability, limit of stability, and modified visual analog scale scores in the sensorimotor training group compared to the lumbar stabilization exercise group (P<.05). Conclusion: Sensorimotor training appears to be an effective physical therapy exercise program that can be applied in patients with low back pain to improve muscle control ability.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.352-359
• /
• 2010

Purpose: To explore premature infants' pain response to routine procedures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: The participants were 56 preterm infants who showed 149 pain responses to 8 high frequency routine procedures which were evaluated using the Premature Infant Pain Scale (PIPS). Videotaped recording was used for data collection. Data were analyzed with descriptive analysis, paired t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: PIPS scores for each procedure were as follows; for removal of central catheter dressing, 6.17 (2.04), venous sampling, 6.12 (2.87), intramuscular injection, 6.05 (2.38), insertion of a peripheral line, 5.38 (2.16), insertion of feeding tube, 4.40 (1.34), heel stick, 4.33 (1.23), insertion of central line, 4.00 (2.12), and endotracheal suctioning, 2.90 (1.25). PIPS score was negatively correlated with gestational age (r=-.218, p=.007) and birth weight (r=-.249, p=.002) among general characteristics of the infants. Conclusion: The majority of 8 routine procedures were found to be painful for premature infants in the NICU. Therefore, adequate pain management related to procedures should be provided to premature infant in the NICU.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.54-58
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between tongue pain and tenderness of tongue by digital palpation (DP) in Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) patients. Methods: One hundred thirty-four consecutive patients (60 BMS with tongue pain and 74 non-BMS) who attended the Department of Oral Medicine (Chosun University Dental Hospital, Gwangju, Korea) from January 2018 to December 2018 were included in this study. The examined sites were anterior, lateral (right and left) and central part of the tongue. The pain sites were reported by the patients and the tender points on DP test were recorded by the clinicians. DP test was performed by well-trained clinicians with palpation of the tongue with 0.5 kg pressure using the thumb and index finger. Obtained results for BMS and non-BMS group were compared using t-test (p<0.05). Results: 1. The BMS group had higher tender score on DP test of the tongue and there was a significant difference between the BMS and non-BMS groups. 2. The accuracy of the pain site and the tender point was shown to be 0.68 total (anterior 0.68; right lateral 0.69; left lateral 0.70; central 0.61). Conclusions: This study suggests that the tenderness to DP of the tongue could be related to the painsites in the BMS patients. Further study is needed to confirm the usefulness of DP test of the tongue to examine the BMS patients.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 1982

For the purpose of estimation of age based on changes in the human root dentin transparency, 173 extracted teeth in each part of upper & lower Lt. & Rt. central, lateral incisors to Lt. & Rt. 2nd premolars were evaluated and analized in terms of root dentin transparency. The results are as follows : 1. It was reconfirmed that there exisits coparatively close correlatonship between age and the root dentin transparency. 2. It was proved that the correlation between the changes in the length and the area of the root dentin transparecy in accordance with the ages of each tooth was highest at the upper central incisor, and next at the low central incisor and the upper second premoloar respectively. 3. In the analysis of the age of the transparency, the error was less in the measurement of the area than in the measurement of the length in regard to the estimation of age. 4. The results from the test of the upper central incisor were boiled down to the following linear equation about the correlation among the area and the length of the transparency, and the age: Y=6.94X+14.7(r=0.59) (Y:estimated age, X:length mm) Y=138.47X+12.31(r=0.72) (Y:estimeted age, $X:area\textrm{cm}^2$)