ABSTRACT
Extracorporeal shock waves are unique sound waves that generate a rapid increase in pressure in the tissues in which they are applied. They were first used on the management of urolithiasis and later spread to other pathologies such as musculoskeletal. A series of studies have been carried out to support the usefulness of shock waves in patients with plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, epicondylitis, rotator cuff injury with or without calcification, patellar tendinopathy and peritrochanteric pathology that has lasted more than three months and have not responded to the initial handling. There is no consensus regarding the specific protocols to be used. In these conditions, shock waves are only a part of a comprehensive treatment, and should always be associated with other conventional therapies. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy/methods , Tennis Elbow/therapy , Fasciitis, Plantar/therapy , Tendinopathy/therapy , Rotator Cuff Injuries/therapy , Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Pain is an individual and subjective experience, recognized as an important public health issue. Further, pain is a complex phenomenon which needs a transdisciplinary approach. Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients admitted in a Pain Unit. Methods: We performed an observational prospective study that analyzed the medical records of patients who attend the Pain Clinic, at the Rehabilitation Unit in the University of Chile Clinical Hospital, between April 2012 and April 2013. Results: Women are more frequently affected by pain (78.50 percent), with a mean age of 54 years old. The mean duration of pain was 1.76 years and the most common presentation was low-backache (54.21 percent) with moderate intensity. Most of the patients were taking painkillers (75.70 percent), preferably aracetamol and NSAIDs. 47.66 percent suffered from mixed pain and a 92.52 percent manifested chronic pain. Myofascial pain and osteoarthritis were the more frequent causes. After admission, a more appropriated treatment was prescribed in all of the patients, most of them consisting in opioids and antiepileptic drugs, associated with interventional techniques (60.75 percent). As a consequence, 67.09 percent of the patients had a significant decrease in pain intensity. Conclusion: It is necessary to generate epidemiological research lines that support health policies and allows a transdisciplinary pain management...