Electroencephalography Based Neurofeedback in Chronic Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic PainChronic neuropathic pain is a global health concern, affecting millions of patients worldwide. It is often extremely debilitating and poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The current mainstay of treatment is pharmacotherapy consisting of powerful analgesics combined with different classes of drugs that change nerve cell membrane properties. However, response to pharmacotherapy is often poor and mandates interventional strategies. Among the latest and most promising interventional strategies is the use of neurostimulation to targeted brain areas, specifically the primary motor cortex . Motor cortex stimulation , both invasive and noninvasive (using megnetic or electical stimulation), has emerged as a highly beneficial treatment, and is currently included in different professional guidelines for the treatment of medically refractory neuropathic pain. A possible alternative way to achieve stimulation of the motor cortex is by using EEG based neurofeedback. This design, which is actually a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) enables the patient to voluntarily modulate the activity of a circumscribed brain area after a few training sessions. While EEG based neurofeedfback is decades old, it has never been tested in neuropathic pain patients. This experiment is intended to compare both the clinical effects and the brain correlates of a BCI based self modulation of M1 activity and of exogenous magnetic brain stimulation in a population of patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain of an upper limb. 15 such patients will receive a course of 10 daily magnetic stimulation sessions with stimulation of M1 as described in the literature. A further 30 patients will be divided into two groups: 15 will perform a course of 10 real BCI neurofeedback sessions modulating motor cortex activity and 15 will perform a course of 10 sham neurofeedback sessions. The participants' baseline chronic pain levels and their response to acute painful stimuli will be clinically evaluated before and after the course, and for an additional 1 month. Furthermore, before and after the course patients will be scanned using functional MRI during rest (baseline pain levels) and during acute pain. These scans are performed both to describe the neural correlates of the analgesia induced by motor cortex magnetic stimulation , and to compare the observed networks to the network effect of a BCI neurofeedback modulation of motor cortex activity.
Effects of Pregabalin on Mechanical Hyperalgesia
Tactile HyperalgesiaNeuropathic PainThe aim of this randomized placebo-controlled study is to evaluate the effects of analgetics for neuropathic pain on mechanical hyperalgesia as a kind of evoked pain. Therefore the number of responders and non-responders on pregabalin will be evaluated in respect of mechanical hyperalgesia (stimulus-response-function (SRF) on static punctual stimuli evoking pain determined via pinprick). The hypothesis is that in the placebo group the amount of non-responders is increased.
Exercise Effect on Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Pain
CancerBreast6 moreChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) continues to be a serious healthcare concern. It is painful, persistent, resistant to conventional pain therapies, and results in long-term suffering and decreased quality of life for many cancer survivors. The role of exercise to decrease CIPN-related neuropathic pain (CIPN-NP) will be investigated, with the goal of identifying the mechanisms associated with this therapeutic approach to manage CIPN-NP.
Comparison of Two Pain-treatment Techniques After Cesarean Section
Cesarean SectionPain Management1 moreComparison of two types of analgesia after cesarean section. All patients will anaesthetised with spinal technique. Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane or quadratus lumborum block to treat postoperative pain. Postoperative pain will measured with visual-analogue scale (VAS). 1, 2, 6 months after surgery each patient will be called to assess neuropathic pain with Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI).
Clinical Trial of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment in Trigeminal Neuralgia Patients
Trigeminal NeuralgiaPainThe purpose of this study is to determine whether the hyperbaric oxygen treatment reduces pain and improve the life quality in trigeminal neuralgia patients.
The Superiority of Contralateral Oblique View for Mid-thoracic Epidural Assess
Herpes ZosterPostherpetic Neuralgia1 moreThe aim of the present study is to compare contralateral oblique view with the lateral view for fluoroscopic guided mid-thoracic epidural assess.
Neuromas as the Cause of Pain
Neuropathic PainNeuromaNeuromas are frequent after trauma and surgery, including amputation and can be identified by high-resolution ultrasound. The role of neuromas as the cause of neuropathic pain is uncertain. The investigators therefore wish to explore if spontaneous and evoked pain will be relieved by injection of local anesthetics near painful neuromas in subjects with peripheral nerve injury.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Trigeminal Neuralgia
Facial PainThe primary objective is to establish the feasibility of using TMS for COFP pain management in the interim period before surgery. This will be investigated by comparing the non-intervention group's self-reported pain to those who recieved TMS at several timepoints.
Minocycline for the Prevention of Post-operative Intercostal Neuralgia
Post-operative Intercostal NeuralgiaIn about half the patients who have an open chest surgery there is persistent severe pain in the chest. The investigators are examining whether minocycline, a commonly used antibiotic, will prevent pain. Minocycline blocks the activity of immune cells which the investigators believe are responsible for prolonging the pain.
Comparison of Methods of Lumbar Sympathetic Ganglion Block: Distance vs Angle
Lumbar Sympathetic Ganglion Block Indication: Neuropathic PainCRPS1 moreLumbar sympathetic ganglion block is used for several neuropathic pain syndromes. The best method of lumbar sympathetic ganglion block is not established. The investigators would compare two methods of lumbar sympathetic ganglion block. One is modified Reid method which's entry point is 7~7.5cm from midline of spinous process of lumbar spine. The other is angular method which's entry angle is 30 degree from anterior-posterior view of C-arm. Comparison modified Reid method with angular method would be helpful for finding best method of lumbar sympathetic ganglion block.