Pain Studies in the News
Botox injections may ease diabetic foot pain
May 6, 2009 Source: Taipei Medical University, Taiwan
A new study reports that chronic foot pain can be reduced substantially by injections of botulinum toxin type A -- better known as Botox -- into the skin on top of the foot. At the start of the study, the average pain score on a scale of 0-10 points was 6.36, and, at12 weeks, the score was reduced by 2.53 points with Botox injections compared with 0.53 points with the saline injections. Story
Research analyzes repeat surgery for patients suffering from recurrent and painful trigeminal neuralgia
May 05, 2009 Source: American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic investigated surgical outcome in trigeminal neuralgia patients who experienced multiple failed surgeries for this condition. Among their findings were the fact that the potential for complete pain relief in patients who underwent Posterior fossa exploration was significantly greater than in patients who had other procedures (71 percent versus 36 percent at three-year follow-up). Story
Intrathecal medication therapy effective for painful post-herpetic neuralgia caused by shingles
May 05, 2009 Source: American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Researchers have investigated the use of a surgical pump to deliver medication to patients with post-herpetic neuralgia. The results of this study report that all patients received adequate pain control using the Visual Analog Scale as a measurement tool (greater than 50 percent improvement) and that there were no complications related to the pump/catheter drug delivery systems. Story
New guidance on making work less of a pain in the back
May 04, 2009 Source: University of Leicester
The reasons why people become disabled by chronic pain are not entirely explained by the severity of pain or the pathology, but are better explained by the interaction of complex psychological and societal factors. Treatments which ignore these factors risk perpetuating the problem of chronic disability and work loss. Story
Chronic ankle pain may be more than just a sprain
May 01, 2009 Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
Approximately 40 percent of those who suffer an ankle sprain will experience chronic ankle pain, even after being treated for their initial injury. A recently published review article explains that tendon injuries to the ankle can be a possible cause for this chronic pain. In some cases, the condition is untreated or overlooked which prolongs the pain and the problem. Story
Promise for non-drug treatment of migraine from new therapy based on magnetic stimulation
May 01, 2009 Source: University of California - San Francisco
A new study examines the mechanism of a novel therapy that uses magnetic pulses to treat chronic migraine sufferers showed the treatment to be a promising alternative to medication. The therapy is called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. Study findings showed that TMS treatment was superior to the placebo given to the control group. Patients were pain-free at follow-up intervals of 2, 24 and 48 hours. Story
Gene therapy improves diabetic neuropathy in study
April 29, 2009 Source: American Academy of Neurology
Injections of VEGF gene shows promise in treating diabetic polyneuropathy. Six months after treatment, the patients who received the VEGF gene injections showed greater improvements in sensory symptoms and pain than those who received the placebo. Story
How morphine can be given more effectively without having to increase dosages
April 27, 2009 Source: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found a way to maintain the pain-killing qualities of morphine over an extended period of time, thus providing a solution for the problem of having to administer increasing dosages of the drug in order to retain its effectiveness. Story
Personality traits contribute to 'placebo effect'
April 23, 2009 Source: McGill University
Researchers at McGill University have found for the first time that novelty seeking personality types enjoy a stronger “placebo response,” or pain relief caused by the administration of a sham treatment, than people with reserved personalities. Story
The price of pain and the value of suffering
April 22, 2009 Source: Association for Psychological Science
A new study reveals that demand for pain relief is almost completely dependent on pain experienced in the recent past and the available cash on hand. That is, the participants were willing to pay more money to avoid pain if that pain was more intense compared to previous trials. Story
Long-term ziconotide treatment for chronic pain is effective and well tolerated
April 22, 2009 Source: Journal of Pain Symptom Management
Long-term treatment with intrathecal ziconotide is effective in patients with chronic pain who have previously tolerated and responded to the drug, according to new research Story
Study shows anxiety increases pain intensity, disability
April 21, 2009 Source: American Pain Society
Results of a new study showed that anxiety is associated with greater pain, emotional distress and disability in chronic pain patients. Anxiety was determined to be the strongest predictor of depression, disability and visits to physician offices. When the three coping strategies were used, the authors concluded that acceptance of pain, mindfulness and values-based actions reduce but do not eliminate the extent to which anxiety influences patient functioning. Story
Study findings have implications for development of pain-relieving drugs
April 20, 2009 Source: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Morphine and other opioids are widely used to treat both acute and chronic pain – yet their benefits are often limited because some people experience side effects or do not respond to them efficiently. Story
Inexpensive drug appears to relieve fibromyalgia pain in Stanford pilot study
April 17, 2009 Source: Pain Medicine
A small pilot study tested the new use of a low dose of a drug called naltrexone for the treatment of chronic pain. The drug, which has been used clinically for more than 30 years to treat opioid addiction, was found to reduce symptoms of pain and fatigue an average of 30 percent over placebo.Story
Many dying vets unaware of end-of-life benefits
April 17, 2009 Source:International Journal of Older People Nursing
US military veterans' benefits include palliative care and hospice care, but a small study of terminally ill vets suggests many don't understand these benefits -- or the nature of their own illness. Story
Safe exercise for migraine sufferers
April 16, 2009 Source: Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Many patients who suffer from migraines avoid taking aerobic exercise because they are afraid that the physical activity may bring on a serious migraine attack. However, researchers in Sweden have now developed an exercise programme that can improve fitness among migraine sufferers without aggravating this painful condition. Story
Pelvic pain as prevalent in teens as older males, Queen's study shows
April 16, 2009 Source: Queen’s University, Canada
A Queen’s University research team has found that a painful pelvic affliction associated with adult men occurs as frequently in adolescent boys. Chronic prostatitis or chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a urogenital disease associated with persistent and life-altering pelvic and genital pain. Story
Exercise therapy best way to treat groin pain
April 15, 2009 Source: Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation, Therapy & Technology]
Strengthening the hip and abdominal muscles is an effective way to treat groin pain in athletes, according to a new review of the medical literature Story
Trouble sleeping leads to increased ratings of pain in cancer patients, study suggests
April, 15, 2009 Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine]
A new study suggests that sleep problems lead to increased pain and fatigue in cancer patients. The results indicate that interventions aimed at trouble sleeping would be expected to improve both pain and fatigue in this patient population.Story
Long-lasting nerve block could change pain management
April 13, 2009 Source: Children's Hospital Boston/NIH
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have developed a slow-release anesthetic drug-delivery system that could potentially revolutionize treatment of pain during and after surgery, and may also have a large impact on chronic pain management. The new anesthetic uses specially designed fat-based particles called liposomes to package saxitoxin, a potent anesthetic, and produced long-lasting local anesthesia in rats without apparent toxicity to nerve or muscle cells. Story
Goal achievement provides new insights into interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome symptoms and outcomes
April 14, 2009 Source: UroToday
When faced with disorders that present as symptoms rather than signs, the clinician is dependent on patient reports to guide diagnosis and treatment. New research suggests that patient reported outcome measures, while increasingly more common in clinical trials, have significant limitations. They may fail to address factors that are important to the individual sufferer while at the same time demanding focus on irrelevant symptoms. Story
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