Chronic Pain News and Research

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ANU research explores way to reduce unwanted side-effects of common drugs

New research from The Australian National University has drilled down to the molecular level to find similarities across six pharmaceutical drugs used in pain relief, dentist anesthetic, and treatment of epilepsy, in a bid to find a way to reduce unwanted side-effects.

27 Feb 2018

University of Illinois at Chicago awarded $4.6 million NIH grant for chronic pain research

The University of Illinois at Chicago has been awarded a $4.6 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to study the molecular neurobiology of chronic pain in patients with sickle cell disease and to develop potential new drug treatments.

26 Feb 2018

Japanese study seeks to establish link between insomnia and depression

Lay people tend to think that insomnia is usually a symptom of something else, like stress, a bad diet or a sedentary lifestyle, but this may not be true at all.

9 Feb 2018

Researchers describe human blood-nerve barrier transcriptome for the first time

Human peripheral nerves -- all the nerves outside of the central nervous system -- are protected by the blood-nerve barrier. This is a tight covering of endothelial cells that maintains the microenvironment within the nerves by restricting the amounts or types of water, ions, solutes and nutrients that can reach the axons, or electric cables within the nerves, from the blood circulation system.

8 Feb 2018

Analysis reveals drop in long-term opioid use among military veterans

A new study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer, shows that opioid prescribing has dropped after a peak in 2012. Lead author Katherine Hadlandsmyth of the Iowa City VA Healthcare System and the University of Iowa in the US further noted that the decline was mostly due to decreases in long-term opioid prescribing, which carries much greater risk for harmful side effects, addiction and overdose, relative to short-term prescribing.

30 Jan 2018

Treating domestic violence as a medical problem

Fanny Ortiz, a mother of five who lives just east of downtown Los Angeles, spent nearly a decade married to a man who controlled her and frequently threatened her. Then, she said, his abuse escalated. "He would physically hit me in the face, throw me on the wall," she recalled.

29 Jan 2018

Research highlights benefits from enhanced recovery after surgery program

Colorectal and bariatric surgery patients benefited from an enhanced recovery after surgery program, leaving the hospital sooner and requiring fewer opioids to control pain, according to new research presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 2018 meeting.

27 Jan 2018

American Pain Society's 2018 conference aims to deepen understanding of pain mechanisms

The American Pain Society, www.americanpainsociety.org, has changed the format for its 2018 conference to a Scientific Summit titled "Understanding Pain Mechanisms." The event is March 4-6 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

25 Jan 2018

The London Clinic exhibits innovative technology to treat Parkinson’s disease at Arab Health

A pioneering technology that allows patients to control their Parkinson’s disease symptoms using an iPod will be showcased at Arab Health by a renowned UK hospital.

16 Jan 2018

Efforts to reverse opioid epidemic remain beset by stigma

Efforts to reverse the nation's opioid epidemic remain beset by the stigma associated with drug use, a group of OHSU researchers write in a year-end review.

10 Jan 2018

VA clears the air on talking to patients about marijuana use

"Don't ask, don't tell" is how many veterans have approached health care conversations about marijuana use with the doctors they see from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

9 Jan 2018

An opioid remedy that works: Treat pain and addiction at the same time

Seven years ago, Robert Kerley, who makes his living as a truck driver, was loading drywall when a gust of wind knocked him off the trailer. Kerley fell 14 feet and hurt his back.

8 Jan 2018

Migraine surgery leads to significant improvements in everyday functioning and coping ability

In addition to reducing headache frequency and severity, surgical treatment for migraine leads to significant improvements in everyday functioning and coping ability, according to a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

3 Jan 2018

Sickle cell patients, families and doctors face a ‘fight for everything’

The day before his 30th birthday, Marqus Valentine was in a panic. "I was so scared for midnight to come rolling around because subconsciously I was like, 'This is it. Tomorrow’s my last day on Earth,'" he said.

27 Dec 2017

Study finds Chinese massage to be safe, cost-effective for patients with chronic neck pain

A new study evaluating a form of Chinese massage, tuina, in patients with chronic neck pain found it to be effective, safe, and cost-effective compared to no treatment.

18 Dec 2017

Special issue highlights factors affecting healthcare for LGBT older adults

A special issue of LGBT Health includes the latest research, clinical practice innovations, and policy aimed at addressing disparities and enhancing healthcare for older LGBT populations.

18 Dec 2017

Gene that could be associated with reduced pain response found

Researchers found an Italian family, the Marsilis that have six individuals who respond significantly differently to pain than others. This includes a 78-year-old lady and her two daughters and their three children.

18 Dec 2017

Rare gene mutation gives rise to low sensitivity to pain

Researchers at University College London have identified a rare gene mutation in an Italian family who have little sensitivity to some forms of pain. Chronic pain caused by conditions such as lower back pain and osteoarthritis is one of the most prominent causes of disability worldwide, as assessed by the Global Burden of Disease reviews.

15 Dec 2017

Medicare fails to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in lab overcharges

Five years ago, Companion DX Reference Lab hoped to cash in on cutting-edge genetic tests paid for by Medicare.

15 Dec 2017

APS Scientific Summit explores biopsychosocial mechanisms that influence pain

Understanding Pain Mechanisms is the theme of the American Pain Society's Scientific Summit, www.americanpainsociety.org, March 4-6 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

15 Dec 2017