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New Concepts of Chronic Pain and the Potential Role of Complementary Therapies.

Alternative therapies in health and medicine
February 1, 2020
Ken Wojcikowski et al. (3 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to examine the potential of mindfulness meditation as part of a multimodal, individualized treatment for chronic pain by targeting multiple sites along the pain pathway.

Results Summary

The literature review indicated that mindfulness meditation may be efficacious in reducing chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics, with varying response rates among individuals. The study suggested that complementary therapies like mindfulness can target all three orders of neurons involved in pain transmission.

Population

Patients with chronic pain (specific demographics not detailed).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (10)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
curcumin
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#1
capsaicin
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#2
vitamin D
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#3
omega-3 fatty acids
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#4
lipoic acid
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#5
acupuncture
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#6
yoga
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#7
meditation
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#8
mindfulness meditation
decrease
chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics
patients with chronic pain
-
may be efficacious in reducing
#9
complementary therapies
decrease
adverse effect profile
patients with chronic pain
-
may offer a reduced
#10
Abstract

CONTEXT: The mechanisms of chronic pain involve complex neuroplastic changes at all 3 orders of neurons involved in the transmission of pain as well as changes in the descending inhibitory pathway. Although traditional pharmaceutical therapies have some efficacy, substantial scope exists for a new model of individualized therapy, tailored to the specific response of each patient. Because changes occur at all levels of the pain pathway, successful treatment may require a combination of therapies with different mechanisms of action. OBJECTIVE: The research team intended to examine the potential changes within the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) of patients with chronic pain and to propose a model of chronic pain treatment involving multimodal, complementary therapies for individualized treatment targeting multiple sites along the pain pathway. DESIGN: The research team performed a review of the literature in the field. SETTING: The study took place in the School of Health and Human Sciences at Southern Cross University (Lismore, New South Wales, Australia). INTERVENTIONS: A growing body of evidence supports the use of a variety of complementary therapies to treat chronic pain, including curcumin, capsaicin, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, lipoic acid, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness meditation. These therapies vary with respect to the mechanisms by which they act and the potential areas of effect along the pain pathway. RESULTS: The literature review showed a number of complementary therapies may be efficacious in reducing chronic pain and/or the need for analgesics, which may offer a reduced adverse effect profile. These therapies include curcumin, capsaicin, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, lipoic acid, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and mindfulness meditation. Response rates to treatment are likely to vary between people and within therapies. CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence suggests that efficacious complementary therapies exist that target all 3 orders of neurons and, therefore, the authors recommend multimodal individualized treatment for each patient. There is high interindividual variability between patients in responses to treatments.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AustraliaChronic PainComplementary TherapiesHumansMeditationYoga
Study Links
PubMed ID29428928
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality65/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations6
Citations/Year1.2
Relative Citation Ratio0.53
NIH Percentile28.8%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.25
Weight Score1.97
Normalized Score0.63
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