Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

U.S., World mount response to Haiti 7.0 earthquake

Rescue teams and aid groups headed to Haiti on Wednesday to offer help and "assess damage from a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake that crippled the island nation, severing communications with the outside world and crumbling countless buildings," the Miami Herald reports (Charles et al., 1/13). Tuesday's "earthquake was the worst in the region in more than 200 years and left the country in a shambles," according to the New York Times (Romero/Lacy, 1/13).

18 Jan 2010

Japan's MHLW approves InSightec's ExAblate MRgFUS system

InSightec Ltd. announced today that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved the company's ExAblate(R) MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) system for the treatment of women with uterine fibroids.

18 Jan 2010

Art program gives a ray of hope for patients

To visit Erica Arcia in the Bone Marrow Transplant unit, you first have to don a sterile gown and mask. Then you step through one door, making sure that it seals behind you. Step through the second door of the isolation room and you’re standing at Arcia’s bedside.

13 Jan 2010

Zassi Medical Evolutions forms new company to develop electrical stimulation technology

Zassi Medical Evolutions, a privately held organization that innovates, designs and develops high technology medical devices and software announced today that it has successfully spun out and formed a new company with Tucson, Arizona based Research Corporation Technologies (RCT) to pursue the continued development of a novel electrical stimulation technology for the gastrointestinal continence control market.

13 Jan 2010

Tips to prevent injuries during winter season

"There is always a risk of suffering injuries during physical activities, and skiing and snowboarding are no exception," said orthotraumatologist Wade Smith, Vice-Chairman of Orthopedics for Geisinger Health System. "Due to the nature of these sports, many of the injuries that skiers and snowboarders suffer are serious and require immediate medical attention."

13 Jan 2010

Massage Heights Houston opens new retreat in Royal Oaks area of Houston

Just in time for one of the most romantic holidays for couples -- Valentine's Day -- Massage Heights Houston opened its 11th Houston location on December 18th, 2009 in the Royal Oaks area of Houston.

13 Jan 2010

Pisgah Labs files its eighth patent application for technology to prevent prescription drug abuse

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, prescription drug abuse is more prevalent than abuse of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. In fact, in the past year, prescription drug abuse ranked second only to marijuana use. In the face of this growing problem, Pisgah Labs, Inc. has just filed its eighth patent application on a technology that promises to curb prescription drug abuse.

13 Jan 2010

PRP injections are ineffective for treating Achilles tendon disorder

An apparently increasingly used treatment method for a type of Achilles tendon disorder that includes injection of platelet-rich plasma into the tendon does not appear to result in greater improvement in pain or activity compared to placebo, according to results of a preliminary study published in the January 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Jan 2010

First sulfite-free rectal suspension for UC

sfRowasa™ (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension 4g/60mL –Sulfite-Free Formulation, is the first sulfite-free rectal suspension available for Ulcerative colitis (UC). According to a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, products containing sulfites may exacerbate natural sulfide levels in the colon and may increase inflammation in UC patients. With its sulfite-free preparation, sfRowasa™ offers a new treatment option for the treatment of active, mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis or proctitis.

13 Jan 2010

BDSI to discuss planned BEMA Granisetron IND with the FDA

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. announced that the company has been granted a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the planned Investigational New Drug (IND) application for BDSI’s antiemetic (anti-nausea and vomiting) product candidate, BEMA Granisetron. The meeting will take place on March 17, 2010. The company will discuss with the FDA clinical development and regulatory plans for BEMA Granisetron, which is anticipated to enter Phase 1 studies in the second quarter of 2010.

13 Jan 2010

AARDA pleased with FDA's approval of RA drug ACTEMRA

Friday, January 8, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ACTEMRA® (tocilizumab), a new biologic response modifier for adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

13 Jan 2010

Reducing DA dosage causes acute withdrawal symptoms in Parkinson's patients

New research has shown that reducing the dosage of dopamine agonist (DA) drugs, a mainstay treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD), sometimes causes acute withdrawal symptoms similar to those reported by cocaine addicts -- including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sweating, nausea, generalized pain, fatigue, dizziness and drug cravings. These symptoms can be severe, and are not alleviated by other PD medications.

12 Jan 2010

Spinal cement may help multiple myeloma patients live longer

New technologies used to repair spinal fractures could soon be helping patients suffering from the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma.

12 Jan 2010

15% of parents still experience post traumatic stress disorder six months after child's injury

According to research by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) recently published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, one month after their child was injured 27 percent of parents experienced acute stress disorder or significant traumatic stress symptoms, including re-experiencing the incident, avoiding reminders of the incident, and increased general anxiety or jumpiness.

12 Jan 2010

Salt Lake City research center joins international drug trial program for painful menstrual cramps

A leading clinical research center in Salt Lake City has joined an international trial program to test an experimental new drug designed to treat painful menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, a condition that affects between 45 and 90 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States. Although not life threatening, dysmenorrhea can be debilitating and psychologically taxing and is one of the leading causes of absenteeism from work and school.

12 Jan 2010

French maritime pine tree extract effective against hemorrhoids

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, about half of the U.S. population will have hemorrhoids by the age of 50. While the most common prescription to treat hemorrhoids is over-the-counter remedies, most patients do not report symptoms of acute hemorrhoidal attacks to their doctor until they are in severe distress, including bleeding.

12 Jan 2010

Detroit paper explores pain of facing breast cancer without insurance

A woman with a $7,000 annual income and $67 in the bank was diagnosed with breast cancer, leading to a week of phone calls from her surgeon to state, federal and hospital officials before a charitable agreement was struck with a medical center, the Detroit Free Press reports.

12 Jan 2010

Researchers study VA111913 drug as a possible treatment for dysmenorrhea

A leading clinical research center in Austin has joined an international research program to study an investigational drug designed as a possible treatment for painful menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, a condition that affects between 45 and 90 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States.

12 Jan 2010

PhotoMedex, Galderma Laboratories enter into co-promotion agreement for photodynamic therapy application

PhotoMedex and Galderma Laboratories, L.P. have entered into a co-promotion agreement for Galderma’s photodynamic therapy application for the treatment of actinic keratoses (“AK”).

11 Jan 2010

Lives of 400 Swedes can be saved annually if side effects of pharmaceuticals prevented

A scientific study indicates that the lives of 400 Swedes could be saved annually if measures were taken to prevent side effects of pharmaceuticals. Now these researchers in Sweden, at the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV) and elsewhere, have reviewed randomly selected deaths in three Swedish counties and found that 14 percent of these deaths could have been avoided if a drug had been replaced or if the dosage had been lowered.

11 Jan 2010