AAPM
The E-newsletter of the American Academy of Pain Management

Pain Studies In The News

Researchers find yoga may be effective for chronic low back pain in minority populations
November 4, 2009 Source: Boston University Medical Center
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center found that yoga may be more effective than standard treatment for reducing chronic low back pain in minority populations. After a 12-week series of hatha yoga classes, pain scores for the yoga participants decreased by one-third compared to the control group, which decreased by only 5 percent.
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Radiation therapy technique successfully treats pain in patients with advanced cancer
November 3, 2009 Source: University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
A new study shows that stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a radiation therapy procedure pioneered at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) that precisely delivers a large dose of radiation to tumors, effectively controls pain in patients with cancer that has spread to the spine.
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Mending meniscals in children, improving diagnosis and recovery
November 2, 2009 Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
In recent years, more children have been diagnosed with meniscal tears. Such increased diagnoses may be due to the fact that more children are participating in sports and more healthcare professionals are aware of and recognize the signs of meniscal tears. Fortunately, a new study has found that prospects for a full recovery are high. Although meniscal tears in children can often be repaired successfully, they should be treated quickly.
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New hope for chronic pain sufferers
October 30, 2009 Source: Faculty of 1000
Pain relief improves greatly when the sufferer can actually see the area where the pain is occurring. In a new study, thirty healthy subjects were invited to look at either their own hand, the experimenter's hand, or an object, while their hand was subjected to laser-induced pain. The results showed that, when the sufferer could see their own hand, they felt less pain than if they were looking at the experimenter's hand or a neutral object.
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Tai Chi exercise reduces knee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly, research shows
October 29, 2009 Source: Wiley-Blackwell
A new research study determined that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain. Patients practicing Tai chi for a 12 week period demonstrated a significant decrease in knee pain, as well as improved physical function, self-efficacy, depression, and health status.
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Link between pain thresholds, inflammation and sleep problems in arthritis patients
October 29, 2009 Source: BioMed Central
New research shows that inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients is associated with heightened pain sensitivity at joint sites, whereas increased sleep problems are associated with heightened pain sensitivity at both joint and non-joint sites. Sleep problems were inversely associated with pain threshold at all sites, suggesting a defect in central pain processing.
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Biofield therapies: helpful or full of hype? Review looks at Reiki, therapeutic touch and healing touch
October 29, 2009 Source: American Academy of Pain Medicine
In a detailed review of 66 clinical studies looking at biofield therapies in different patient populations with a range of ailments shows that, overall, published work on biofield therapies is of average quality. Nonetheless, there is strong evidence that biofield therapies reduce pain intensity in free-living populations, and moderate evidence that they are effective at lowering pain in hospitalized patients as well as in patients with cancer.
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Depression may blur memory of aches and pains
October 28, 2009 Source: University of Iowa
Depressed people tend to report more physical symptoms than they actually experience, a new study finds. The study involved 109 women who completed questionnaires designed to assess their levels of neuroticism and depression. They kept daily records of whether they felt any of 15 common physical symptoms. After three weeks, the women were asked to recall how often they'd experienced each symptom. Those who had a higher depression score at the start of the study were more likely to overstate the frequency of their symptoms.
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Ineffective pain care costs Americans more than $100 billion annually
October 27, 2009 Source: American Academy of Pain Medicine
A new paper published by leaders of the American Academy of Pain Medicine reveals that businesses lose $61 billion annually due to ineffective pain care and the lack of optimal pain care delivery. Leaders from the organization are now implementing and teaching a new, "population-based" approach. The approach includes stepped care that is designed to deliver timely access to levels of care that are needed to prevent chronic pain from beginning, or when pain persists, minimizing morbidity through effective care:
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A pollen extract (Cernilton) in patients with inflammatory chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome - phase III study
October 26, 2009 Source: UroToday.com
A new study found that the pollen extract Cernilton significantly improved total symptoms, pain and quality of life in patients with inflammatory chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP-CPPS) without severe side effects. Up to date, there exists no standardized treatment for this very prevalent condition. This study was able to show that in a specific patient cohort, namely patients with inflammatory CP-CPPS, a pollen-extract might be a useful treatment option.
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Smoking linked to chronic lower back pain
October 24, 2009 Source: Texas Back Institute
A major Canadian study has identified a higher rate of chronic lower back pain among people who smoke every day, particularly the young. They found that while 15.7 per cent of non-smokers reported chronic pain, for daily smokers the figure was 23.3 per cent and the association was stronger in younger adults.
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Surgery potentially best option for severe migraine headaches
October 24, 2009 Source: University Hospitals Case Medical Center
New research provides strong evidence that surgical manipulation of one or more migraine trigger sites can successfully eliminate or reduce the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of migraine headaches with lasting results. 79 migraine sufferers were followed for at least five years after have undergone detection of migraine "trigger sites" and surgery. Sixty-one of the patients maintained the initial positive response to the surgery, 20 patients reported elimination of migraines entirely, and 41 patients noticed a significant decrease.
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Fight off back aches & pains this winter with extra vitamin D
October 23, 2009 Source: Pain Treatment Topics
An extensive review of clinical research found that help may be available from a surprising champion of pain relief – Vitamin D. Newer research suggests that the currently recommended adequate intake of vitamin D – up to 600 IU per day – is outdated and too low. Instead, most children and adults need at least 1000 IU per day, and persons with chronic back pain would benefit from 2000 IU or more per day of supplemental vitamin D3.
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Women veterans less likely to report pain than male counterparts
October 22, 2009 Source: Pain Medicine
In the first study to look at sex-specific pain prevalence in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans, researchers found women Veterans had a lower prevalence of pain than male counterparts returning from the conflicts. Researchers hypothesize that the lower pain prevalence in women Veterans may reflect differences in exposure to combat trauma and injury between male and female soldiers.
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Exercise therapy best for knee pain
October 22, 2009 Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists
For patients with severe knee pain, supervised exercise therapy is more effective at reducing pain and improving function than usual care, finds a new study. Patients rated their recovery, pain at rest, pain on activity, and function scores at the start of the study and again at three and 12 months. After three months, the intervention group reported significantly less pain and better function than the control group. At 12 months, the intervention group continued to show better outcomes than the control group with regard to pain at rest and pain on activity, but not function.
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Study assesses pain drug side effects
October 22, 2009 Source: American Pain Society
A new study reports the side effects of oxycodone, a widely used opioid pain medication, are similar in healthy older adults as in younger age groups, therefore, clinicians should not shy away from prescribing the drug to relieve pain in older patients. The study also noted that oxycodone and other opioid pain relievers have become more widely prescribed for treating persistent noncancer pain that impairs overall function and quality of life.
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Proactive approach to ergonomics reduces pain in office workers
October 21, 2009 Source: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
A proactive ergonomic intervention reduces pain related to poor work postures in office employees, reports a new study. The proactive approach reduced symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and eyestrain, but only for workers receiving an expert work station setup. This group also had a significant increase in productivity.
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Study finds the availability of chiropractic care improves the value of health benefits plans
October 20, 2009 Source: Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
The peer-reviewed scientific literature evaluating the effectiveness of US chiropractic treatment for patients with back and neck pain suggests that these treatments are at least as effective as other widely used treatments. A new report finds that the addition of chiropractic care for the treatment of low back and neck pain will likely increase value-for-dollar in US employer-sponsored health benefit plans.
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Polluted air may give you a headache
October 20, 2009 Source: American Journal of Epidemiology
A study from the densely populated Santiago Province of Chile found increased hospital admissions for migraines and other headaches on days of elevated air pollution readings. When the investigators pooled the air pollution data from all regions they found, air pollution was a risk factor for all types of headache. This remained true in all pollutant-headache combinations analyzed.
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Women and men face off: who can stand the pain?
October 19, 2009 Source: HealthyWomen
According to a new survey of women and men with chronic pain, women are more than twice as likely as men to believe that women have a higher tolerance for pain. In addition, almost twice as many women as men with chronic pain feel they are considered to be "complainers" because of their chronic pain. Nearly half of women surveyed believe that men are taken more seriously when they visit health care providers about chronic pain.
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Arthritis: copper bracelets, magnetic wrist straps useless? Trial raises doubts over alternative pain therapy
October 17, 2009 Source: Complementary Therapies in Medicine
Researchers conducted the first randomised placebo-controlled trial on the use of both copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps for pain management in osteoarthritis – the most common form of the condition. Results show that the bracelets and wrist straps are ineffective in relieving arthritis pain. It appears that any perceived benefit obtained from wearing a magnetic or copper bracelet can be attributed to psychological placebo effects.
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Transcutaneous electrostimulation no better than placebo for osteoarthritis
October 16, 2009 Source: Cochrane Database Systematic Review
There is no conclusive evidence that transcutaneous electrostimulation (TENS) reduces knee pain or physical disability from osteoarthritis. A recent analysis included 18 trials with 813 subjects. Eleven trials tested TENS, four tested interferential current stimulation, one tested both TENS and interferential current stimulation, and two tested pulsed electrostimulation. Treatment responses occurred in 29 of 100 people treated with electrostimulation and in 26 of 100 people who had sham treatments or usual care.
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MRI abundance may lead to excess in back surgeries, study shows
October 16, 2009 Source: Stanford University Medical Center
A new research study correlates areas with high numbers of MRI machines to an increased likelihood that MRIs will be performed on new low-back pain patients. Furthermore, high local MRI availability correlates with increased rates of low-back surgery. Thus, the study revealed that patients reporting new low-back pain are more likely to undergo surgery if treated in an area with a higher-than-average concentration of magnetic resonance imaging machines.
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Ear acupuncture curbs back pain in pregnant women
October 16, 2009 Source: American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
A special acupuncture technique can help ease lower back and pelvic pain in pregnant women, new research shows. In a study, women who had pressure needles held in place with tape at three acupuncture points in their ears for one week were more likely to experience significant reductions in lower back and pelvic pain than those who had the needles placed at three "sham" points or women in a control group who didn't get real or fake acupuncture.
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When surgery leads to more pain
October 12, 2009 Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists
For five to ten percent of patients, surgery does not bring relief, but persistent postoperative pain that can affect daily activities more than six months after surgery. In a prospective cohort study, researchers investigated 19 potential predisposing factors for the development of persistent pain following surgery in 463 adult male patients scheduled to undergo primary groin hernia repair. Four factors that were independently predictive for the development of persistent postoperative pain in participants were successfully identified.
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Persistent postsurgical pain: is it in your genes?
October 9, 2009 Source: American Society of Anesthesiologists
Researchers found that patients who carried a gene known for low sensitivity to pain showed higher levels of pain at after surgery than other patients. The study followed 58 patients who had undergone arthroscopic shoulder surgery for rotator cuff repair, a minimally invasive procedure that typically causes little postoperative pain. Those who carried genes that better controlled the release of an enzyme known as COMT were examined to see if they resisted postsurgical pain better than the other patients. When matched against other patients with similar anxiety levels, the low pain sensitivity COMT patients experienced the highest pain levels at three months.
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Sharing prescriptions can bring harm, not healing: One in four who borrowed a medication experienced a side effect, researchers report
November 11, 2009 Source: Institute for Safe Medication Practices
New research highlights the potential hazards of passing prescription medications around. Of people who borrowed a medicine prescribed for someone else, 25.1 percent experienced some sort of side effect, researchers reported. While 77.3 percent of prescription borrowers said they had bummed medicine rather than see a health-care provider, for many it merely delayed the inevitable. That's because one in three ended up seeking medical care, anyway.
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Emotions increase or decrease pain, say researchers
November 10, 2009 Source: University of Montrea
According to a new study, negative and positive emotions have a direct impact on pain. Subjects were shown a succession of images that were either pleasant or unpleasant while undergoing small yet painful electric shocks, which caused knee-jerk reactions controlled by the spine that could be measured. The unpleasant pictures elicited a stronger pain response in subjects getting shocks than looking at pleasant pictures.
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Pain in the neck: too much texting could lead to overuse injuries
November 10, 2009 Source: Temple University
New research suggests that the more college students text message, the more pain they have in their neck and shoulders. The way the body is positioned for texting -- stationary shoulders and back with rapidly moving fingers -- is similar to the position for typing on a computer. Thus, the injuries caused by test messaging appear to be similar to those caused by excessive computer use.
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Brief training in meditation may help manage pain, study shows
November 10, 2009 Source: University of North Carolina
Botox® may have indications as a pain medication to fight chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS), reports a new study. The study found injecting Botox into the area affected by pain provides significant pain control. Eight patients suffering from severe pain received an average of nine injections -- one every four weeks. All of patients reported a significant improvement (31.25 percent) in their daily pain control that was maintained for up to 17 months.
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New study about prostatitis shows increasing evidence that chronic prostatitis is a muscle tension disorder
November 10, 2009 Source: Canwest News Service
In a recent study, Dr. Rodney Anderson and researchers at the National Center for Pelvic Pain Research demonstrated a high correlation between the location of painful trigger points inside the pelvic floor muscles of men with chronic prostatitis and the location in the body where they routinely complain of pain. Their new treatment, called the Wise-Anderson Protocol, has been successful in helping to reduce the symptoms of a large majority of men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis who have not responded to any other treatment.
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Watch for kidney stones in kids with abdominal pain
November 9, 2009 Source: Pediatrics
Researchers studied 100 patients, 3 to 18 years old, with recurrent abdominal pain and kidney stones. They found that more than half - 53 percent - did not have a history of painful or bloody urination, and only about a third had blood in their urine when they saw their doctors. Many of the children did not have the flank pain typically associated with kidney stones, instead having general pain in the abdomen.
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