The Prevalence and Potential Role of Pain Beliefs When Managing Later-Life Pain.

Objectives: In this study of 154 community-dwelling older adults with chronic noncancer pain, we sought to assess participants' beliefs about pain as well as pain management treatments and to determine the influence of those beliefs on participants' willingness to undertake 3 physician-recommended pain treatments, that is, a pharmacologic, physical, and psychological therapy.

Materials And Methods: A 16-item questionnaire was employed to ascertain participants' pain beliefs, divided into 4 subscales representing: (1) negative beliefs about pharmacological treatments, (2) positive beliefs about physical treatment approaches, for example, exercise, (3) positive beliefs about psychological treatments, and (4) fatalistic beliefs about pain. Participants were asked to rate their willingness to undertake a pharmacologic, physical, or psychological therapy if their physician recommended that they do so.

Reappraising the Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria: A Case Series.

Introduction: Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS), a condition characterized by painful ophthalmoplegia and accompanied by cranial nerve palsies, remains as a diagnosis of exclusion. Nevertheless, the 3rd Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) has refined its diagnostic criteria to require the demonstration of granulomatous inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging or biopsy. We sought to assess the effectiveness of the new criteria in arriving at accurate diagnoses.

A Better Method for Repairing Lumbar Dural Tears? A Review of the Literature.

Although dural tears are a frequent complication of lumbar spine surgery, no standardized method exists for their treatment. Given the growing number of spinal procedures performed worldwide, it is important to codify an effective strategy for managing repair of the dura mater. This paper is a review of the comparative effectiveness of the current treatments available for dural tears.

Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome: Appraising the ICHD-3 beta diagnostic criteria.

Introduction The term Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome was first used more than half a century ago to describe painful ophthalmoplegia accompanied by cranial nerve palsies. In the decades since, its diagnostic criteria have evolved considerably. The beta version of the 3rd Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders narrows these criteria to require the demonstration of granulomatous inflammation on MRI or biopsy.