What Triggers Complex Regional Pain Syndrome After Minor Injury?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$958,898.00
Summary
Most people recover from minor trauma but some develop very disabling, difficult to treat, costly pain syndromes. We can identify those at high risk of developing such a syndrome after wrist fracture. By comparing inflammation, immune system function, stress, brain function and behaviour between high and low risk patients, we will take a major step towards understanding, preventing and treating these syndromes.
Thalamic Neuroplasticity And Pain Following Spinal Cord Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$299,520.00
Summary
Pain is a major problem for people with spinal cord injuries and is common, severe and difficult to treat. There is increasing evidence to suggest that pain may be linked to specific changes in some brain regions following a spinal cord injury. Several possible brain changes have been suggested but not investigated fully and have different implications for treatment. This project aims to characterise these brain changes with the purpose of developing novel effective and targeted treatments.
Physical, Lifestyle And Psychosocial Determinants Of Spinal Pain Development In Adolescents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$682,800.00
Summary
This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pai ....This project aims to understand the development of back and neck pain in adolescence. By the age of 16 around half of all adolescents have suffered back pain and one third have suffered neck pain. For many adolescents this pain is disabling and over a third of sufferers miss school, miss recreation and seek medical help. The current understanding of back and neck pain in adolescence is quite limited - restricting the effectiveness of initiatives to prevent adolescents having to suffer spinal pain and of treatment of those adolescents unlucky enough to have an episode. Better understanding and interventions for adolescent spinal pain will also have longer term implications by reducing adult spinal pain. Four out of 5 adults will experience spinal pain. In the USA treating adult back pain is the 4th largest health care cost. Many adults with chronic back pain had their first episode during adolescence. A better understanding of spinal pain in adolescence may help prevent it developing into a lifelong disability. We will collect information from 2,000 adolescents on their experience of back and neck pain and on potential physical, lifestyle and psychosocial risk factors. We believe factors such as their posture, muscle capacity, TV and computer use, mental health and social situation all combine to influence whether a person develops back or neck pain. The project is unique as it will not only collect a broad range of information during adolescence, but will also make use of a large database of health, developmental and psychosocial information already collected from these children since birth. With a better understanding of the development of spinal pain we will be able to develop guidelines to help prevent these problems. We will also be able to develop better treatment plans for sub-groups of adolescents with a particular combination of risk factors. Together these initiatives will assist in understanding and breaking the pathway to chronic spinal pain.Read moreRead less
Back pain reduces Australia�s GDP by $3.2 Billion per annum with over $1 billion being spent each year on low back pain treatments. While it makes sense to devote resources to prevention, unfortunately most prevention strategies do not work.We need a new approach based upon a better understanding of what triggers an episode of back pain. By studying risk factors that occur immediately prior to an episode of low back pain this project will increase understanding of what triggers an episode and op ....Back pain reduces Australia�s GDP by $3.2 Billion per annum with over $1 billion being spent each year on low back pain treatments. While it makes sense to devote resources to prevention, unfortunately most prevention strategies do not work.We need a new approach based upon a better understanding of what triggers an episode of back pain. By studying risk factors that occur immediately prior to an episode of low back pain this project will increase understanding of what triggers an episode and open the way for new, effective prevention programs.Read moreRead less
Improving Outcomes In Low Back Pain: Targeting Specific Therapies To Patient Subgroups
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$435,061.00
Summary
Low back pain is a major health problem worldwide. There is a lack of effective treatments and a “one size fits all” approach to treatment is being used. This innovative research program aims to change the way back pain is treated, by identifying specific types of back pain, determining the effectiveness of treatments for these types of back pain, and translating a targeted approach to management into clinical practice to improve the health of individuals with back pain.
An Exploration Of The Mechanisms Underlying A Novel Pain Biology Education Intervention (Explain Pain) In Reducing The Development Of Chronic Low Back Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$106,057.00
Summary
Chronic low back pain is a massive health problem in Australia. This research will investigate the underlying mechanisms of modulating one’s thoughts and beliefs about their pain via a psychoeducative intervention after an acute episode of low back pain. Exploring the mechanisms of this intervention is a crucial step towards understanding how explaining pain could reduce the development of chronic low back pain from an acute episode of low back pain.
The First Placebo-controlled Trial Of Opioid Analgesics For Acute Spinal Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,024,067.00
Summary
Despite the widespread and increasing use of opioid analgesics, there is a complete lack of evidence on their efficacy in acute spinal pain. Concerns are also being raised because of the risks of potentially serious adverse events associated with opioid analgesics. In this world-first study, we will establish whether using opioid analgesics can effective reduce pain in people with acute spinal pain and provide rigorous evidence to inform the safe and appropriate use of this medicine.
Is Low Dose Amitriptyline More Effective Than Placebo In The Management Of Chronic, Neuropathic Low Back Pain? A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial With An Economic Evaluation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$306,889.00
Summary
Chronic low back pain is a major public health problem in Australia. Antidepressants are a common treatment for low back pain, with physicians often prescribing them at low doses for the treatment of pain. However, the use of antidepressants for low back pain is unproven. We aim to perform a clinical trial to examine whether antidepressants are more effective than placebo in reducing pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain.
Pregabalin In Addition To Usual Care For Sciatica (PRECISE): A Randomised, Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,663.00
Summary
Sciatica is a severe and disabling form of back pain that is characterised by radiating pain down the leg. However there is little evidence on how best to treat it conservatively. We propose to investigate the effectiveness of pregabalin, a medication that specifically targets sciatic pain, in addition to usual care in 204 patients with sciatica. We hypothesise that adding pregabalin will be more effective in reducing the severity of leg pain.
Innovation In The Primary Care Management Of Back Pain
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$152,595.00
Summary
Back pain affect millions of Australians. Billions of dollars are spent each year on treament but health outcomes are often poor. Experience from overseas shows that simply spending more money on current treatments won’t fix the problem. This fellowship will be used to support a program of research to improve the quality and efficiency of treatments and health services.