Pain Studies In The News

Study of one million Americans shows obesity and pain linked
Source: Stony Brook University Medical Center
A clear association between obesity and pain was found in a new study of more than one million Americans. In comparison to individuals with low to normal weight, overweight persons reported 20 percent higher rates of pain. The percent increase of reported pain grew rapidly with the level of obesity.
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Placebo effect: new study shows how to boost the power of pain relief, without drugs
February 3, 2012 Source: Association for Psychological Science.
A new study challenges the theory that the placebo effect is a high-level cognitive function. The authors reduced pain in two ways -- either by giving subjects a placebo, or a difficult memory task. But when they put the two together, the level of pain reduction that people experienced added up. There was no interference between them. This finding suggests that they rely on separate mechanisms.
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17 More Pain Studies In The News

 Stories

Unique uses of naltrexone in chronic pain
January 14, 2012. Pain Treatment Topics Monday
The use of opioid antagonists in chronic pain management is gaining more recognition and increasing acceptance [7]. Application of these agents, such as naltrexone, is based on the notion that there are fundamental differences between mechanisms of chronic versus acute pain generation and perception.
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Interventional Options for the Management of Chronic Pain: An Interview with Bert L. Fichman, MD
PainEdu.org. January 2012
…. interventional pain management as one tool in a multi-modal approach to pain treatment. Choosing an interventional treatment depends on the etiology of the pain. The majority of the patients I typically see for interventional pain treatment have back pain or neck pain due to problem with their spine. Typically, the cause of their pain is either age-related, herniated discs, or failed back surgery
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 Product News/Clinical Trial Results

FDA OKs subcutaneous use of Takeda cancer drug to reduce peripheral neuropathy
January 23, 2012 Source: Reuters
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co recently reported that U.S. health regulators gave a green light for the Japanese drugmaker's Velcade cancer drug to be administered by subcutaneous injection. In clinical trials, subcutaneous administration led to fewer incidence of peripheral neuropathy than the intravenous version of the drug. Velcade, which is approved by the FDA to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma, was previously only given via intravenous infusion.
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5 More Product News/Clinical Trial Results

 Prescription Addiction, Diversion, and Abuse

The war over prescription painkillers
January 29, 2012 Source: The Huffington Post
Recently, the CDC, the DEA, and several other government agencies have been issuing alarming reports about abuse of prescription painkillers and a dramatic rise in overdose deaths. These reports, along with another recent report by ProPublica, have spurred calls for tighter policing of painkillers, instituting digital databases to monitor pain patients and their physicians, and more aggressive tactics to prevent drug diversion. Despite the recent headlines about the rise in sales of prescription painkillers, chronic pain is still significantly under-treated in America.
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Related Stories:

• ProPublica leads attack on painkillers by misusing statistics; But Seattle Times investigation uncovers really shocking numbers.
January 31, 2012. Stats (George Mason University):
Full Text
• The Champion of Painkillers.
December 23, 2012. ProPublica
Full Text

  Online Publications – Full Text Articles

Arthritis, osteoporosis, and low back pain: Evidence-based clinical risk assessment for physical activity and exercise clearance.
Canadian family physician. 2012 Jan;58(1):59-62.
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CDC Grand Rounds: Prescription drug overdoses - A U.S. epidemic.
MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. January 13, 2012 / 61(01);10-13
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13 More Online Publications

 Policy and Law

FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee announces upcoming meeting on anti-nerve growth factor drugs
On March 12, 2012, the committee will discuss the anti-nerve growth factor (Anti-NGF) drug class that is currently under development and the safety issues possibly related to these drugs. These drugs are being developed for the treatment of a variety of chronic painful conditions including osteoarthritis, chronic lower back pain, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, post-herpetic neuralgia, chronic pancreatitis, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, vertebral fracture, thermal injury, and cancer pain. The committee will be asked to determine whether reports of joint destruction represent a safety signal related to the Anti-NGF class of drugs, and whether the risk benefit balance for these drugs favors continued development of the drugs as analgesics.
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  For Your Patients

Using alcohol to relieve your pain: What are the risks?
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
People have used alcohol to relieve pain since ancient times. Laboratory studies confirm that alcohol does indeed reduce pain in humans and in animals. Moreover, recent research suggests that as many as 28 percent of people experiencing chronic pain turn to alcohol to alleviate their suffering. Despite this, using alcohol to alleviate pain places people at risk for a number of harmful health consequences.
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PAIN (PDQ) -- Patient Version
National Cancer Institute
This patient summary on pain is adapted from the summary written for health professionals by cancer experts. This and other credible information about cancer treatment, screening, prevention, supportive care, and ongoing clinical trials is available from the National Cancer Institute. Pain associated with cancer can be controlled in most patients but is frequently undertreated. This brief summary describes the management of cancer pain with the use of medication, physical methods, and psychological intervention.
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Instructions to identify the wrong tablet in opiate pain medications from Endo Pharmaceuticals
January 9, 2012 Source: FDA
This public health advisory applies only to tablets manufactured for Endo Pharmaceuticals by Novartis Consumer Health. Liquid and powder form medicines, and blister packaged products manufactured for Endo Pharmaceuticals by Novartis Consumer Health are not affected or included in this alert.
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  For Your Practice

Urgent calls and unscheduled visits: Difficult conversations [opioids]
January 4,2012. Pain.edu 2011
All patients can have unexpected problems come up, so it is important to review with them, ahead of time, how your practice handles urgent patient calls, and how requests for early visits (before their next scheduled appointment) are handled. True emergencies will need to be dealt with and patients need to know what their options are before they just walk in, go to an Emergency Department, or look for an urgent care setting. It is especially important for this information to be conveyed to the patients you are treating for a chronic pain condition.
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Hogan TW, Lynch P, McJunkin T
Relationship development strategies for your pain practice
Pain Medicine News 2012 January;10(1)
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