Genetic aspects of pain and its variability in the human population.

The sensation of pain is common to both animals and human beings. Its threshold, intensity, tolerability, and characteristics are variable and depend on ethnicity, gender, stress exposure, co-existing mental disorders, such as depression or anxiety, social and economical background, as well as on genetic factors. It is estimated that about 5 and 20 percent of population suffer from acute and chronic pain, respectively, which results in the search for medical advice in healthcare facilities, and causes great expenses in health care budgets worldwide.

Spinal adhesive arachnoiditis: three case reports and review of literature.

Spinal adhesive arachnoiditis is a rare pathology involving pia mater of the spinal cord and nerve roots. It can potentially lead to disability-many patients end up wheelchair-bound due to subsequent paraparesis. It is an infrequent but possible cause of lower extremities weakness in patients with a history of spinal surgery, epidural anaesthesia, myelography or spinal tumors.