We present a double-blind trial in which a pulsed infrared beam was compared with a placebo in the treatment of myofascial pain in the cervical region.

The patients were submitted to 12 sessions on alternate days to a total energy dose of 5 J each. At each session, the four most painful muscular trigger points and five bilateral homometameric acupuncture points were irradiated.

Those in the placebo group submitted to the same number of sessions following an identical procedure, the only difference being that the laser apparatus was nonoperational. Leggi tutto...

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Tritiated imipramine binding to whole platelets was measured in 16 chronic pain patients who were free from major depression, and in a control group.

The maximum binding was significantly lower in chronic pain patients than in the control group, whereas the binding affinity was not significantly different.

Twelve patients were treated with mianserin for 21 days; this produced a significant improvement in the mean scores for pain (evaluated with the McGill Questionnaire) and depressive symptoms (assessed with the Zung Self-Rating Scale). Leggi tutto...