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UChicago awarded $17 million grant to tackle opioid addiction in criminal justice settings

It's estimated that more than 130 people die every day from opioid-related drug overdoses. Particularly at risk are people transitioning through the criminal justice system, many of whom may already be struggling with complex issues spanning mental health, family instability and job and housing insecurity.

26 Jul 2019

Federal suit alleges ‘staggering’ urine drug testing fraud at Tennessee pain clinics

The Justice Department on Monday accused a defunct chain of Tennessee-based pain clinics of cheating Medicare and other taxpayer-funded health insurers out of at least $25 million in needless urine drug tests and genetic testing.

23 Jul 2019

Change in care protocol of weight-reduction operations exceeds its desired effect

A change in the care protocol of patients undergoing weight-reduction operations exceeded its desired effect by cutting postoperative hospital stays in half, reducing postoperative hospital readmissions by 38 percent, and reducing the amount of opioids the patients were sent home with by 95 percent, according to study results from a large bariatric and metabolic surgery center in Charleston, S.C.

23 Jul 2019

Better funding for evidence-based treatments will improve health of chronic pain sufferers

Chronic pain affects one in five Australians, rising to one in three for those aged over 65. Its impact on individuals, families and the wider community can’t be overestimated.

22 Jul 2019

Research reveals how mirror therapy relieves phantom limb pain

Easing phantom limb pain can be as simple as looking in the mirror. Scientists who have mapped how mirror therapy changes the brain may now be able to predict just how much treatment will ease a particular patient’s pain.

19 Jul 2019

Addressing patients' mental and emotional distress after surgery

With the advancement of technology and medicine, G. Michael Deeb, M.D., a cardiac surgeon at Michigan Medicine, says society is used to, and expects, instant solutions to their pain after medical procedures. This has resulted in an increased demand for narcotics, as well as their over usage.

17 Jul 2019

Maternal prepregnancy surgery linked to increased risk of opioid withdrawal in newborns

Babies whose mothers underwent surgery before pregnancy have an increased risk of opioid withdrawal symptoms at birth, according to a new study done at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

15 Jul 2019

Patients taking opioids for chronic pain could face health care access problems

Finding a new doctor for health checkups and general care can pose a challenge to anyone. But for people who take prescription opioid pills for their chronic pain, it might be far harder, according to a new study.

14 Jul 2019

New computational model explores daily pain sensitivity rhythms

A new computational model successfully predicts how daily pain sensitivity rhythms affect pain processing, both in healthy adults and in people with neuropathic pain. Jennifer Crodelle of New York University and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.

From PLOS ONE 12 Jul 2019

UAMS receives $24.2 million federal funding to accelerate research

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Translational Research Institute announced today it will receive five years of federal funding totaling $24.2 million to accelerate research that addresses Arkansas' biggest health challenges.

3 Jul 2019

Are Chronic Pain Relief Drugs for Children Effective?

A study led by researchers at the University of Bath has revealed that research into the drugs used to treat chronic pain in children is lacking and insufficient to base treatment decisions on.

27 Jun 2019

Researchers estimate the prevalence of chronic pain among cancer survivors

More than 5 million cancer survivors in the United States experience chronic pain, almost twice the rate in the general population, according to a study published by Mount Sinai researchers in JAMA Oncology in June.

24 Jun 2019

Researchers find link between chronic pain and alterations in the gut microbiome

Scientists have found a correlation between a disease involving chronic pain and alterations in the gut microbiome.

20 Jun 2019

Scientists find link between chronic pain and gut microbiome

Scientists have found a correlation between a disease involving chronic pain and alterations in the gut microbiome.

20 Jun 2019

Cedars-Sinai expert urges physicians and patients to manage pain without addictive pills

As the opioid epidemic continues to claim lives and shatter families across the nation, a Cedars-Sinai expert is urging physicians and patients to try managing pain without the addictive pills.

17 Jun 2019

New method produces opiate antidotes using microorganism found in opium poppy waste

Overdose from opiates has skyrocketed. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, on average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.

12 Jun 2019

Early plans can improve quality of life for hospice patients

Careful documentation of a hospice patient's end-of-life wishes - and prominently noting that information in health records early - could prevent unwanted hospitalizations and medical interventions, a new study suggests.

6 Jun 2019

Large national study of veterans highlights health disparities and areas of unmet needs

For the first time, a large national population of United States veterans used the same standardized tool that the general population uses for tracking health.

4 Jun 2019

New evidenced-based analysis of CRNAs in the healthcare system

On behalf of the more than 53,000 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists has released an official statement, titled "CRNAs: We are the Answer" " which highlights evidenced-based analysis of CRNAs, physician anesthesiologists, and anesthesiologist assistants in today's healthcare system.

26 May 2019

New pain management program sends 92% cancer surgery patients home with no opioids

A specialized pain management program for patients who underwent robotic surgery for urologic cancers resulted in just eight percent going home with narcotics after discharge, compared to 100 percent who would have received them without this enhanced recovery protocol.

23 May 2019