New Books

Breaking News

This section includes a wide variety of pain management stories, arranged by date and type (not significance), which have appeared in the popular media (print, broadcast, and on-line) in the last month. Because of the volume of stories, only the first few are included on the main page. Be sure to click on "More Stories" at the bottom of each front page section.

Pain Studies In The News

Scientists discover way of measuring pain
June 07, 2009 Source: The Sunday Times (U.K.).
Until now, the main way of assessing pain is to ask people what they are feeling, as there has never been a way of peering inside the brain to see what nerves are being activated. However, a series of studies involving brain imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shown distinct differences between the brains of people in pain and others who are not. Story

Exercise more, not less, to ease aching back, study suggests
June 3, 2009 Source: University of Alberta
A new study of 240 men and women with chronic lower-back pain showed that those who exercised four days a week had a better quality of life, 28 per cent less pain and 36 per cent less disability, while those who hit the gym only two or three days a week did not show the same level of change.Story

More Pain Studies In The News

Pain Stories In The News

Beware of cell phone elbow
June 03, 2009 Source: HealthDay News
First came Nintendo thumb. Then, Guitar Hero wrist. Now, for the latest affliction of the wired age, its cell phone elbow. Medically known as cubital tunnel syndrome, cell phone elbow is numbness, tingling and pain in the forearm and hand caused by compression of the ulnar nerve, which passes along the bony bump on the inside of the elbow. One of the causes of pressure on the ulnar nerve? Too much gabbing, often brought on by those cell phone plans with unlimited minutes, experts say. Story

Pfizer Canada announces recipients of Neuropathic Pain Research Awards Program Awards competition dedicated to neuropathic pain research
June 02, 2009 Source: Pfizer Canada
New Mexican patients with severe chronic pain have been added to the list of those who are eligible to use medical marijuana. The state already allows its use for pain and other symptoms from 14 debilitating illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, HIV-AIDS and certain spinal cord injuries. Story

More Pain Stories In The News

Policy and Law

FDA report urges tougher acetaminophen warning
May 28, 2009 Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
One month after mandating stricter warning labels about the risk of liver damage from the painkiller acetaminophen, U.S. regulators are contemplating even tougher standards. Part of the problem, according to an FDA report, is that severe liver damage can result from a lack of consumer awareness that acetaminophen can cause such injury. Also, many people may take more than the recommended dose of over-the-counter pain relievers in the mistaken belief that taking more will be more effective against pain without posing health risks. Story

FDA clears Medtronic cervical disc
May 27, 2009 Source: Reuters
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it approved Medtronic Inc's artificial cervical disc, a titanium and polyurethane device that fits between adjacent neck bones to replace a diseased or bulging cervical disc that often causes neck pain. Story

PRN calls on Obama lawyers to stand down in their drug war on patients and doctors
May 18, 2009 Source: Pain Relief Network
The Pain Relief Network is calling on the Obama Administration to require the Department of Justice to join the organization's recent filing of a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of Dr. Sharon Johnston. Story

Product News & Clinical Trial Reports

90% of patients with Charnley protheses pain free after 30 years
June 05, 2009 Source: The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
The long term success of the Charnley low-frictional arthroplasty has been demonstrated today with a follow-up study of patients 30 to 40 years after treatment. Overall, 90% of the hips were free from pain and activity was reported as normal in 58% of patients. Story

Palladian Health to implement ClinicaCDS Clinical Decision Support application for Palladian Coordinated Spine CareSM
June 03, 2009 Source: Palladian Health
Palladian Health, LLC announced today that it has entered into a technology development partnership to implement ClinicaCDS©, a Clinical Decision Support Service, as part of its recently announced program, Palladian Coordinated Spine CareSM. Palladian Coordinated Spine CareSM provides interactive web based Clinical Decision Support to patients and clinicians to deliver evidence based treatment recommendations at the point of care. Story

More Product News & Clinical Trial Reports

Prescription Addiction, Diversion, and Abuse

Hacking of Rx database could lead to headaches
May 11, 2009 Source: Virginian-Pilot
Until it was shut down in the wake of the hacker attack, a database that contains records of every prescription dispensed by Virginia pharmacies of certain drugs with a high potential for abuse, allowed doctors and pharmacists to track those prescriptions and watch for patterns of abuse. The possible breach of a state electronic prescription drug database could have an ironic effect: promotion of prescription drug fraud and abuse, the very thing the system was set up to deter. Story

Research Abstracts Stay up-to-date on the latest research! This section of Currents offers complete abstracts on a wide variety of pain and pain management topics that have been selected from the National Library of Medicine. All Abstracts

Some include:

Andrews CM, Krantz MJ, Wedam EF, et al.
Methadone-induced mortality in the treatment of chronic pain: role of QT prolongation. Abstract

Bartsch T, Paemeleire K, Goadsby PJ.
Neurostimulation approaches to primary headache disorders. Abstract

Hall AM, Maher CG, Latimer J, et al.
A randomized controlled trial of tai chi for long-term low back pain (TAI CHI): study rationale, design, and methods. Abstract

Lunde LH, Nordhus IH, Pallesen S.
The effectiveness of cognitive and behavioural treatment of chronic pain in the elderly: a quantitative review. Abstract

Matayoshi S, Shimodozono M, Hirata Y, et al.
Use of calcitonin to prevent complex regional pain syndrome type I in severe hemiplegic patients after stroke. Abstract

Young IA, Michener LA, Cleland JA, et al.
Manual therapy, exercise, and traction for patients with cervical radiculopathy: a randomized clinical trial. Abstract

258 Research Abstracts

Legislative and Administrative Updates

Branch of Government: Connecticut. House
Title: H.B. 6301
Summary:Concerns the practice of pharmacy and electronic prescriptions; allows pharmacies to maintain prescriptions electronically; allows physicians to transmit prescriptions for schedule II drugs to pharmacies electronically, subject to provisions of the federal Controlled Substances Act; provides for maintenance of records; provides for auditing and security of such transmissions to maintain patient privacy.
Sponsor: Joint General Law
Status:
01/29/2009 Introduced.
01/29/2009 To Joint Select Committee on General Law.
02/19/2009 From Joint Committee on General Law: Reported favorably.
02/19/2009 Filed with Legislative Commissioner's Office.
02/27/2009 Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis.
03/09/2009 Reported out of Legislative Commissioner's Office.
03/09/2009 Reissued by Legislative Commissioner's Office with File No. 37.
03/31/2009 To Joint Committee on Public Health.
04/06/2009 From Joint Committee on Public Health: Reported favorably.
04/07/2009 Filed with Legislative Commissioner's Office.
04/07/2009 Reported out of Legislative Commissioner's Office.
04/14/2009 Passed House. *****To Senate.
04/29/2009 Passed Senate.
05/06/2009 Enrolled Public Act No. 09-22.
05/08/2009 Signed by Governer.
[Full Text]

Branch of Government: Connecticut. Senate
Title: S.B. 243
Summary: Concerns training in pain management for nursing home staff; requires direct care nursing home staff to have annual training in pain recognition and the administration of pain management techniques.
Sponsor: Prague
Status:
01/22/2009 Introduced.
01/22/2009 To Joint Select Committee on Aging.
02/10/2009 Drafted by Committee.
02/11/2009 To Joint Select Committee on Aging.
03/05/2009 From Joint Select Committee on Aging: Reported favorably and recommended change of reference.
03/05/2009 Filed with Legislative Commissioner's Office.
03/09/2009 Reported out of Legislative Commissioner's Office.
03/10/2009 To Joint Committee on Public Health.
03/20/2009 From Joint Committee on Public Health: Reported favorably.
03/23/2009 Filed with Legislative Commissioner's Office.
04/02/2009 Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis.
04/08/2009 Reported out of Legislative Commissioner's Office.
04/08/2009 Reissued by Legislative Commissioner's Office with File No. 531.
04/14/2009 Passed Senate. *****To House.
05/20/2009 Senate Adopted House Amendment Schedule A
05/20/2009 Senate Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A
06/01/2009 (LCO) Public Act 09-108
06/05/2009 Signed by the Governor.
[Full Text]

More Legislative and Administrative Updates

New Practice Guidelines

Back Pain
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
Adult low back pain
[Summary]

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Low back pain: Early management of persistent non-specific low back painFull Text:
[Full Text]

More Practice Guidelines

New Clinical Trials

Alabama

Urologic Diseases
City: Birmingham
Summary: A study to determine if clinically relevant subsets exist in patients meeting the diagnosis of painful bladder syndrome.

California

Cancer Pain
City: Duarte
Summary: A clinical trial assessing how well nurse-provided care works compared with standard care in treating patients with pancreatic cancer.

City: Duarte
Summary: A clinical trial assessing how well nurse-provided care works compared with standard care in treating patients with stage I, stage II, or stage III breast cancer.

More New Clinical Trials

New Books

Opioid Risk Management: Tools and Tips
Howard Smith, Perry Fine and Steven D Passik
Oxford University Press, Sep 2008

This pocket guide is designed to provide health professionals with basic guidance, tools, and resources for identifying patients who may be at risk for opioid misuse and effectively managing the risk of abuse, addiction, and diversion.
More Information

Living With Chronic Pain, Second Edition
Written by Jennifer Schneider
Hatherleigh Press, June 2009

Chronic pain can be a symptom of a variety of illnesses, injuries, or chronic conditions. From back pain to migraine headaches to arthritis, from sports injuries to cancer, chronic pain can afflict anyone at any age. It is one of the most frequently under-treated conditions and, even worse, many doctors simply ignore it.

Chronic pain specialist Dr. Jennifer Schneider offers expert advice and guidance to the millions of Americans who suffer with chronic pain.

In Living with Chronic Pain you’ll learn:

• How to choose a pain specialist doctor
  
• The latest information on the warnings and recalls of popular Cox-2 inhibitor and NSAID painkillers such as Vioxx.
  
• The truth about opioids and why they are under-prescribed
  
• The most up-to-date non-drug approaches to pain management including physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, brain stimulation, biofeedback, counseling and more
  
• Details on clinical trials, the new analgesics and cutting-edge endorphin research

Now updated with the latest information about medications and treatments, the second edition of Living with Chronic Pain is essential reading for anyone suffering with or treating this debilitating condition.
More Information
Orders

Lagniappe (A little something extra)

Astronauts' survey suggests new space headache category
June 03, 2009 Source: Cephalalgia
Researchers are calling for space headache to be established as a new secondary disorder after carrying out a study of 17 astronauts. Their study jettisons the theory that astronauts' headaches are normally caused by space motion sickness, after showing that more than three-quarters of those studied had no connection. Story

Playing music to premature babies may improve feeding, reduce pain
June 1, 2009 Source: University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
As long as there have been babies, adults have crooned lullabies to soothe them. But research suggests music might also help premature infants learn to suckle better and reduce their pain. If confirmed, this would be a simple, low-cost way to help these tiny babies feed on their own faster and move them out of neonatal units sooner. Story

How the body differentiates between a scorch and a scratch
May 20, 2009 Source: California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of California, San Francisco
You can tell without looking whether you've been stuck by a pin or burnt by a match. But how? In research that overturns conventional wisdom researchers have shown that this sensory discrimination begins in the skin at the very earliest stages of neuronal information processing, with different populations of sensory neurons--called nociceptors--responding to different kinds of painful stimuli. Story

Editorial
Edward Duensing, Research
Lennie Duensing, Editorial

Design
Carol Harper, Art Direction