PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data for proper pain management. METHOD: Data were collected from 85 hospitalized patients with cancer pain. A retrospective chart review of level of pain, source of pain, verbal expression of pain, and pain management was done. The data were analyzed with the SPSS program. RESULTS: The level of pain measured by NRS at the three time points was as follows: Time 1 (4.40+/-2.25), Time 2 (0.61+/-1.30), Time 3 (2.47+/-2.75). The kinds of pain were somatic pain (51.8%), visceral pain (37.6%), neuropathic pain (12.9%). The analgesic amount measured by OME (oral morphine equivalent) was as follows: Time 1 (70.85+/-69.65), Time 2 (91.61+/-89.20), Time 3 (96.71+/-94.25). Degree of pain had significant differences according to type of cancer (F=-3.286, p= .002), cancer origin (F=2.906, p= .018), and metastasis (F=2.906, p= .018) at Time 2. Best control period had significant difference according to type of cancer (F=2.373, p= .023), and origin of cancer (F=2.466, p= .040) at Time 2. CONCLUSION: These finding will enable the application of nursing interventions for pain control in cancer patients, identification of kinds of nursing compared to priorities, and increased levels of comfort in cancer patients in clinical settings.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Morphine ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuralgia ; Nociceptive Pain ; Pain Management ; Retrospective Studies ; Visceral Pain

PURPOSE: The effects of pain on brain is not well known. Also, differences between somatic and visceral pains have not been fully elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate changes in the expression of c-Fos protein after somatic and visceral pains were induced by formalin. METHODS: Male rats(n=65) were underwent one of three procedures : (i) Control group, rats were left undisturbed in their cages; (ii) Somatic pain group, rats were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 ml of 10% formalin in the plantar surface of right hindpaw; (iii) Visceral pain group, rats were administered with same amount of formalin, as described above, in the rectum. Rats were sacrificed at increasing times(30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days and 7 days) after noxious formalin stimuli to hindpaws and rectums. Rat brains were removed and sliced in rat brain matrix. Brain slices were coronal sectioned at interaural 5.70-6.70mm. Serial sections were immunohistochemically reacted with polyclonal c-Fos antibody. The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area, and hippocampus were examined and analyzed statistically with Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: 1) The numbers of c-For protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 2 hours after somatic pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 2) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons in cingulate cortex, primary somatosensory area and hippocampus peaked at 1 day after visceral pain stimuli and reached almost normal conditions at 7 days. 3) The numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons of somatic pain groups were higher than that of visceral groups at all times and the difference of numbers peaked at 2 hours after pain stimuli. CONCLUSION: Reactions of somatic pain stimuli influenced more changable than visceral pain stimuli to brain. Conduction velocities of somatic pain were more faster than those of visceral pain. Higher numbers of c-Fos protein immunoreactive neurons were found in specific regions. These results provide some basic knowledge in understanding the mechanism and control of pain.
Animals ; Brain* ; Formaldehyde* ; Gyrus Cinguli ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Male ; Neurons* ; Nociceptive Pain ; Rats* ; Rectum ; Visceral Pain

BACKGROUND: Total knee replacement is often accompanied by severe post-operative pain. Oxycodone has sufficient analgesic effects and somewhat greater, but tolerable side effects compared to fentanyl. However, most studies on the topic evaluate visceral pain relief. In this study, we determine the effectiveness of oxycodone for somatic pain and evaluate the incidence of side effects. METHODS: Sixty-nine patients were involved in a randomized control trial. Analgesic agents were administered to two experimental groups at a post anesthetic care unit (PACU) 15 min after PACU admission: a 50 µg fentanyl group (n = 40) and a 4 mg oxycodone group (n = 29), both with severe pain (numeric rating scale, NRS > 5). Changes in NRS at the PACU were measured. Additional analgesic agents were administered at 0–6, 6–12, 12–24, and 24–48 h after surgery. RESULTS: Total fentanyl consumption and the number of patients who required additional opioids were significantly lower in the oxycodone group than in the fentanyl group. Incidence of side effects was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Oxycodone shows a better analgesic effect than fentanyl in somatic pain in the acute phase of post-operative pain. The side effects of oxycodone are not significantly different from those of fentanyl.
Analgesics ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee* ; Fentanyl* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nociceptive Pain ; Oxycodone* ; Visceral Pain

BACKGROUND: For laparoscopic cholecystectomy, pain is most frequent complaint and the most common cause of delayed discharge. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of preoperative administration of celecoxib on the level of postoperative pain in patient undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: We enrolled 60 patients ASA class I and II, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients were randomized to receive celecoxib 200 mg, celecoxib 400 mg or placebo two hour before the induction of anesthesia. The patients received the same anesthetics. The intensities of abdominal pain were assessed using VAS (visual analog scale) at 1, 2, 4, 12, 24 hours after surgery. RESULTS: In celecoxib 200 mg group, VAS score of somatic pain compared to control group decreased at 1, 2, and 4 hours after surgery. In celecoxib 400 mg group, VAS score of somatic pain compared to control group decreased at 1, 2, and 4 hours after surgery. There was no difference between celecoxib 200 mg and celecoxib 400 mg in pain scores of somatic pain. Dosage of meperidine in two celecoxib groups after surgery were each 31 mg and 26 mg and that of control group was 72 mg. There was no difference between celecoxib groups and placebo group in pain scores of visceral pain. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative administration of celecoxib reduces the level of postoperative pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy without adverse effects.
Abdominal Pain ; Anesthesia ; Anesthetics ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Nociceptive Pain ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pyrazoles ; Sulfonamides ; Visceral Pain ; Celecoxib

BACKGROUND: It is known that pain after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less compared with an open cholecystectomy. There are various methods of pain relief used but a controversy exists over the effectiveness and value of intraperitoneal local anesthetics. The aim of this study was to investigate which components of pain were more predominant for pain after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, somatic pain or visceral pain. METHODS: Twenty-four patients who received an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were selected. General anesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium and succinylcholine, and maintained with vecuronium and isoflurane. After surgery, the degree of postoperative somatic pain (superficial, sharp and definite in the abdominal wall) and visceral pain (dull, vague and/or colicky in the peritoneal cavity) was assessed at postoperative 1, 3, 6, 9, 24 and 36-hour by a 10 cm-visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and other complaints were recorded. RESULTS: VAS scores of somatic pain were significantly higher than those of visceral pain at all the recorded times. CONCLUSIONS: Somatic pain was predominant after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared with visceral pain and it should be helpful to treat pain after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthetics, Local ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Nociceptive Pain* ; Succinylcholine ; Thiopental ; Vecuronium Bromide ; Visceral Pain*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: While it is well established that acupuncture relieves somatic pain, its therapeutic effect on visceral pain such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is unclear. We evaluated the effect of acupuncture in treating visceral hyperalgesia in an animal model. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8 per group) with prior neonatal maternal separation stress were randomly allocated to receive 3-day treatment of either electroacupuncture (EA) or sham acupuncture at acupoint ST-36. Another group of rats without prior maternal separation was included as non-handled controls. Colorectal distension was performed on the day after acupuncture treatment. The 3 groups were compared for pain threshold as determined by abdominal withdrawal reflex and visceromotor response as measured by electromyogram. Colon, spinal cord, and brainstem were sampled for topographic distribution and quantitative assessment of serotonin and Fos expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Rats in EA group had significantly higher pain threshold compared to those in sham acpuncture group (25.0 +/- 5.7 mmHg vs 18.7 +/- 5.2 mmHg, p = 0.01) and it was comparable with that of non-handled treatment naive controls (29.4 +/- 9.3 mmHg, p = 0.28). They also had lower visceromotor response as measured by electromyogram compared to those received sham acupuncture at all colorectal distension pressures. EA significantly suppressed Fos expression in doral raphe nuclei of brainstem, superficial dorsal horn of spinal cord and colonic epithelium but suppressed 5-HT expression only in brainstem and spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS: Electro acupuncture attenuates visceral hyperlagesia through down-regulation of central serotonergic activities in the brain-gut axis.
Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Benzodiazepines ; Brain Stem ; Colon ; Down-Regulation ; Electroacupuncture ; Epithelium ; Horns ; Hyperalgesia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Irritable Bowel Syndrome ; Models, Animal ; Nociceptive Pain ; Pain Threshold ; Raphe Nuclei ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex ; Salicylamides ; Serotonin ; Spinal Cord ; Visceral Pain

BACKGROUND: The use of aroma oils dates back to at least 3000 B.C., where it was applied to mummify corpses and treat the wounds of soldiers. Since the 1920s, the term “aromatherapy” has been used for fragrance therapy with essential oils. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the essential oil of Eucalyptus (EOE) affects pain pathways in various pain conditions and motor coordination. METHODS: Mice were subjected to inhalation or intraperitoneal injection of EOE, and its analgesic effects were assessed by conducting formalin, thermal plantar, and acetic acid tests; the effects of EOE on motor coordination were evaluated using a rotarod test. To determine the analgesic mechanism, 5′-guanidinonaltrindole (κ-opioid antagonist, 0.3 mg/kg), naltrindole (δ-opioid antagonist, 5 mg/kg), glibenclamide (δ-opioid antagonist, 2 mg/kg), and naloxone (μ-opioid antagonist, 4, 8, 12 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally. RESULTS: EOE showed an analgesic effect against visceral pain caused by acetic acid (EOE, 45 mg/kg); however, no analgesic effect was observed against thermal nociceptive pain. Moreover, it was demonstrated that EOE did not have an effect on motor coordination. In addition, an anti-inflammatory effect was observed during the formalin test. CONCLUSIONS: EOE, which is associated with the μ-opioid pain pathway, showed potential effects against somatic, inflammatory, and visceral pain and could be a potential therapeutic agent for pain.
Acetic Acid ; Analgesics ; Animals ; Aromatherapy ; Cadaver ; Eucalyptus ; Formaldehyde ; Glyburide ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Mice ; Military Personnel ; Naloxone ; Narcotic Antagonists ; Nociceptive Pain ; Oils ; Oils, Volatile ; Pain Measurement ; Rotarod Performance Test ; Visceral Pain ; Wounds and Injuries

Whereas a somatic pain notifies tissue damage, a neuropathic pain presents disorder of the nerve itself. The causes of neuropathic pains are trauma, infection, chronic irritation by adjacent tissue and so on. The iatrogenic trauma or infection also causes traumatic neuropathy, which may exert a bad influence on doctor-patient relationship. Some of related dental treatments are implantation (directly or indirectly through heating), root canal treatment, teeth extraction, block anesthesia, mandibular surgery. If inappropriate management is performed after nerve trauma, there will be many chances to develop chronic neuropathy for the patient. It is important that the sign of nerve trauma have to be caught by the practitioner as soon as possible and treated properly.
Anesthesia ; Dental Pulp Cavity ; Humans ; Neuralgia ; Nociceptive Pain ; Tooth

Despite numerous therapeutic options the treatment of verruca vulgaris remains difficult and various treatment modalities are accompanied with substantial pain, tissue destruction and frequent recurrence. Recently imiquimod has been successfully used as topical immune response modifier for the treatment of external anogenital warts with less pain, destruction and fewer recurrent rate. We observed a case of verruca vulgaris on the left palm and the left second toe in a 57-year-old man. He had been treated with keratolytic agent and CO2 laser with little effect. So we tried to treat him with 5% imiquimod cream which was self-applied to the lesions and achieved complete clearance after 4 weeks of the therapy.
Humans ; Lasers, Gas ; Middle Aged ; Nociceptive Pain ; Recurrence ; Toes ; Warts*

OBJECTIVE: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (NaSSA) are extensively used to treat the patients with depression. Although depressed patients are complaining of somatic pain as a complication of depression, there has not been any straight-forward comparative data of the effect of SSRIs, SNRIs, and NaSSA on pain. Therefore, in this study, we tried to figure out the effect of each drug i.e.SSRIs, SNRIs, and NaSSA, on pain by administrating each drug to three different groups of patient with depression. METHODS: We conducted a chart review of patients, who visited a university hospital. From January, 2010 to February, 2012, total 150 inpatients who had been diagnosed as major depression by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition criteria, and administered any of three drugs [SSRIs (n=50), SNRIs (n=50), and NaSSA (n=50)] at least for fore weeks in the department of psychiatry in Chung-Ang University Hospital, were enrolled for this study. We compared and analyzed depressive symptoms and pain between three groups. Depressive symptoms and pain were evaluated by Korean version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and visual analogue scale at baseline and fore weeks later. RESULTS: There was no difference in the age, gender, severity of depression and pain among three groups. However, there was difference in 50% depressive symptomatic improvement rate in the following four weeks among three groups. The number of patient found to achieve 50% symptomatic improvement in SSRIs, SNRIs, and NaSSA group was 17 (34%), 20 (40%), and 34 (54%) in each group, respectively, indicating significantly higher improvement rate in NaSSA compared to SSRIs. During four weeks of administration period, significant difference in 50% pain improvement rate was observed among three groups. The number of patient found to achieve 50% pain improvement in SSRIs, SNRIs, and NaSSA group was 14 (28%), 20 (40%), and 27 (54%) in each group, respectively, showing twice higher pain improvement rate in NaSSA compared to SSRIs. CONCLUSION: This result indicates better efficacy of NaSSA on pain improvement compared to SSRIs, and SNRIs in depressed patients. Although the effect of pain improvement has been mainly focused on SNRIs, result from this study suggests the need for further research and validation on the effect of NaSSA for pain control.
Depression ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Nociceptive Pain ; Norepinephrine ; Serotonin ; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors