Pain Studies In The News
NIDA Launches First Large-Scale National Study to Treat Addiction to Prescription Pain Medications
March 7, 2007
Researchers funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are launching the first large-scale national study evaluating a treatment for addiction to prescription opioid analgesics (i.e., painkillers) such as Vicodin and OxyContin. Story
Pine Bark Significantly Reduces Endometriosis
March 7, 2007
There's promising hope for women who suffer from endometriosis, one of the most common causes of infertility and pelvic pain. A new study to be published in an upcoming edition of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine reveals that Pycnogenol(R) (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, significantly reduces symptoms of endometriosis by 33 percent. Story
Scientists Get a Fix on Methadone Risks
March 6, 2007
Swiss scientists say hundreds of thousands of patients and drug addicts should no longer receive the most widely used form of methadone because of heart attack risks. Story
Steroid Shots for Back Pain Don't Work
March 5, 2007
When it comes to treating chronic back pain with sciatica, epidural steroid injections may only bring small, short-term relief, according to a group the American Academy of Neurology's Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommitte. Story
Study Shows Nonsurgical Treatment Reduces Neck Pain Without Significant Risk of Paralysis
March 5, 2007
In the largest series of patients to date, recent research shows that the translaminar approach to cervical spinal steroid injections can reduce neck pain in eighty-three percent of those treated. Story
Study Says Ibuprofen Is Best Painkiller for Children
March 5, 2007
The first head-to-head study of three common painkillers has found that ibuprofen works best, at least for children with broken bones, bruises and sprains. Story
Genital Pain Takes a Toll on Women's Lives
March 2, 2007
In a national survey of U.S. women, researchers found that 10 percent had ever experienced chronic discomfort in the external genital area, symptoms of the condition, which is also called vulvodynia. The figure is lower than past studies have found, but the impact of vulvodynia on women's lives was significant. Story
Massage Away Osteoarthritis Pain
March 2, 2007
People who underwent massage therapy felt relief from their osteoarthritis pain symptoms for up to two months according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Story
Morphine not a Killer - Specialists
March 2, 2007
Families who think that large quantities of morphine will allow a peaceful death for terminally ill patients are wrong, specialists warned today. Story
Human Factors/Ergonomics Research Can Help Workers Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
March 1, 2007
In work involving the hands, whether using a computer or a hammer, the wrist is a vulnerable spot. Repeated or sustained bending and flexing can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Story
Stress-Related Adult Disease May Originate In Fetal Development
March 1, 2007
According to a review in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, evidence is mounting that lifelong stress-related conditions such as depression and chronic pain may be linked to fetal growth and timing of delivery. Story
New Global Survey Shows Effective Patient-Physician Communication Critical to Accurate and Timely Recognition of Neuropathic Pain
March 1, 2007
A new seven-country global survey reveals that effective patient-physician communication is key to earlier, accurate diagnosis and treatment for patients with neuropathic pain (NeP). Story
American Heart Association's Scientific Statement Supports Physical Therapy to Relieve Pain in Patients at Risk of Heart Disease
February 28, 2007
In a scientific statement by the American Heart Association (AHA), doctors are cautioned to change their approach to prescribing pain relievers for patients at risk of heart disease and to begin with physical therapy and other non-pharmacological treatments. Story
New Study Probes Phantom-Limb Pain Relief
February 28, 2007
Wounded veterans and others facing limb amputations may avoid long-lasting phantom-limb pain through aggressive pain management before and after surgery, according to a study in The Journal of Pain. Story
Study Shows Undiagnosed Hereditary Angioedema can Lead to Unnecessary Surgeries, Testing in Patients with Abdominal Pain
February 27, 2007
A chart review conducted by researchers at the Institute for Asthma and Allergy showed that hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients who present only with recurrent severe abdominal pain frequently undergo unnecessary surgeries and diagnostic tests prior to diagnosis. The data were presented today at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Story
AHA Statement Recommends Doctors Change Approach
February 26, 2007
Many doctors should change the way they prescribe pain relievers for chronic pain in patients with or at risk for heart disease based on accumulated evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), with the exception of aspirin, increase risk for heart attack and stroke, according to an American Heart Association statement published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Story
Painkillers May Raise the Risk of High Blood Pressure for Men
February 27, 2007
Men who take over-the-counter painkillers, such as Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol, have more risk of developing high blood pressure than those who don't take the drugs, a study found. Story
Failure to Assess Patients' and Families' Concerns About Pain Management Can Interfere With Appropriate Opioid Use: Presented at AAHPM
February 26, 2007
Patients in hospice or palliative care sometimes are reluctant to accurately describe their pain to doctors and nurses, or to speak openly in the presence of family members, which may set in motion a chain of events whose net result is inadequate pain management. Story
Prescriber's Dosing Concerns, Poor Drug Absorption Can Thwart Effective Pain Management With Opioids: Presented at AAHPM
February 26, 2007
Physicians' misconceptions about opioid dosing, and certain psychosocial impediments such as concerns about overprescribing or substance abuse can get in the way of effective pain management. Story
Is Anger Behind Migraine?
February 27, 2007
An investigation by Turin researchers discloses new psychosomatic mechanisms underlying migraine without aura in the second 2007 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Story
Could Viagra Cure Chronic Pelvic Pain?
February 27, 2007
The impotence drug Viagra could help men suffering from pelvic pain. As many as one in ten men in the UK have pelvic pain syndrome, with symptoms including lower back and groin pain, and bladder problems. Story
Use Garlic Paste to Relieve Joint Pain
February 27, 2007
According to the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), five grams (one teaspoon) of garlic paste with honey or with food twice a day is useful for people experiencing pain in their joints. Story
Blame Your 'Perfectionism' for Irritable Bowel Movement
February 26, 2007
Perfectionists are more prone to developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) after an infection, a study has suggested. University of Southampton researchers asked 620 people with gastroenteritis about stress and their illness. Story
New Instrument Developed To Measure Impact Of Migraine On Patients' Lives When They Are Not Experiencing An Attack
February 25, 2007
According to new data presented today at the National Headache Foundation's Fourth Annual Headache Research Summit, the newly developed Migraine Interictal Burden Scale is the first tool designed to measure the interictal burden that may be associated with migraine. Story
Physicians Should Proceed Carefully But Avoid Undertreating Pain in Patients With Addictions
February 21, 2007
Managing pain in hospice patients and those with life-threatening conditions who also have addiction disorders can be challenging, but physicians should generally employ the same principles and processes they use to relieve pain in nonaddicted patients. Story
Patients Lack Awareness of Common Drug's Downsides
February 19, 2007
People who use the popular pain reliever acetaminophen—found in Tylenol and many combination pain and cough-cold medications—are ill-informed about safe dosages and the hazards of overdosing, a University of Michigan study suggests. Story
Pilot Study Suggests Oxycodone More Effective Than Morphine for Treatment of Severe Visceral Pain
February 20, 2007
A pilot study has suggested that oxycodone is significantly more effective than morphine in treating patients with severe visceral pain, according to new data published today in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Story
Tramadol Extended-Release Appears to Decrease Sleep Problems Among Osteoarthritis Patients: Presented at AAPM
February 20, 2007
Patients with poor sleep due to pain associated with osteoarthritis appear to achieve better sleep with the extended-release (ER) formulation of tramadol. Story
Pain-Source Identification, Frequent Dose Retitration and Avoidance of Problem Drugs Best Approach in Treating Chronic Pain: Presented at AAHPM
February 19, 2007
Clinicians treating patients who have chronic pain are more likely to achieve optimal results if they first identify the cause of the pain, and then retitrate doses frequently and reassess continually the regimen's effectiveness. Story
The Endocannabinoid and Endovanilloid Systems and Their Interactions In Neuropathic Pain
February 19, 2007
UroToday.com- Investigations into the use of drugs targeting the endocannabinoid and endovanilloid systems in the management of neuropathic pain and inflammation is justified, and early research findings are promising, according to a detailed research review article by Maione and colleagues in Naples, Italy. Story
Older Patients Shouldn't Delay Spinal Surgery: Study
February 16, 2007
Delaying having spinal reconstruction surgery to correct spinal deformities such as scoliosis may increase the risk of surgical complications, U.S. researchers say. Story
New Nonsurgical Option for Women Suffering from Painful Fibroid Tumors
MRI & Imaging of Georgia is one of two places in the Southeast now offering a state-of-the-art, non-surgical, outpatient treatment option for uterine fibroids Story
Rx: Keep on Typing
February 16, 2007
Study finds that the link between hand use and carpal tunnel syndrome is weak. Story
Neuroscientists Explain Inner Workings of Critical Pain Pathway
February 15, 2007
Whether they're fighting postoperative soreness or relieving chronic discomfort from conditions such as cancer, morphine and other opioids are powerful weapons against pain. Now, in research published online in Nature Neuroscience, Brown University scientists give one reason why these painkillers work so well. Story
Proteases Cause Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
February 15, 2007
and PAR2 might provide new therapeutic targets for the treatment of IBS. Story
Primary Care Physicians Gain Pain Management Training Via Internet: Presented at AAPM
February 14, 2007
Interactive, internet-based continuing medical education (CME) programs may serve as an effective means of training physicians in the management of chronic pain in their patients. Story
Oxymorphone Extended-Release Appears Effective in Treating Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: Presented at AAPM
February 14, 2007
Patients living with moderate to severe chronic lower back pain appear to respond well to treatment with oxymorphone hydrochloride extended release (Opana ER), according to the results of a 12-week study. Story
Smoked Cannabis Reduces Pain Caused by HIV-Associated Neuropathy
12 February 2007
In a randomized placebo-controlled trial, patients smoking cannabis experienced a 34 percent reduction in intense foot pain associated with HIV—twice the rate experienced by patients who smoked placebo Story
Methylnaltrexone May Alleviate Opioid-Induced Constipation in Severely Ill Patients.
February 12, 2007
Methylnaltrexone may alleviate the constipation faced by severely ill patients who rely on opioids for pain relief, suggest results from 2 phase 3 trials presented at the 23rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM). Story
Duloxetine May Alleviate Both Pain and General Anxiety Disorder
February 12, 2007
Duloxetine appears to offer pain relief for patients with both general anxiety disorder (GAD) and painful physical symptoms, according to research presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM). Story
Steroids Cause the Same Tissue Changes as Tendon Injury
February 12, 2007
Patients who get a steroid injection in their shoulder for rotator cuff pain relief or improved shoulder function should not return to their regular activities or start physical therapy for a few weeks, a Loyola University Health System study shows. Story
Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox) Injections Might Alleviate Chronic Headaches and Migraines
February 12, 2007
For chronic headache or chronic migraine sufferers who have not found relief in standard treatment options, botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections might provide pain relief, according to research presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 23rd annual meeting (AAPM). Story
Inventory Helps Identify Sleep Disorders Due to Chronic Pain
February 12, 2007
A new instrument called the Chronic Pain Sleep Inventory may help doctors better evaluate the impact of pain on their patients' quality of sleep, researchers reported at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 23rd annual meeting. Story
Custom Unloaders Hold Their Own Against OTS Devices
February 2007
Though both off-the-shelf and custom "unloader" knee braces were found to relieve pain and stiffness for patients with painful varus gonathrosis of the knee, the custom brace may offer additional benefits, according to a recent study from Chicago. Story |
