Chronic daily headache (CDH) is a challenging condition to treat. CDH is often accompanied by significant comorbidities, such as chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, which further complicate treatment. Unrealistic…
Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs are infrequently used in the United States in the treatment of chronic pain. Comprehensively addressing the contributors to chronic pain, which include behavioral, psychological, and physical…
Research is providing compelling evidence for Hippocrates’ oft quoted “Let food be thy medicine.” Despite this, most graduating physicians receive only a few hours of instruction about nutrition and coaching…
Chronic pain patients often have psychiatric disorders that negatively influence their responses to treatment. Also, many of them have dysfunctional beliefs and coping strategies, even if they do not meet…
The benefit of exercise for pain control likely comes from the impact of exercise on the endogenous opioid system and on central pain modulatory systems. Patients with some chronic pain…
Although interventional procedures should be used cautiously in the setting of chronic pain, there is a role for a variety of injections to facilitate a patient’s overall rehabilitation program. There…
Opioids remain the strongest and most effective analgesics available. The downside is that they are addictive and potentially dangerous. Throughout history, although recognizing the value of opioids in treating serious…
Key points • Although physiatrists are ideally suited to assess chronic pain, they need to perform a careful history and physical examination for accurate assessment. • Specific attention should be…
Clinical research has consistently detected alteration in central pain processing leading to hypersensitivity. Most methods used in humans are reliable and have face validity to detect widespread central hypersensitivity. However,…
James P. Robinson, MD, PhD, Editor Virtaj Singh, MD, Editor This issue of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America deals with strategies for evaluating and treating chronic…
