Living with chronic headaches: A qualitative study from an outpatient pain clinic in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Although headache is considered a frequently experienced type of pain, the challenges, experiences, and perceptions of people suffering from chronic headaches are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to gain subjective information regarding these aspects in daily life, in order to answer the research question "What is life like with a chronic headache?" METHODOLOGY: Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 patients who suffered from chronic headaches. Five main domains were explored: emotions related to headaches; trauma/stressful events; behavioural changes, relationships, and coping mechanisms. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: Participants reported that pain restricted their lives in many ways, including not being able to work, loss of status, identity, freedom, intimate relationships and friends. The majority believed that psychological and/or physiological trauma was the reason for their headaches. New information that emerged from this study was how common life events not usually considered major traumas, initiated and maintained symptoms. Shame and feelings of stigmatization appeared to be strongly associated with chronic pain, leading to a scenario where thriving, contentment and enjoyment were often lacking. MAIN RESULTS: This study provided an in-depth understanding of how chronic headache adversely affects the lives of sufferers. Chronic headaches restrict sufferers' lives, resulting in emotional and behavioural changes and a high level of disability. The complexity of chronic headaches in clinical practice is hugely underestimated, and poorly understood by society in general.

Combining psychotherapy with craniosacral therapy for severe traumatized patients: A qualitative study from an outpatient clinic in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Craniosacral therapy (CST) is an established complementary modality for several health complaints. A clinic for psychosomatics in Norway has included CST into a multimodal treatment approach for severely traumatized patients. The aim of this study was to investigate and describe the indications for the use of craniosacral therapy within trauma therapy. Specifically, to explore treatment philosophy, criteria for improvement, treatment aims, and the evaluation of the risk profile of the multimodal treatment approach. METHODS: Semi-structured individual interviews (n = 8) and one focus group interview were conducted with the therapists at the Clinic for Psychosomatics, Hospital of Southern Norway, Kristiansand, Norway. The text data were transcribed verbatim, and the analysis of the material was conducted according to conventional and direct content analysis. RESULTS: The therapists at the clinic applied a holistic treatment approach, based on their understanding of mind and body as one entity. To access emotions and traumata, they used a mixture of different treatment techniques. The therapists experienced patients with severe bodily symptoms as being less cognitively present and attributed this to the symptoms craving most mental resources. The craniosacral therapists' specific aims and task within the multimodal trauma therapy was to ease these physical complaints, so that cognitive and emotional resources could be utilized for therapy. The psychotherapists found that emotions and traumata were more accessible after CST. The general treatment goals were to increase symptom tolerance levels and to enable better self-care. Furthermore, the ability to transform negative behaviors and develop positive alternatives were considered to be signs of improvement. CONCLUSION: The study participants considered that patients with complex traumas, including post-traumatic stress disorder, seemed to benefit from this multimodal treatment approach and appreciated its' holistic treatment philosophy, including craniosacral therapy. With regard to patient safety, the study participants recommended that craniosacral therapy for severely traumatized patients should only be provided in cooperation with psychotherapists, or other highly qualified health personnel working in specialized institutions.

Adverse effects of non-hormonal pharmacological interventions in breast cancer survivors, suffering from hot flashes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To access frequency and severity of adverse effects (AE) of non-hormonal drugs (NHD) for hot flashes in breast cancer survivors compared to controls and analyze adverse-effect risk by reviewing published randomized trials. METHODS: Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO and PubMed databases were searched. Trials were included where participants were survivors of breast cancer suffering from hot flashes, treatment included self-administered venlafaxine, gabapentin or clonidine, and AE were reported. AE frequency and severity were graded. A meta-analysis of ten trials with sub-group analyses was conducted. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies were identified, and 12 were included. A total of 1467 participants experienced 772 adverse effects, 81 % (n = 627) in the treatment group and 19 % (n = 145) in the control group. Sixty-seven percent of AE was graded as mild and 33 % as moderate. The frequency of AE for NHD was overall significant compared to placebo. Sub-group analysis indicated that AE frequency and severity increased at higher doses of venlafaxine and gabapentin compared to placebo. CONCLUSION: The odds for experiencing AE was significantly higher in patients randomized to high-dose NHD than those randomized to controls, including placebo, low-dose medication and acupuncture. These therapies should be considered as a potential treatment alternative.