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INFORMATION FOR

Hajime Tokuno, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

Contact Information

Hajime Tokuno, MD

Research Summary

I have an interest in studying patients with chronic pain syndromes. I focus on subjects with myofascial pain syndromes, neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndrome (a.k.a. reflex sympathetic dystrophy).

Extensive Research Description

1. The effect of botulinum toxins on chronic myofascial pain syndromes. We are actively enrolling in one study looking at the benefits of botulinum toxins for individuals with chronic neck or chronic back pain. The concept behind the use of botulinum toxins in subjects with chronic myofascial pain is based a belief that a significant part of the pain is due to unregulated muscular activity in the setting of mechanical injury.

2. The development of novel pain scores for tracking chronic pain conditions. We are developing several new pathways of pain scoring that may better predict outcomes in new treatment possibilities.

3. The clinical uses of infrared thermography in diagnosing and assessing severity of nerve or muscle injuries.

Research Interests

Back Pain; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Neuromuscular Diseases; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Neck Pain; Muscular Disorders, Atrophic

Research Image

Thermographic image of a plegic right leg

The patient in this false color image has a foot drop on the right side due to a peroneal nerve injury (confirmed by EMG). The left leg (seen here on the right of the photo) shows a bright signal due to the normal heat output from an intact tibialis anterior muscle.

Selected Publications

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