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Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of combining repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) with radiofrequency ablation (RF) of dorsal root ganglia in treating herpes zoster infection and neuralgia.Methods:Eighty-four individuals with a herpes zoster infection who had suffered from neuralgia for no more than 7 days were divided randomly into a control group, an rTMS group, an RF group, and an observation group, each of 21. All were treated with gabapentin, valciclovir and mecobalamin. The rTMS group received rTMS treatment, 5 days per week, for 2 consecutive weeks. The RF group received RF treatment of the dorsal root ganglia on the 15th day after enrollment, while the observation group received only the medication. Before the experiment as well as after 3, 7, 16, 30 and 60 days, all of the subjects self-assessed their discomfort using a pain visual analog scale (VAS). The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Quality of Life Assessment Scale (QOL-SF36), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were also administered.Results:The average VAS, HAMA, HAMD, QOL-SF36, and PSQI scores of the observation group improved continuously and significantly during and after the treatment. Beyond 16 days all of those results were significantly better than the control group′s averages, and the observation group′s average VAS, HAMA and HAMD results were also significantly better than those of the rTMS group. The observation group′s average VAS, HAMA, HAMD and PSQI scores had improved significantly more than the RF group′s averages beyond 30 days.Conclusion:Combining rTMS and dorsal root ganglion RF can effectively alleviate the early pain symptoms of herpes zoster infection and neuralgia, relieve anxiety and depression, and significantly improve sleep and life quality. Such therapy is worthy of clinical promotion and application.
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Objective:To observe any effect of combining ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion pulsed radiofrequency irradiation with electroacupuncture in treating migraine.Methods:Seventy-two migraine patients were randomly divided into a combined group, an electroacupuncture group and a control group, each of 24. All three groups were treated with etocoxib and zolmitriptan dispersible tablets, while the electroacupuncture group and the combined group were additionally provided with electroacupuncture or ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion pulsed radiofrequency irradiation combined with electroacupuncture. The therapeutic interventions were administered once daily for 7 days. A visual analogue scale (VAS), a migraine-specific quality of life questionnaire (MSQOL), the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and a migraine disability scale (MIDAS) were used to evaluate each patient before the experiment and on the 3rd, 7th, 30th and 90th days after completion of the treatment.Results:The average VAS, MSQOL, HAMA and HAMD scores of the combined and acupuncture groups had improved significantly at all time points. Moreover, the average MIDAS scores of the combined and acupuncture groups had improved significantly 30 and 90 days after the treatment. On the 3rd day after the treatment, the average VAS, MSQoL, HAMA and HAMD scores of the combined group were significantly higher than the acupuncture group′s averages, while the average MIDAS score of the former group was significantly lower on the 30th and 90th days after the treatment. The average VAS, HAMA and HAMD scores of the combined group were significantly lower than the control group′s averages 3, 7, 30 and 90 days after the treatment, while their average MSQOL score was significantly higher. The average MIDAS score of the combined group was significantly lower than the control group′s average 30 and 90 days after the treatment.Conclusion:Ultrasound-guided stellate ganglion pulsed radiofrequency irradiation combined with electroacupuncture can significantly relieve the symptoms of migraine and improve the life quality of migraine patients for at least 3 months.
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Objective To observe the clinical effect of combining extracorporeal shock waves with pulsed radiofrequency irradiation of the dorsal root ganglia in the treatment of spinal cord-derived abdominal pain. Methods A total of 88 patients were randomly divided into a control group, a shock wave group, a pulsed irradiation group and a combination group, each of 22. All of the patients were given etocoxib and pregabalin medication for 3 weeks. In ad-dition to the drugs, the shock wave group received extracorporeal shock wave therapy, and the irradiation group re-ceived pulsed radio frequency irradiation of the dorsal root ganglia. The combination group received both. A visual an-alogue scale was used to assess perceived pain. The quality of life short form 36 ( QOL-SF36) , Hamilton anxiety scale and Hamilton depression scale were administered to all 4 groups before the treatments and after 1, 4 and 12 weeks of the treatments. The development of diseases, gastrointestinal function, medical treatment and medical expenses of the 4 groups were observed for two years after the treatments. Results After 4 weeks of treatment, the average scores of all four groups in all of the evaluations had improved significantly compared with before the treatment. In combination group′s average results were significantly better than those of the other 3 groups from 4 weeks until 12 weeks after the treatment. During the subsequent two years that group′s gastrointestinal symptoms, hospital visits and medical expen-ses were all significantly lower, on average, than those of the other groups. Conclusion Extracorporeal shock waves combined with pulsed radio frequency irradiation of the dorsal root ganglia has significant clinical efficacy for alleviating spinal cord-derived abdominal pain. It can significantly reduce medical costs and is worthy of clinical pro-motion.
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Objective To observe the clinical effect of pulsed radiofrequency electrotherapy combined with acupuncture or electroacupuncture in treating neuralgia after herpes zoster infection.Methods Eighty-eight patients were divided into a control group,an electroacupuncture group,a pulsed electrotherapy group and a combined group using a random number table.The 4 groups were routinely given gabapentin and tramadol,while the electroacupuncture group was additionally treated with electroacupuncture,the pulsed electrotherapy group received radiofrequency irradiation of the dorsal root ganglion,and the combined group was given CT-guided pulsed radiofrequency electrotherapy combined with electroacupuncture or acupuncture.Before the treatment and 15 days and 1 month afterward,everyone was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain intensity,the Hamilton anxiety (HAMA) and depression (HAMD) scales and the short form 36 (QOL-SF36) quality of life assessment.The area of painful skin was also measured.Results There were no significant differences among the 4 groups at the outset in any of the measurements.Significant improvement was observed in all of the measurements 15 and 30 days after the treatment except in the control group.The combined group was by then significantly better than the other 3 groups.Their dosage of gabapentin and tramadol had decreased significantly compared with the other groups after 3 months of treatment.Conclusion CT-guided pulsed radiofrequency electrotherapy combined with acupuncture or electroacupuncture is safe and effective for treating post-herpes neuralgia.It is worthy of clinical application and promotion.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of non-surgical spinal decompression com-bined with intervertebral foramen injection in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Methods Nine-ty-six patients were randomly divided into a control group, a decompression group, an injection group and a combined group. All of the subjects were given loxoprofen sodium and chestnut seed extract. The decompression group was trea-ted with non-operative spinal decompression. The injection group received intervertebral foramen injections. The com-bined group received both treatments. Pain perceptions, quality of life perceptions and lumbar dysfunction were ob-served before the treatment, and 2 days, 1 month, 6 months and 12 months afterward. Results There were no sig-nificant differences among the groups in average pain perceptions quantified using a visual analogue scale ( VAS) be-fore the treatment. The average scores on a 36-item short-form health survey, the Oswestry disability index and a Jap-anese Orthopedic Association instrument also were not significantly different. All of those indicators had improved sig-nificantly in the decompression, injection and combined groups at 1, 6 and 12 months after the treatment, but the combined group′s average indicators were all significantly better than the other groups′ averages at the same time points. All of the significant improvements in the combined group′s averages occurred in the first month after the com-bined treatment. Conclusion Non-operative spinal decompression has a synergistic effect with intervertebral fora-men injection in treating patients with lumbar disc herniation. Their combined effect is better than either treatment a-lone. Their combined effect is lasting, safe and has few complication risks. It is worthy of clinical application.
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Objective To investigate the relation of autophagy and postherpetic neuralgia in elderly patients,and provide new methods for prevention and treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.Methods One hundred thirty-five specimens were obtained from elderly patients with herpes zoster,containing 83 patients with herpes zoster plus neuralgia and 52 cases with non-neuralgia herpes zoster.The level of autophagy was determined by acridine orange-stain.The protein expressions of autophagy marker protein LC3 and autophagy related protein Beclinl were detected by Western blot.Results Flow cytometer detection after acridine orange-stain showed that mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of herpes zoster plus neuralgia patients was 0.775±0.068 and non-neuralgia herpes zoster patients was 0.342±0.025.The level of autophagy of non-neuralgia herpes zoster patients was significant lower than herpes zoster plus neuralgia patients (P＜0.05).The expressions of autophagy marker protein LC3 and autophagy related protein Beclin1 detected by Western blot also showed the level of autophagy of non-neuralgia herpes zoster patients was decreased compared with herpes zoster plus neuralgia patients.Conclusions High level autophagy is risk factor for postherpetic neuralgia in elderly patients.
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BACKGROUND:Anatomical studies on cutaneous nerve around the knee are less in China. Revision surgery or long-term use of medication is commonly used for intractable pain after knee replacement. However, these methods cannot effectively relieve postoperative pain. OBJECTIVE:To explore the therapeutic effect of denervation scheme on intractable pain in patients with knee joint pain after knee replacement through identifying the distribution of the cutaneous skin around the knee joint in the study of anatomy of the knee joint. METHODS:Two adult cadavers and two fresh adult cadavers were dissected to observe the distribution of cutaneous nerves around the knee joint. 100 cases of knee joint of patients with intractable pain after total knee arthroplasty were randomly divided into two groups (n=50). Patients in the observation group underwent denervation scheme. Patients in the control group underwent drug treatment. Patients were followed up after surgery. Bone joint index score was used to evaluate the knee joint function. 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) was utilized to evaluate the quality of life. Visual analogue scale was employed to assess the patient’s pain. Adverse reactions were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Distribution of cutaneous nerves around the knee was fixed. Moreover, each cutaneous nerve had a more definite bony landmark, and could provide anatomic basis for related surgery. (2) Visual analogue scale scores were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P0.05). (5) Necroscopy could identify anatomical distribution of cutaneous nerve around the knee. On this basis, denervation therapy can effectively improve symptoms and bone quality in patients with intractable pain, improve the quality of life of patients, and have better safety.
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OBJECTIVE:To observe therapeutic efficacy of zoledronic acid in the treatment of acute pain of vertebral compres-sion fractures during different courses. METHODS:207 patients with acute thoracic or (and) lumbar vertebral compression frac-tures were selected and randomly divided into trial group(107 cases)and control group(100 cases). Control group was given calci-um carbonate(1 200 mg/d)diclofenac sodium sustained-released tablet(75 mg/d).Trial group was additionally given zoledronic ac-id 5 mg added into 5%Glucose solution 100 ml,intravenous dripping for 15-30 min,on the basis of control group. RESULTS:Af-ter treatment,VAS score of two group decreased significantly,and trial group the decrease was more significant than control group,with statistical significance (P0.05);after 4d treatment,there was statistical significance in VAS score between course≤one month and one month 0.05);after one week,there was statistical significance in VAS score between one month 2 months (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:Zoledronic acid may partly alleviate the pain of acute vertebral fractures,the analgesic effect is more clear in early stage.