• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.280-282
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• 2024

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.104-115
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• 2017

Background: C-arm fluoroscopy equipment is important for interventional pain management and can cause radiation injury to physicians and patients. We compared radiation safety education and efforts to reduce the radiation exposure of pain specialists. Methods: A survey of 49 pain specialists was conducted anonymously in 2016. The questionnaire had 16 questions. That questionnaire was about radiation safety knowledge and efforts to reduce exposure. We investigated the correlation between radiation safety education and efforts of radiation protection. We compared the results from 2016 and a published survey from 2011. Results: According to the 2016 survey, all respondents used C-arm fluoroscopy in pain interventions. Nineteen respondents (39%) had received radiation safety education. Physicians had insufficient knowledge about radiation safety. When the radiation safety education group and the non-education group are compared, there was no significant difference in efforts to reduce radiation exposure and radiation safety knowledge. When the 2011 and 2016 surveys were compared, the use of low dose mode (P = 0.000) and pulsed mode had increased significantly (P = 0.001). The number checking for damage to radiation protective garments (P = 0.000) and use of the dosimeter had also increased significantly (P = 0.009). But there was no significant difference in other efforts to reduce radiation exposure. Conclusions: Pain physicians seem to lack knowledge of radiation safety and the number of physicians receiving radiation safety education is low. According to this study, education does not lead to practice. Therefore, pain physicians should receive regular radiation safety education and the education should be mandatory.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

Low back pain is a common clinical condition with heterogeneous causes and challenges to manage. High prevalence and numerous assessments result in an enormous socioeconomic burden. Clinician must conduct efficient and stepwise evaluation process to rule out serious spinal pathology, neurologic involvement, and identify risk factors for chronicity. The process can be achieved through the focused history taking and physical examination. Certain factors related to serious spinal pathology include age (>50 years), trauma, unexplained fever, recent urinary or skin infection, unrelenting night or rest pain, unexplained weight loss, osteoporosis, immunosuppression, steroid use, and widespread neurological symptoms. In non-specific low back pain, diagnostic imaging and laboratory studies are often unnecessary and can disturb an appropriate management. For the management of acute low back pain, patient education and medication such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants are recommended. For chronic low back pain, behavior therapy, back exercise, and spinal manipulation are beneficial. The evidence based approach could improve success rate of management, result in prevention of acute low back pain from being chronic intractable pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.221-226
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• 1999

Background : Validity of WHO guideline of cancer pain management has been proven and many trials have been done to derive solutions for inadequate cancer pain management. We assessed the severity of pain of terminal cancer patients in a few different ways and patients' characteristics influencing inadequate pain management. Methods : This study was based on 100 adult oncological patients who were confirmed as terminal stage in our institution from 3/1998 to 11/1998. Medical records were reviewed and individual patients were interviewed to obtain demographic information and medical characteristics such as: daily activity performance, metastasis, and drug-adjusted pain severity. Adequacy of prescribed analgesics in accordance with WHO guidelines of pain management and patients' characteristics influencing adequacy of pain management were assessed. Results : Among those cancer patients diagnosed as terminal stage, 85% complained of pain, and 68% of those patients reported pain above moderate severity. 38% of those patients received inadequate pain management resulting in greater severity of pain; the less adequate pain relief was(p<0.01). Sex, age, primary cancer site metastasis, symptoms such as depression and anxiety, and daily activity performance were not significantly related. Conclusions : Despite WHO guidelines for pain management, majority of the terminal cancer patients received inadequate pain management. There is a necessity for education on proper pain evaluation and strict implimentation for WHO guidelines of pain management.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.287-295
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• 2017

Background: Recently, the use of ultrasound (US) techniques in regional anesthesia and pain medicine has increased significantly. However, the current extent of training in the use of US-guided pain management procedures in Korea remains unknown. The purpose of the present study was to assess the current state of US training provided during Korean Pain Society (KPS) pain fellowship programs through the comparative analysis between training hospitals. Methods: We conducted an anonymous survey of 51 pain physicians who had completed KPS fellowships in 2017. Items pertained to current US practices and education, as well as the types of techniques and amount of experience with US-guided pain management procedures. Responses were compared based on the tier of the training hospital. Results: Among the 51 respondents, 14 received training at first- and second-tier hospitals (Group A), while 37 received training at third-tier hospitals (Group B). The mean total duration of pain training during the 1-year fellowship was 7.4 months in Group A and 8.4 months in Group B. Our analysis revealed that 36% and 40% of respondents in Groups A and B received dedicated US training, respectively. Most respondents underwent US training in patient-care settings under the supervision of attending physicians. Cervical root, stellate ganglion, piriformis, and lumbar plexus blocks were more commonly performed by Group B than by Group A (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Instruction regarding US-guided pain management interventions varied among fellowship training hospitals, highlighting the need for the development of educational standards that mandate a minimum number of US-guided nerve blocks or injections during fellowships in interventional pain management.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between wrong postures and pain during scaling and encourage dental hygienists and students to exercise scaling in a good position. After obtaining informed consent, 107 students (3rd and 4th grade students) who had an experience with scaling practice were enrolled. The questionnaire included three general items, four items related to the posture during scaling, and nine items related to pain management (total 16 items), for which the five-point Likert scale was used. Through the questionnaire, we examined the preference of posture during scaling, posture education during scaling, pain in each part during scaling, pain management, and pain management method. In the scaling exercise, 86.3% of the subjects were instructed on the correct posture, and 87.9% of the subjects perceived the possibility of inducing musculoskeletal disorders based on the scaling posture. The percentage of subjects who responded that they performed scaling in the correct posture was 33.6% and that of subjects who answered that they bowed or turned their head by more than 15° was 64.4%. Further, 45.7% of the subjects answered that they bent their shoulders, and 29.9% of the subjects answered that their postures were not parallel to the floor. Pain during scaling was still higher when they bent their head, they bent their waist, and they bent their wrist (p<0.05). During scaling, pain was most frequent in the fingers and hands (15%), followed by the neck (14%), shoulders (11.2%), waist (9.3%), and feet and legs (2.8%). The percentage of subjects who performed regular exercise (or stretching) to prevent pain was 29.9% and that of subjects who managed pain after scaling was 12.1%. Further, exercise (24.6%) and self-massage (20.3%) were highly used as the pain management methods, and the school practice was preferred to education media for pain management (79.4%). In the scaling practice, there was a training on pain management, but the frequency of practicing in the wrong posture was high. Moreover, pain increased upon practicing in an incorrect posture. Therefore, more in-depth and systematic education on the necessity and method of musculoskeletal disease management during scaling is required.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2022

Background: To compare ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the genicular nerve with the genicular nerve block using local anesthetic and steroid for management of osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain. Methods: Thirty patients with OA knee were randomly allocated to receive either ultrasound-guided PRF of the genicular nerve (PRF group) or nerve block with bupivacaine and methylprednisolone acetate (local anesthetic steroid [LAS] group). Verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) and Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were measured at pre-procedure and 1-, 4-, and 12-weeks post-procedure. Results: VNRS scores decreased significantly (P < 0.001) in both the groups at 12 weeks and other follow up times compared to baseline. Seventy-three percent of patients in the PRF group and 66% in the LAS group achieved effective pain relief (≥ 50% pain reduction) at 12 weeks (P > 0.999). There was also a statistically significant (P < 0.001) improvement in WOMAC scores in both groups at all follow up times. However, there was no intergroup difference in VNRS (P = 0.893) and WOMAC scores (P = 0.983). No complications were reported. Conclusions: Both ultrasound-guided PRF of the genicular nerve and blocks of genicular nerve with local anesthetic and a steroid provided comparable pain relief without any complications. However, PRF of the genicular nerve is a procedure that takes much more time and equipment than the genicular nerve block.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.369-383
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to understand clinical nurses' knowledge and attitudes on pain management. The subject of the study were 254 nurses working at two hospitals affiliated with a university in Seoul. The questionnaires included four areas: general knowledge on pain, knowledge on the use of analgesia, knowledge and implementation on the pain assessment scales and pain interventions and nurses' general characteristics. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, LSD test and t-test using SPSS statistical package. The results were as follows. 1. The mean score of the general pain knowledge was 61.46 and that of knowledge on the use of analgesia was 52.19. 2. Most nurses(74%) answered with hesitation about injecting narcotic analgesia to patients. 3. The pain assessment scale which nurses knew (57.5%) and used(48.0%) extremely was a simple descriptive scale. 4. The pain intervention which nurses knew (94.5%) and implemented(92.1%) extremely was to inject analgesia. 5. The number of nurses who had learned about pain management was 49 of 254(19.3%). 6. Nurses' knowledge on the use of analgesia was of relevance to having learned pain management, but general pain knowledge was not so relevant. According to this research, I suggest the following. 1. It is necessary to develop an education program with actual practice and intervention which nurses can perform for themselves. 2. It is necessary to continuously educate about pain management in clinical wards.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2007

Purpose: To examine knowledge and attitudes of nurses on post-operative pain, and to find the factors that hinder pain management by the nurses. Method: Data was collected using a questionnaire from all the nurses working in the surgical units and intensive care units in a hospital in Seoul between March 12 and 22, 2007. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, $x^2$ test, and Pearson Coefficient Correlation. Result: The average knowledge score on pain was $9.33{\pm}1.55$, and that for analgesics was $6.89{\pm}2.00$. There was a significant difference in knowledge of analgesics in terms of career(p=0.012), present work place(p=0.024) and education(p=0.042). The knowledge on pain etiology was significantly different in career. Around 61.1% of respondents answered that they would administer analgesics immediately if patients complaint pain, and 94.1% re-administer analgesics if the VAS score is over 5.69.3% thought that their knowledge was adequate for pain management. The attitudes of pain management were significantly different in career. Conclusion: We found that a further improvement on nurses' knowledge on pain management and analgesics is necessary. This study also suggests a need for professional education for nurses on post-operative pain management.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.254-263
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• 2012

This study was performed to investigate a hospital nurses' knowledge and attitude about cancer pain management and to make use of base material for education. The research design was descriptive survey study, and the data were collected from 303 nurses who were working at a university hospital. A instrument study was the inventory consisting 107 questionnaires for cancer pain management. The data were analysed by SPSS WIN 18.0. The study showed that the percentage of correct answers for general knowledge about pain was 79.6%, for knowledge about cancer pain was 82.2%, for knowledge about analgesics use was 55.6%, for attitude about pain management was 65.2%, and the percentage of correct answers for each item was 70.7%. The knowledge about analgesics use was significant difference in age, education level, position, years of nursing practice, present place of working, years of present working place, pain education program experience, the attitude about pain management was significant difference in gender, education level and present place of working. Consequently it needs the persistent educational programs development and the clinical application to improve of nurses` knowledge and attitude about cancer pain management.