Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Nothing silent about the way ovarian cancer kills

A new study by Australian scientists has revealed that far from being a silent killer, most women diagnosed with ovarian cancer had one or two unusual and persistent symptoms before they were diagnosed.

3 Feb 2009

PET/CT may improve prognosis for patients with inflammatory breast cancer

In the largest study to date to evaluate fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) in the initial staging of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), researchers were able to identify the precise location and extent of metastasis (spread of disease), offering the potential for a better prognosis for patients with this rare, but aggressive form of breast cancer.

2 Feb 2009

People without heart disease symptoms should use caution in obtaining cardiac imaging exams

At the radiation dose levels used in cardiac imaging exams, such as cardiac CT or nuclear medicine scans, the risk of potentially harmful effects from ionizing radiation are low.

2 Feb 2009

CT and fiber-coated surgical microcoils help locate small lung nodules

A new technique combining computed tomography (CT) with fiber-coated surgical microcoils allows physicians to successfully locate and remove small lung nodules without the need for a more invasive procedure, according to a new study published in the February issue of Radiology.

2 Feb 2009

FDA approves KAPIDEX (dexlansoprazole) capsules for the treatment of GERD

Patients with leg pain caused by arterial disease may be able to forego treatment of the affected artery by participating in hospital-supervised exercise, according to a new study published in the February issue of Radiology.

2 Feb 2009

After knee replacement exercise is crucial

It may be uncomfortable at first, but doing exercises to strengthen your quadriceps after you've had knee replacement surgery due to osteoarthritis is critical to your recovery.

2 Feb 2009

Vitamin and mineral supplement use high among U.S. children and teens

A large number of U.S. children and teens age 2 to 17 appear to use vitamin and mineral supplements, although most may not need them, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Feb 2009

Surgeons remove healthy kidney through donor's vagina

In what is believed to be a first-ever procedure, surgeons at Johns Hopkins have successfully removed a healthy donor kidney through a small incision in the back of the donor's vagina.

2 Feb 2009

Muscle control the best option for back pain

Australian researchers have found that people suffering with lower back pain can significantly reduce their pain and disability by learning to control their trunk muscles.

2 Feb 2009

New imaging technique catches arthritis early

You come into a doctor's office with severe knee pain. The physician orders an MRI, which reveals substantial loss of cartilage - osteoarthritis, that is - in your knee joint. At this point, not much can be done beyond gulping down palliatives and trying to keep your weight off the joint. But the damage may have started building as much as 20 years earlier, possibly due to a traumatic injury to the affected joint.

29 Jan 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

Research provides insight into brain mechanisms involved in empathy

Is it possible to share a pain that you observe in another but have never actually experienced yourself?

29 Jan 2009

Study of cannabinoid medicine for pain found patients got 'high,' but effects not related to pain relief

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital found that patients taking cannabinoid medicines for pain may be getting "high," but these effects were unrelated to relief from their pain symptoms. Results of their study, one of the first to examine the addictive potential of this class of pain medicine, were presented today at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 25th Annual Meeting.

29 Jan 2009

Study shows no standardized approach to epidural steroid injections for back pain

Today at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 25th Annual Meeting, researchers from University of California at San Diego report that no standardized practices exist for administering an epidural steroid injection for back pain. Researchers looked at many factors including: which steroids were given, the amount of steroid used, and whether or not a local anesthetic was mixed with the steroid.

29 Jan 2009

Leconotide, an investigative calcium channel blocker, shows potential as pain treatment

Results of a pre-clinical study of leconotide, an investigative calcium channel blocker, shows it has the potential to be safe, selective, and efficacious as a new non-opioid treatment for pain relief. It also holds promise in multiple drug delivery options including nasal spray, transdermal patch, and pills. Data were presented today at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 25th Annual Meeting.

29 Jan 2009

New understanding of genetic basis of psoriasis

Two international teams of researchers have made significant gains in understanding the genetic basis of psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that can be debilitating in some patients.

27 Jan 2009

Gene therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: promising results

Researchers have reported the first clinical evidence that gene therapy reduces symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, an important milestone for this promising treatment which has endured a sometimes turbulent past.

27 Jan 2009

Aspirin shown to help prevent liver damage

According to scientists at Yale University ordinary aspirin may help prevent liver damage in millions of people suffering from the side effects of common drugs, alcohol abuse and obesity-related liver disease.

27 Jan 2009

Researchers develop "virtual patient" to help train the pharmacists of the future

Keele University has developed a “virtual patient” to help train the pharmacists of the future.

23 Jan 2009

Drug-coated stents less risky for heart bypass patients

Coronary bypass surgery may carry less risk of serious complications if stents coated with a drug that suppresses cell growth are used in the procedure rather than bare-metal stents, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers and colleagues have found.

23 Jan 2009