Pain Studies In The News

Study gauges best treatments for chronic pelvic pain in men
January 4, 2011 Source: HealthDay News
Twenty to twenty-five percent of patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome fail to find effective treatment for their condition. Of the treatments available, only three—antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and alpha-blockers or nerve inhibitors—were found to be effective in curing or reducing symptoms of the often puzzling condition, according to a recent analysis of published research.
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Smoking while diagnosed with cancer? Painful to say the least
December 29, 2010 Source: Medical News Today
Tobacco use is well known to be the single most significant risk factor pertaining to cancer cases, and the relationship between smoking and cancer is evident. In addition, a new study reveals that persons with cancer types stages one through five who continue to smoke after being diagnosed, no matter what type of cancer is progressing, experience higher levels of pain severity and discomfort.
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Training the best treatment for tennis elbow, study suggests
December 21, 2010 Source: University of Gothenburg
A new thesis concludes that training and ergonomic advice are more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone injections in treating tennis elbow, and give fewer side effects. The thesis describes the selection of treatment by healthcare personnel, their experiences when treating patients with tennis elbow, and the results from a training programme for tennis elbow.
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Study probes obesity link to fibromyalgia
December 29, 2010 Source: American Pain Society
A new study reports there is close association between obesity and disability in fibromyalgia patients. Half the study sample was obese and an additional thirty percent were overweight. Also consistent with previous findings, obese patients in this study showed increased pain sensitivity, which was more pronounced in lower body areas. The obese patients also had impaired flexibility in the lower body and reduced strength.
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It's a pain to take care of pain
December 16, 2010 Source: Indiana University School of Medicine
A recent study found that caregivers for individuals with chronic pain often criticize themselves because they feel unable to treat chronic pain effectively. Many internalize their lack of success with pain treatment, feel stress, and have guilty feelings. These negative feelings are compounded by hostile interactions with some patients, suspicions and distrust of some patients.
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Which painkillers are safest for the elderly?
December 15, 2010 Source: Reuters Health
A new study found that elderly people on opioids had a higher risk of fractures, cardiovascular problems such as heart attack or stroke, hospitalizations, and death relative to other types of pain medication, including over-the-counter drugs. They experienced three times as many fractures as those who used COX-2 inhibitors or over-the-counter drugs.
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Pain: what Zen meditators don't think about won't hurt them
December 8, 2010 Source: University of Montreal
Zen meditation has many health benefits, including a reduced sensitivity to pain. According to new research, meditators do feel pain but they simply don't dwell on it as much. The results suggest that Zen meditators may have a training-related ability to disengage some higher-order brain processes, while still experiencing the stimulus.
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Early physical therapy for low back pain associated with less subsequent health care utilization
December 8, 2010 Source: American Physical Therapy Association
A new study showed that Medicare patients who received physical therapy in the acute phase following an episode of low back pain were less likely to receive epidural steroid injections, lumbar surgery, or frequent physician office visits in the year following their initial physician visit as compared with patients who received physical therapist treatment later.
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Pain Stories In The News

Prescription drug abuse sends more people to the hospital
New York Times. January 5, 2011
The number of emergency room visits resulting from misuse or abuse of prescription drugs has nearly doubled over the last five years, according to new federal data, even as the number of visits because of illicit drugs like cocaine and heroin has barely changed.
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Pain management program cut diversion of prescription narcotics
January 4, 2011 Source: Elsevier Global Medical News
A primary care initiative combining patient pledges with random pill counts and urine screens significantly reduced prescription narcotics diversion in Caldwell County North Carolina. As part of the program, most patients with chronic, nonmalignant pain sign a contract agreeing to those measures—and pledging not to doctor-shop for narcotics—prior to receiving prescriptions. Physicians began to use the contracts in 2007, which coincided with a 300% drop in prescription narcotics seizures by county law enforcement between 2005 and the end of that year.
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Signs you maybe be depressed, how it impacts pain and other ailments
January 1, 2011 Source: Kaplan Center for Integrative Medicine
When Centers for Disease Control and Prevention screened U.S. adults for depression, they found that 1 in 10 reported that they were currently depressed. Some of the most common symptoms of depression include: persistent sadness or feeling "empty"; feeling hopeless, guilty, worthless, and/or pessimistic; restlessness and irritability; and a loss of appetite or a pattern of over-eating.
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Prescription Addiction, Diversion, and Abuse

2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data and reports released
SAMHSA January 11, 2001
NSDUH is the primary source of information on the use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco by the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States age 12 or older. The survey is also a source of national estimates on mental health measures such as serious mental illness, other mental illness, depression, and treatment.

The 2009 NSDUH data and documentation files are available for download and online analysis. Also, custom analytic tables can be produced with NSDUH data using Quick Tables—choose from preselected core variables by pointing and clicking from dropdown menus. Results from online analysis or Quick Tables can be copied easily and inserted into documents.

Two reports from the 2009 NSDUH are now available:

National Findings Report
Presents national estimates of rates of use, numbers of users, and other measures related to illicit drugs, alcohol, and tobacco products. The report focuses on trends between 2008 and 2009 and from 2002 to 2009, as well as differences across population subgroups in 2009.

Mental Health Findings
Presents national estimates of the prevalence of past-year mental health disorders and past-year mental health service utilization for youth age 12 to 17 and adults age 18 or older. [Story]

 

The American Academy of Pain Management is the nation's largest interdisciplinary/integrative organization serving clinicians
who treat people with pain through education, setting standards of care, and advocacy.
© 2011 American Academy of Pain Management