No abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of auricular vagus nerve stimulation, applied in conjunction with an exercise treatment program, on pain and life quality in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). To achieve the study objectives, 60 female patients between the ages 18 and 50, with diagnosed FMS according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 diagnostic criteria, were randomly divided into 2 groups of 30. The first group was assigned 20 sessions of a home-based exercise program, while the second group was assigned 20 sessions of auricular vagus nerve stimulation and 20 sessions of a home-based exercise program. Patients were assessed before and after the treatments using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Beck Depression Scale for depression, Beck Anxiety Scale for anxiety, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) for functional evaluation, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) for life quality. In this randomized controlled trial, comparisons within the groups revealed that both groups had statistically significant improvements in pain, depression, anxiety, functionality, and life quality scores (p < 0:05), while comparisons across the groups revealed that the group experiencing the vagus nerve stimulation had no statistically significant differences between the baseline scores, except for those of SF-36's subparameters of physical function, social functionality, and pain. In fact, comparisons across the groups after the interventions revealed that the group experiencing the vagus nerve stimulation had better scores but not statistically significant. From analysis of this data, we observed that vagus nerve stimulation in FMS treatment did not give additional benefit together with exercise, except for three subparameters of SF-36. It was identified that further studies which separately investigate the effects of vagus nerve stimulation and exercise on FMS with longer follow-up periods and an increased number of patients are needed.

Background: This study, investigated the effect of physiotherapy applications around the masseter on neck pain in individuals with masseter-derived cervical myofascial pain.Materials and methods: The study included 90 participants between the ages of 18-30 who attend Bahçeşehir University. Their average age was 24.5 ± 2.4. The participants were divided into three groups: the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) group (n = 30), the control group (n = 30), and the friction group (n = 30). A different intervention was applied to each group three times a week for four weeks. The TENS group received conventional TENS application and relaxation exercises. The control group performed exercises for respiration, posture, and range of motion. The friction group received masseter muscle friction massage and performed a relaxation exercise program which included exercises for the mandibular joint. All of the evaluation parameters were repeated at the end of the twelfth session for each group.Results: After treatment, scores of the visual analogue scale (VAS), Neck Pain and Disability Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were found to be significantly lower (p < 0.05) for the treatment groups and control group. When the three groups were compared among themselves, there was no significant difference found between them (p > 0.05).Conclusions: Once again, we found the importance of exercise and described the anatomical relationship between the cervical region and the temporomandibular region. However, TENS, relaxation exercises and friction massage applications have no advantages over one another.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the preferences of physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) residents in Turkey for future career choices, subspecialty training plans, and practice location and to identify the factors that influence those preferences. Materials and methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, a survey was sent to all PRM residents enrolled in the Turkish Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Turkish League Against Rheumatism (n=500). A total of 181 residents (36%) (74 males, 107 females; mean age 28.8 years; range 24 to 40 years) responded to the survey. Data were collected about demographic profile of respondents and PRM clinics, respondents' experiences in rheumatology education and injection skills, preferences for fellowship training, and future practice location. Results: Thirty-five percent of residents intended to pursue fellowship training. Rheumatology was more preferred than algology. Male sex was positively associated with the decision to pursue fellowship training and also having an algology division in the PRM department was positively associated with planning to pursue algology fellowship training. For those planning to pursue fellowship training, the most influential factors were prestige, interest in an academic career and the possibility of performing compulsory service in a better location. Thirty-four percent of residents preferred to work in university hospitals after residency while 57% of residents who planned to pursue fellowship training preferred to practice at university hospitals after their fellowship. Thus, an academically oriented career was the most desirable career choice. Conclusion: One-third of residents training in Turkey chose to pursue fellowship training and work in university hospitals. Performing compulsory service was the top factor affecting the decisions of both undecided and reluctant residents; thus, career plans of PRM residents in Turkey are not based solely on personal and professional desires, but require consideration of compulsory service.

Purpose:Patients diagnosed as thoracolumbar junction syndrome were divided into 3 treatment groups and the results of each modality were compared.Materials and Method:30 Patients were included in the study with the definitive diagnosis of Maigne’s Syndrome. The first group received exercise therapy, the second group was treated with local steroid injections and the third group was the combination therapy group of both injection and exercise.Findings:30 Patients were divided into 3 groups. Each group had 10 patients. The average age of the groups was detected to be 23.43 ± 3.75. A flattening was detected in 4 patients of the first group (40%), 6 patients of the second group (60%) and 4 patients of the third group (40%) during the lumbar lordosis. While the average difference of the VAS values was (2.80) as the lowest for the injection group before and after treatment at rest, the highest value (3.30) was observed in the combined treatment group. The results shown on the Oswestry scale of the first month difference (16.10), and the third month difference (22.40) were statistically better than the other groups in the combined treatment group.Results:As a result of this study, while in all three treatment groups in the Oswestry scale, VAS scores at rest or at movement during the regular controls before and after the treatment showed statistically significant difference; the best results were obtained in the group administered to the combined injection and exercise therapy.