BACKGROUND: Beginning with the concepts of stress developed by Selye, an approach to stress and pain management, known as neuro-emotional technique (NET), has been developed. It is a treatment approach based on the principle that the stressor effects of dormant and/or current unresolved issues or trauma are what determine one's bodily responses. These responses are relatively personalized to the conditioned, experiential and emotional reality of the individual. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of NET on patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) over time. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study conducted in a single clinic, NET or control treatments were given twice weekly for 4 weeks in a population of 112 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures, including Oswestry Disability Index, Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale, the psychoneuroimmunology markers of blood serum levels of C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and IL-10, and 10 dimensions of the Short Form Health Survey scale, were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months following the intervention period. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, NET produced clinical and statistical significance (P < 0.001) via declines of virtually all physiological, pain and disability markers, accompanied by gains in quality-of-life indicators at 0 (baseline), 1, 3 and 6 months. Reductions of the percentages of patients whose 5 biomarkers lay outside the normative range were achieved at 1, 3 and 6 months by NET but not control interventions. CONCLUSION: A randomized, controlled trial of CLBP patients indicated that 8 NET interventions, compared to placebo, produced clinically and statistically significant reductions in pain, disability and inflammatory biomarkers, and improvements in quality-of-life measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (No. ACTRN12608000002381).
Australia ; Chronic Pain/therapy* ; Double-Blind Method ; Humans ; Low Back Pain/therapy* ; Pain Measurement ; Treatment Outcome

So far the etiology of chronic prostatitis (PC) and particularly chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) remains to be elucidated. According to recent epidemiologic data, CP is the most common urological disease in men below 50 years and occurs in 2.5%-16.0% of the world population. Since the 1990s, researchers of many countries have carried out deeper, more extensive and larger scaled studies than ever before on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, with the sponsorship and coordination of such international institutions as the International Prostatitis Collaborative Network (IPCN), the Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network of the National Institute of Health (NIH-CPCRN) and so on. As prevalent as multiple sclerosis, CPPS is the most common yet most poorly understood "prostatitis syndrome". This article reviews the progress in the studies of the treatment of CPPS, explores the main problems and ventures the prospects for the development in this field.
Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvic Pain ; therapy ; Prostatitis ; therapy ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the main factors affecting the positive results of acupuncture for chronic pain in English literature of randomized controlled trial (RCT), in order to provide reference for the design of acupuncture clinical research. METHODS: The RCTs of acupuncture for chronic pain published before March 26, 2020 were searched in PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library by computer. A total of 21 factors were analyzed by single-factor analysis, and the factors with statistically significant difference were selected for multivariate Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 69 RCTs were included, including 47 RCTs (68.12%) with positive results and 22 RCTs (31.88%) with non-positive results. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed with the three screened factors (publication year, treatment frequency and intervention form) selected by single-factor analysis, and the results showed that the positive results were related to the frequency of acupuncture treatment. The positive rate of RCT with frequency≥2 times a week was 3.24 times of that with frequency<2 times a week (OR=3.24, 95%CI =[1.07,9.83], P<0.05). CONCLUSION Acupuncture frequency may be the main factor affecting the positive results of RCT in English literature of acupuncture for chronic pain. More researches are needed in the future to explore the influence of acupuncture frequency on the curative effect.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Chronic Pain/therapy* ; Humans ; PubMed

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a common disease in males, which is characterized by persistent discomfort or pain in the pelvic region. As currently used drug therapies fail to produce satisfactory results, it is an urgent task to find new and effective methods for the treatment of CP/CPPS. In recent years, many reports are seen on the extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for CP/CPPS. ESWT can significantly improve the symptoms of pelvic pain and urination disorders in CPPS patients, and its therapeutic effect is attributed to the improvement of angiogenesis and block of pain nerves.
Chronic Pain ; therapy ; High-Energy Shock Waves ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Pelvic Pain ; therapy ; Prostatitis ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects on chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) between the combined treatment of the superficial needling technique and mild moxibustion and the traditional warm acupuncture. METHODS: A total of 60 patients were randomized into a combined treatment group and a warm acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one. In the combined treatment group, the superficial needling technique was used in combination with the mild moxibustion with moxa box at the muscle region of the bladder meridian on the back. In the warm acupuncture group, the traditional warm acupuncture was adopted on the lumbar region and the upper back. Each treatment lasted 30 min, 3 times a week. The treatment was provided continuously for 3 weeks. The follow-up visit lasted 3 months. Separately, before, 3 times after treatment and at the end of treatment, as well as after the follow-up visit, the visual analogue scale (VAS), the range of motion of the lumbar region (ROM) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) were observed in the patients of the two groups. RESULTS: During and at the end of treatment, as well as at the follow-up visit, VAS score, ROM and ODI were all improved as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.05). The results in the combined treatment group were better than those in the warm acupuncture (all <0.05). At the end of treatment and the follow-up stage, VAS score, ROM and ODI were better than those during treatment in the two groups (all <0.05). At the follow-up stage, VAS score, ROM of the backward extension and rotation of spine, as well as ODI were better than those at the end of treatment in the two groups (all <0.05). CONCLUSION The combined treatment of the superficial needling technique and mild moxibustion relieves pain, improves the ROM of the lumbar region and reduces the functional disability in CNLBP. This combined therapy achieves the better effects as compared with the traditional warm acupuncture and is high in the patient's compliance.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Chronic Pain ; therapy ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; therapy ; Moxibustion ; Treatment Outcome

Acupuncture is a promising treatment for relieving pain and improving lower back function in clinical practice. However, evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) remains controversial. Most RCTs conclude that acupuncture procedures for chronic low back pain (CLBP) had no significant difference in efficacy and belonged to placebo. We carefully reviewed and analyzed the methodology and implementation of sham acupuncture in RCTs. Controversial evidence of acupuncture for CLBP is only a microcosm of the evaluation methodological limitation of acupuncture. Inappropriate selection of sham acupuncture controls, rigorous RCT research models, and incorrect interpretation of results may contribute to negative evidence. Evaluating and disregarding the holistic efficacy of acupuncture with an explanatory RCT model based on evaluation drugs may be unwise. Moreover, sham acupuncture is often proven to be non-inert, unreasonable, and with low fidelity. Pitfalls of the explanatory RCT model and sham acupuncture design should be avoided. Establishing a new evaluation system that is in line with the clinical characteristics of acupuncture and obtaining high-quality evidence are difficult but promising tasks.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Chronic Pain/therapy* ; Humans ; Low Back Pain/therapy* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

The management of chronic pain, particularly neuropathic pain, still has significant unmet needs. In addition to inadequate symptomatic relief, there are concerns about adverse effects and addiction associated with treatments. The transplantation of cells that secrete neuroactive substances with analgesic properties into the central nervous system has only become of practical interest in more recent years, but provides a novel strategy to challenge current approaches in treating chronic pain. This review covers pre-clinical and clinical studies from both allogeneic and xenogeneic sources for management of chronic refractory pain.
Central Nervous System ; Chronic Pain ; Genetic Therapy ; Neuralgia ; Pain, Intractable ; Tissue Therapy ; Transplants

Behavior Therapy ; Chronic Disease ; Cognitive Therapy ; Humans ; Pain ; psychology ; Pain Management

There are several methods for the treatment of herpetic neuralgia, but there is no method that results in complete remission. Laser has lately come into use to reduce several acute or chronic pains. In order to determine the degree of pain relief by lasers, 26 patients of herpetic neuralgia were irradiated with both He-Ne and Ga-Al-As lasers twice to theree times per week and the results were analysed using visual analogue scale. The results were as follows. 1) The improving rate after 15 irradiations of laser was 63% 2)The highest improving rate(24%) was shown after one irradiation of laser(p<0.05). 3) Only one patient above age 60(3.8%) developed postherpetic neuralgia. 4) There was no significant differenc of effects of LLLT between above and below age 60. These results suggest that LLLT is non-invasive and simple method which was effective not only in controlling the herpetic neuralgia but in perventing the postherpetic neuralgia.
Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Low-Level Light Therapy* ; Neuralgia* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic

There are several methods for the treatment of herpetic neuralgia, but there is no method that results in complete remission. Laser has lately come into use to reduce several acute or chronic pains. In order to determine the degree of pain relief by lasers, 26 patients of herpetic neuralgia were irradiated with both He-Ne and Ga-Al-As lasers twice to theree times per week and the results were analysed using visual analogue scale. The results were as follows. 1) The improving rate after 15 irradiations of laser was 63% 2)The highest improving rate(24%) was shown after one irradiation of laser(p<0.05). 3) Only one patient above age 60(3.8%) developed postherpetic neuralgia. 4) There was no significant differenc of effects of LLLT between above and below age 60. These results suggest that LLLT is non-invasive and simple method which was effective not only in controlling the herpetic neuralgia but in perventing the postherpetic neuralgia.
Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Low-Level Light Therapy* ; Neuralgia* ; Neuralgia, Postherpetic