Epidural steroid injections in the management of low-back pain with radiculopathy: an update of their efficacy and safety.

Introduction: Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) have been widely used for over 50 years in the treatment of low-back pain with radiculopathy. Most interventional pain physicians strongly believe in their efficacy and safety. Recent Cochrane systematic reviews have disclosed controversial results and have questioned the effectiveness of ESIs.

Camptocormia: the bent spine syndrome, an update.

Camptocormia, also referred to as bent spine syndrome (BSS) is defined as an abnormal flexion of the trunk, appearing in standing position, increasing during walking and abating in supine position. BSS was initially considered, especially in wartime, as a psychogenic disorder. It is now recognized that in addition to psychiatric syndromes, many cases of reducible BSS have a somatic origin related to a number of musculo-skeletal or neurological disorders.

Comparative effects of electroacupuncture and transcutaneous nerve stimulation on the human blink reflex.

The effects of low frequency (2 Hz) high intensity (10-12 mA) (electroacupuncture, EA) and of high frequency (100 Hz) low intensity (2 mA) (transcutaneous nerve stimulation, TNS) conditioning stimuli were studied on the nociceptive component (R2) of the blink reflex in normal volunteers. EA induced a progressive and moderate partially naloxone-reversible depression in the R2 response. In contrast, TNS induced a rapid and major depression in this reflex.