Analgesia News and Research

RSS

FDA approves Onsolis pain reliever for cancer patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Onsolis, medication intended for certain patients with cancer to help manage breakthrough pain – severe flares of pain that break through regular pain medication.

16 Jul 2009

FDA approves injectable Ibuprofen

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Caldolor, the first injectable dosage form of the common pain medication ibuprofen, to treat pain and fever.

11 Jun 2009

Maternal positions and mobility during first stage of labor

Women who walk, sit, kneel or otherwise avoid lying in bed during early labor can shorten the first stage of labor by about an hour, according to a new Cochrane evidence review.

14 Apr 2009

Opioid antagonists show potential for problematic pain

Achieving effective, durable, and safe pain relief, especially in patients with chronic and/or severe pain conditions, can be difficult.

2 Apr 2009

Low to moderate drinking releases 'feel-good' endorphins in the brain, not heavy drinking

Scientists know that alcohol affects the brain, but the specifics remain unclear.

20 Mar 2009

Study tests reliability of more accurate measure of patient pain

A new study appearing in Pain Practice successfully established the reliability a newly developed device for assessing pain.

10 Mar 2009

Electronic medical records improve operating room scheduling

In the current economic climate, using electronic medical records to lower health care costs is receiving a great deal of attention.

8 Mar 2009

Opioid antagonists help pain management

Achieving effective, durable, and safe pain relief, especially in patients with chronic and/or severe pain conditions, can be difficult.

3 Mar 2009

Study looks at acupuncture for pain

The pain relieving effects of acupuncture compared with placebo are small and seem to lack clinical relevance, according to a study published on bmj.com.

29 Jan 2009

Phase III studies of EXPAREL (DepoBupivacaine) from Pacira complete enrollment

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an acute care specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that enrollment has been completed in two pivotal Phase III SIMPLE trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single intraoperative administration of EXPAREL(TM) (DepoBupivacaine) for prolonged postoperative analgesia.

6 Jan 2009

Exparel (DepoBupivacaine) shows promise in hernia repair

A Phase II trial of a single intraoperative administration of Exparel (DepoBupivacaine) resulted in significantly reduced pain with activity in the first 8 to 24 hours following surgery, when pain is generally greatest, compared to conventional treatment.

14 Dec 2008

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals reports positive results in trial of sublingual Sufentanil NanoTabs in treating post-op pain

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced positive results from a Phase 2 clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of its lead product candidate, ARX-01, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe inpatient acute pain following knee replacement surgery.

10 Dec 2008

Patient harm more common with patient-controlled pain medication

Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) allows patients to control their own pain medication, but a new study published in the December 2008 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety shows that errors related to this practice are four times more likely to result in patient harm than errors that occur with other medications.

1 Dec 2008

Water aerobics make it easier to give birth

A course of water aerobics classes has been shown to reduce the amount of pain-killing medication women request during labor.

20 Nov 2008

Pain and itch regulated by different molecular mechanisms

Historically, scientists have regarded itching as a less intense version of the body's response to pain, but researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have determined that pain and itch actually are regulated by different molecular mechanisms.

17 Nov 2008

FDA forces manufacturers of TNF-blockers to highlight risk of fungal infections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, and Remicade must strengthen the existing warnings, in the Warnings and Precaution sections of the drugs' prescribing information and Medication Guides, on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. Some patients with invasive fungal infections have died.

5 Sep 2008

Algeta reports positive phase II data on pain palliation with Alpharadin

Algeta ASA today announced that the primary objective of its BC1-03 Phase II pain palliation study was met. The study showed that even single doses of Alpharadin in patients with painful bone metastases could produce increasing clinical benefit with increasing dose.

28 Aug 2008

Medicinal cannabis effective for neuropathic pain in HIV

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of smoked medical cannabis, or marijuana, on the neuropathic pain associated with HIV, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that reported pain relief was greater with cannabis than with a placebo.

6 Aug 2008

A spoonful of sugar helps manage pain in newborns undergoing painful medical procedures

While the fictional character Mary Poppins may have been trying to charm her young wards into the unpleasant task of cleaning their room by singing 'A Spoonful of Sugar', her message apparently rings true to life.

30 Jun 2008

Oral cannabis ineffective in treating acute pain

A study published in the July issue of the Journal Anesthesiology discovered that oral cannabis (a form of medical marijuana) not only failed to alleviate certain types of pain in human volunteers but, surprisingly, it instead caused increased sensitivity to some forms of pain.

24 Jun 2008