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Related Concept Videos

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:31

Skeletal Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses

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Skeletal muscle relaxants are used to relax muscle tone and alleviate painful muscle contractions. However, the choice of skeletal muscle relaxants depends on the duration of the surgical procedure in order to minimize potential side effects. Skeletal muscle relaxants like neuromuscular blocking agents [NMBAs] are commonly employed as adjuvants alongside general anesthetics in clinical settings. NMBAs are also used to maintain controlled ventilation during surgery of the larynx or pharynx...
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Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

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Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
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Spasmolytic Agents: Chemical Classification01:29

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Spasmolytic agents are drugs used to alleviate muscle spasms and spasticity. They can be categorized into different chemical groups based on their mechanisms of action. Centrally acting spasmolytics primarily affect the spinal cord, while others directly target skeletal muscle cells.
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Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants: Therapeutic Uses01:24

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Centrally acting muscle relaxants reduce muscle tone and tension by interfering with the postsynaptic reflexes in the central nervous system.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 9, 2025

Biomechanical Changes Related to Low Back Pain: An Innovative Tool for Movement Pattern Assessment and Treatment Evaluation in Rehabilitation
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Primary benign back pain: supplementation with Pycnogenol®.

David Cox1, Gianni Belcaro2,3,4, Maria R Cesarone1,3,4

  • 1IRVINE3 Vascular/Circulation Labs, Pescara, Italy.

Panminerva Medica
|December 17, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pycnogenol® (French Maritime Pine Bark extract) supplementation significantly improved back pain, mobility, and physical capacity in patients. This natural extract demonstrated faster recovery and reduced need for pain medication compared to standard management alone.

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Area of Science:

  • Nutraceuticals
  • Pain Management
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Back pain (BP) is a prevalent condition managed by general practitioners.
  • Idiopathic recurrent back pain affects mobility and quality of life.
  • Evaluating natural supplements for BP management is of clinical interest.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of Pycnogenol® (French Maritime Pine Bark extract) in managing recurring back pain.
  • To evaluate the impact of Pycnogenol® on pain, mobility, and muscle spasm.
  • To compare Pycnogenol® combined with standard management (SM) against SM alone.

Main Methods:

  • A pilot registry study with a 3-week follow-up period.
  • Participants received either SM or SM plus 200 mg/day of Pycnogenol®.
  • Outcomes included pain scores, mobility, physical capacity (Karnofsky Scale), and rescue medication use.

Main Results:

  • Pycnogenol® group showed significantly faster and greater improvement in physical capacity and pain reduction (VASL score).
  • Patients supplemented with Pycnogenol® returned to physical training sooner (3 weeks vs. 4.5 weeks).
  • Pycnogenol® significantly reduced oxidative stress and decreased the need for rescue medication (ibuprofen).

Conclusions:

  • Pycnogenol® is an effective and safe supplementary treatment for idiopathic back pain.
  • Improvements in mobility, pain, and physical capacity were observed rapidly, within a week.
  • Pycnogenol® supplementation offers superior and accelerated results compared to standard management alone.