Low back pain (LBP) is the most common cause of chronic pain. Numerous clinical scales are available for evaluating pain, but their objective criteria in the management of LBP patients remain unclear. This study aimed to determine an objective cutoff value for a change in the Pain Intensity Numerical Rating Scale (ΔPI-NRS) three months after LBP treatment. Its utility was compared with changes in six commonly used clinical scales in LBP patients: Pain Disability Assessment Scale (PDAS), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEC), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), EuroQoL 5 Dimension (EQ5D), and Locomo 25. We included 161 LBP patients treated in two representative pain management centers. Patients were partitioned into two groups based on patient’s global impression of change (PGIC) three months after treatment: satisfied (PGIC = 1, 2) and unsatisfied (3–7). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to explore relevant scales in distinguishing the two groups. We found ΔPI-NRS to be most closely associated with PGIC status regardless of pre-treatment pain intensity, followed by ΔEQ5D, ΔPDAS, ΔPSEC, and ΔPCS. The ΔPI-NRS cutoff value for distinguishing the PGIC status was determined by ROC analysis to be 1.3–1.8 depending on pre-treatment PI-NRS, which was rounded up to ΔPI-NRS = 2 for general use. Spearman’s correlation coefficient revealed close relationships between ΔPI-NRS and the six other clinical scales. Therefore, we determined cutoff values of these scales in distinguishing the status of ΔPI-NRS≥2 vs. ΔPI-NRS<2 to be as follows: ΔPDAS, 6.71; ΔPSEC, 6.48; ΔPCS, 6.48; ΔAIS, 1.91; ΔEQ5D, 0.08; and ΔLocomo 25, 9.31. These can be used as definitive indicator of therapeutic outcome in the management of chronic LBP patients.

Background The Japanese medical system is unique because it is the only country in the world where Western medicine and traditional Japanese medicine including Kampomedicine, traditional Japanese...

Objectives: This study investigated the common health conditions leading to presenteeism and the economic impact among Japanese workers in the post-COVID-19 era. Methods: Between February and March 2023, 10,000 workers responded to a web-based, cross-sectional survey on health problems that interfered with their work, degree of presenteeism, and teleworking status. Results: Approximately 35.6% of workers faced health problems that impacted their work. The primary health problems leading to presenteeism were low back pain, neck pain/stiff shoulders, and mental illness, which varied slightly with age and work style. The estimated annual costs due to presenteeism per 1000 employees were $488,210 for low back pain, $346,308 for neck pain/stiff shoulders, and $327,137 for mental illness. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that presenteeism measures, primarily for musculoskeletal pain and mental health problems, are required to increase work productivity.

Frozen shoulder is a common disorder in general orthopedic practice, characterized by spontaneous onset of pain in the shoulder and accompanied by limitation of glenohumeral movement. Treatments for frozen shoulder include shoulder exercise, manual therapy, corticosteroid injection, manipulation under anesthesia, and arthroscopic capsular release. Several patients suffer from some degree of pain and range of motion limitation for up to 10 years even when these treatments are applied. Kampo, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine based on traditional Chinese herbal medicine, has been used for the treatment of pain in Japan. Nijutsuto has been a Kampo formula used to effectively treat frozen shoulder. Thirteen patients suffering from long-term frozen shoulder refractory to Western medical treatment were administered Nijututo. Almost all patients experienced sound pain relief after Nijutsuto admnistration. There were no severe side effects reported. Nijutsuto combined with an exercise program improved pain intensity in 13 patients with long-term frozen shoulder.

There are patients who suffer from persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder (PDAP) which is a pain of the teeth, either dentoalveolar pain or nonodontogenic toothache, and its cause has not yet been identified. An effective intervention for PDAP has not yet been established. Interventions for patients with PDAP are generally pharmacological treatments such as antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and pregabalin. However, these medicines are not always effective for patients. The pain disorder in the orofacial region including temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and PDAP was effectively treated with our original exercise therapy. However, we did observe some intractable cases of PDAP even when our original exercise therapy was used. This paper presents our findings in which Kamishoyosan improved the pain intensity in 14 out of 15 PDAP patients refractory to our original exercise therapy.

Background/Objectives: The prevalence of pain increases with age, particularly in middle-aged women, when sex hormone levels fluctuate drastically. While climacteric symptoms and their relationship with pain have been extensively studied in women, it remains unclear whether these symptoms and their association with pain are limited to women. This study aimed to investigate the association between climacteric symptoms and pain in both women and men. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey using a non-probability quota panel conducted in March 2024 assessed the presence, location, and intensity of pain during the past 28 days (numerical rating scale ≥ 1, irrespective of pain duration) among 6000 Japanese adults aged 30–59 years (3000 women, 3000 men). Climacteric symptoms were assessed using the Simplified Menopausal Index for women and the Aging Males’ Symptoms scale for men. Quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L. Pain intensity was analyzed only in participants with pain (433 women, 488 men). Results: As symptom scores increased, both men and women showed higher pain prevalence and intensity and lower quality of life. Symptom scores were positively correlated with pain intensity in both sexes (Spearman’s ρ = 0.35 in women, 0.39 in men), with no evidence of a sex difference (interaction p = 0.991). Somatic scores showed the strongest associations (standardized β = 0.21 in women, 0.22 in men), followed by vasomotor symptoms in women (β = 0.16) and psychological symptoms in men (β = 0.20). The associations remained after excluding pain-related items. Conclusions: Climacteric symptoms were associated with pain intensity in both men and women, without clear evidence of a sex difference. Causality cannot be inferred from this cross-sectional design; prospective studies are needed.