Chronic Pain News and Research

RSS

Older adults increasingly use cannabis for pain and sleep relief

For adults over 60, cannabis use is increasing faster than in any other demographic.

8 May 2026

Study reveals how magnetic stimulation repairs depression-related brain circuits

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-approved therapy that uses brief magnetic pulses to treat depression, particularly in patients who do not respond to medication.

7 May 2026

Cannabis leads microdosing trends among U.S. adults, study finds

Researchers from University of California San Diego have found that microdosing - taking very small amounts of psychoactive substances - is more common among U.S. adults than previously recognized, with cannabis leading by a wide margin.

4 May 2026

NIH awards $3.9 million grant to develop a non-opioid pain treatment

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a $3.9 million grant to a multi-institutional team led by scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute to develop a non-opioid pain therapeutic and advance it into a Phase 1 clinical trial.

4 May 2026

Study highlights gaps in opioid use disorder care during pregnancy

Opioid use disorder during pregnancy remains a critical yet under-addressed public health issue in the U.S., according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

23 Apr 2026

Study links ADHD-related traits to increased chronic pain severity

A new study, led by researchers from the University of Tokyo, involving nearly 1,000 patients in Japan suggests that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related traits may be associated with and may contribute to chronic pain.

23 Apr 2026

Sleep apnea more common in former football players than previously recognized

New research led by investigators at Vanderbilt Health and the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University suggests that sleep apnea may be far more common - and more clinically significant - among former professional football players than previously recognized.

22 Apr 2026

Molecular keyhole discovery offers new hope for personalized pain therapies

Researchers at VIB, VUB, and KU Leuven have identified a tiny binding site, a molecular 'keyhole', in the TRPM3 ion channel, a crucial sensor in pain signaling.

21 Apr 2026

UCL study urges clinician vigilance when prescribing gabapentinoids for pain

People who take gabapentinoids, a medication prescribed increasingly frequently worldwide, particularly for chronic pain, face a much greater risk of drug poisoning if they are also taking another medication, finds a new study by University College London (UCL) researchers.

17 Apr 2026

US Medicaid data finds buprenorphine safe for long-term child development

Children born to mothers who used buprenorphine for opioid addiction during pregnancy do not have a greater risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism, compared with children whose mothers took methadone, finds a large US study published by The BMJ today.

17 Apr 2026

Researchers use light-activated drugs to map the brain's internal painkillers

Placebo effects, in which patients experience relief without therapeutic treatment, increasingly have been considered as potentially powerful clinical treatments for ailments such as depression and pain. Yet the neurological mechanisms underlying such processes are not fully understood. Now, a multi-institutional team led by the University of California San Diego's Matthew Banghart, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences, has pinpointed the brain circuitry responsible for placebo pain relief.

17 Apr 2026

Aston University bioscientist receives £125,000 to investigate genetic reasons for neurodegeneration

Aston University bioscientist Dr John Reynolds has won a £125,000 Springboard grant from the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) for research into neurodegeneration caused by a rare genetic disease.

15 Apr 2026

Study identifies intersectional biases affecting care for sickle cell patients

In season 1, episode 2 of the popular show The Pitt, a Black woman with sickle cell disease arrives at the emergency department in acute pain, only to be initially dismissed as drug-seeking.

13 Apr 2026

Study finds higher anxiety and depression in children with brain injuries

A new study, published today in JAMA Network Open, reveals that schoolage children and adolescents with medically diagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI) have significantly higher rates of anxiety/depression, and strong family support and resilience helps alleviate some of it.

13 Apr 2026

People with chronic pain are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes

New research from the University of Kansas shows people who experience chronic pain tend to consume cigarettes and e-cigarettes at higher rates than others.

13 Apr 2026

Study seeks improved diagnosis and care for veterans with TBI

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious issue affecting thousands of people in the U.S. every year. For military service members, the impact is even more profound.

11 Apr 2026

Damon Runyon supports young scientists driving cancer research innovation

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has named 13 new Damon Runyon Fellows, exceptional postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators.

11 Apr 2026

Study measures global burden of facial pain condition

Facial pain is one of the most common forms of chronic pain. Despite this, there has previously been no standardized burden measurements, such as impact on the individual and healthcare costs across countries and in relation to other diseases.

9 Apr 2026

Social support, physical health and spiritual engagement help older adults truly flourish

Older Canadians who are socially connected, physically healthy, and spiritually engaged are significantly more likely to experience complete mental health, according to a new nationally representative study examining adults aged 65 and older.

8 Apr 2026

Duloxetine fails to prevent nerve damage caused by chemotherapy

A randomized trial conducted by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology with support from the National Cancer Institute has found that duloxetine, a medication commonly used to treat chronic pain and psychiatric conditions, does not prevent nerve damage caused by chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.

8 Apr 2026