Managing pain in practice - 2011

Improving compliance with GI protection – the role of the pharmacist
Ron Pate
pp 1-3
The prevalence of dyspepsia is estimated to be 23–41% of the population, and approximately 25% of these patients will need to seek their GP’s advice for dyspepsia symptoms. This represents about one in ten people – in other words, it is a fairly common situation.

Diagnosis and management of non-cardiac chest pain
Abhishek Sharma and Peter Paine
pp 4-6
Chest pain that mimics cardiac ischaemia, but is not caused by cardiac disease, is known as ‘non-cardiac chest pain’ (NCCP). Although the results of clinical investigations are negative in a significant proportion of patients with NCCP, in the majority of cases, patients are found to have an oesophageal disorder, the most common being reflux disease. This short review discusses the diagnostic work-up and treatment options for NCCP, focusing on oesophageal disorders.

Comment: Gaining value from clinical studies
Dominic Aldington
pp 5-5
The first thing I must do is apologise that it has been so long since Managing pain in practice was last published. I am confident that the journal is now established on a firm footing and will be published regularly over 2011.

How hypermobility contributes to pain
Rosemary J Keer
pp 7-8
Pain is one of the most common reasons for consulting a healthcare professional, but in many cases it is not easy to find its cause. This is especially true with non-traumatic musculoskeletal pain, such as low back pain, where in around 80% of cases the diagnosis is non-specific. However, there may be a cause, or at least a contributing factor, that is rarely considered, but which can have a significant effect on the outcome of many musculoskeletal complaints – hypermobility.

How prevalent is chronic pain?
Claire Frampton
pp 9-11
Chronic pain affects the general health, psychological health and socioeconomic well-being of individuals. But does it also affect the population as a whole? How common is chronic pain, and is it as much of a burden on the population as it is on the individual? Information on the prevalence of chronic pain will enable better planning of healthcare services, better allocation of scarce healthcare resources and, ultimately, better pain management.