OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of the Whirlpool hydrotherapy on pain and anxiety in chronic myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) patients, compared to the conventional hydrocollator pack therapy. METHODS Forty-one subjects who have MPS in the upper trapezius muscles without depression were recruited. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups: the whirlpool therapy group whose bodies wer...

The purpose of this article is to describe the current state-of-the-art regarding the co-occurrence of the anxiety disorders and chronic pain. First, we describe the core characteristics of chronic pain and its co-occurrence with the anxiety disorders. Second, we review data on the prevalence of co-occurrence. Third, we describe the mutual maintenance and shared vulnerability models, both of wh...

Aims: To explore the relationship between frequency of pain episodes and depression, anxiety, and health related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). Materials and methods: Ten males and twelve females, between the ages of 12 and 19, selected during admittance to pediatric hematology outpatients of city hospital with a vaso-occlusive crisis in the period betwee...

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of noise-cancelling headphones with or without music on patient pain and anxiety associated with routine, office-based transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy in a prospective randomized study. METHODS Patients scheduled for prostate biopsy as a result of elevated prostate-specific antigen and/or abnormal digital rectal examination were prospectivel...

PURPOSE Chronic pain is a significant comorbidity in individuals with alcohol dependence (AD). Emotional processing deficits are a substantial component of both AD and chronic pain. The aim of this study was to analyze the interrelations between components of emotional intelligence and self-reported pain severity in AD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS A sample of 103 participants was recruited ...

BACKGROUND Phantom limb pain (PLP) is approximately a common condition after limb amputation, which potentially affects the quality of life. We aimed to evaluate anxiety and depression in patients with amputated limbs suffering from PLP and to compare these psychological dysfunctions with that of patients with non-phantom chronic pain. METHODS A total number of 16 male amputees with PLP and 2...

OBJECTIVES Alexithymia is highly prevalent among chronic pain patients. Pain is a remarkable cause for high levels of chronic anxiety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of alexithymia and to determine anxiety levels among DSM-IV somatoform pain disorder (chronic pain) female patients and to examine the relationship between alexithymia and the self-reporting of pain. ...