Active clinical trials for "Neuralgia"

Lung surgery under thoracotomy is known to induce long-term pain which can be considered as neuropathic in many patients concerned [1,2]. The suspected origin of neuropathy is a direct traumatism of intercostal nerve(s) [3]. Among the possible preventive treatments that can be administered during the initial aggression, ketamine [4,5] appears as the easiest to use, as it is already commonly administered intra and postoperatively for improvement of analgesia [6].

This study will measure the impact of treatment with pregabalin in adult men and women who have a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathic pain (pain caused by a primary lesion of the peripheral nervous system such as Diabetic peripheral Neuropathy and Postherpetic Neuralgia).

This trial is the follow-on trial to a preceeding open-label trial which included patients with chronic refractory neuropathic pain. It is conducted at one site in the United Kingdom and the patient enrollment is completed. The patients had successfully completed the above mentioned trial and, in the investigator's opinion, would benefit from long-term administration of Lacosamide. After a 1-week run-in phase the patients were uptitrated to their optimal dose and then continued into the maintenance phase. Different pain qualities are assessed by a patient's diary.

4-month study including a 30-day baseline phase

All eligible Herpes Zoster patients will be randomized into two groups. Group 1 will be the treatment group receiving Pregabalin 75 mg twice daily for 4 weeks in addition to other routine treatment. Whereas, group 2 will be the control group receiving all routine treatment similar to group 1 except Pregabalin. Instead control group will receive Placebo.

This pilot study utilizes a unique technology to determine nerve fiber sensitivity. This will allow us to determine whether this method and device can discern changes in pain intensity and type, which is predicated on differing nerve fiber sensitivities.

Mechanism-based choice of therapy for neuropathic pain: Can treatments success in neuropathic post-operative pain be coupled to psychophysical pain modulation profile?

The goal of this project is to investigate and improve executive control function in two distinct pain conditions, namely neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia (FM). It is hypothesized that there is a significant difference in the executive control function of patients with neuropathic pain and FM pain. It is also hypothesized that all participants with poor executive control functioning will report significant improvements in pain intensity, functioning and cognitive complaints following cognitive training. The study tests and influence the working memory concepts of inhibition, updating and flexibility through an experimental, cross-over treatment design. To perform the experiment, we will recruit 160 participants (80 with neuropathic pain and 80 with FM) from the Departments of pain management and research at St Olav's University Hospital and Oslo University Hospital (OUS). The proposed design will be able to determine whether or not executive control, processing speed and memory function differs in two distinct populations of pain patients. Moreover, whether impairments are amended by computerized training.

This study has two objectives. First, to introduce a new virtual reality method that incorporates the mechanisms used in mirror visual feedback through a three-dimensional (3D) augmented virtual reality system. Second, to evaluate the efficiency of this new method on a convenience sample of patients presenting with unresolved neuropathic pain (CRPS, PLP, plexopathy, stroke) who were not responding adequately to both pharmaceutical management and traditional mirror therapy.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a procedure that has been shown to improve pain in chronic sufferers. It is a well-tolerated procedure that can be performed on an outpatient basis. It uses a plastic covered coil that sends a magnetic pulse through the skull into the brain and by targeting particular areas in the brain it can be used to help modulate the perception of pain. The study intends to use this technique to treat such a disabling symptom in patients who suffer from Parkinson's Disease (PD). Initially the aim is to study this technique in ten patients who are suffering from pain and have PD. These patients would initially require an MRI scan which allows us to map the brain and target the correct brain areas for the delivery of the stimulation. The stimulation would be performed over ten sessions and the patients would be assessed by a clinician using well recognized clinical tools. It is anticipated that there will be a meaningful improvement in pain. It is also anticipated that TMS is a safe technique to use in patients with PD. The study will be used to help plan a future study that compares TMS with sham technique to prove whether TMS could be an option in the treatment of such a disabling condition.