Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

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

New technique uses electronic jolt and nanoparticles to reveal early signs of pancreatic cancer

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a new technique using an electronic jolt and nanoparticles to reveal the telltale signal of an insidious form of cancer.

4 May 2026

Sickle cell disease care is unevenly distributed across regions in New York State

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. Approximately 10 percent of people with SCD in the US live in New York State, with the majority residing in New York City.

4 May 2026

Randomized controlled trial validates total hip arthroplasty for improving functional capacity

Total hip arthroplasty leads to the best outcomes in the treatment of moderate-to-severe hip osteoarthritis, according to a new study by the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. During a one-year follow-up, surgery combined with conservative treatment was found to relieve pain and improve functional capacity and quality of life more effectively than conservative treatment alone, which was based on an exercise program.

4 May 2026

AAD survey reveals Americans ignore sun risks despite skin cancer concerns

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) today released results from its annual Practice Safe Sun Survey, revealing many Americans still engage in risky sun behaviors driven by misinformation, social media, and persistent tanning myths despite their concerns about the long term aging effects of sun exposure. In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month (May) and Melanoma Monday® on May 4, the AAD is encouraging the public to practice safe sun to reduce their risk of skin cancer.

4 May 2026

Study reveals new immune mechanism behind mevalonate kinase deficiency

Researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have uncovered a critical mechanism driving inflammation in mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD), a rare but devastating autoinflammatory disorder.

30 Apr 2026

New imaging agent shows promise for non-invasive endometriosis diagnosis

The Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford, together with Serac Healthcare Limited announces the publication of Phase 2 data in The Lancet Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

29 Apr 2026

Survey shows women are confused about when to start mammograms

A new national survey reveals many women are unsure about when to start mammogram screening for breast cancer and believe they should start later than doctors recommend.

29 Apr 2026

Prehabilitation cuts surgery complications and hospital stays

Providing patients with structured exercise and nutrition support before surgery can reduce complications and shorten hospital stays, according to a new review published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

29 Apr 2026

Nerve fibers within melanomas found to slow tumor growth

Nerve fibers within melanomas can slow the growth of these tumors, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

29 Apr 2026

TikTok chatter could help predict where the opioid crisis is heading next

A large-scale analysis of 569,581 TikTok comments found that opioid-related discussions may help track and forecast synthetic opioid overdose mortality in the US. Recovery, harm reduction, drug use, drug sourcing, and loss-related conversations provided near-real-time signals that improved 6-month forecasting accuracy.

28 Apr 2026

New clinical guidelines significantly reduce opioid prescriptions after ear surgery

A new retrospective study published in OTO Open, the open-access journal of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), demonstrates that the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) Opioid Prescribing for Analgesia After Common Otolaryngology Operations has had a measurable and sustained impact on prescribing practices following parotidectomy, which a surgical procedure to remove the parotid gland.

28 Apr 2026

UC San Diego Health performs first spine surgery on the West Coast using new robotic system

UC San Diego Health is the first health system on the West Coast to perform spine surgery using a new robotic system with advanced imaging and guidance, a major step forward in surgical care.

27 Apr 2026

Uterine fibroids may be less common in Latina women than previously estimated

Uterine fibroids may be less common in Latina women than earlier estimates suggested, according to new research.

27 Apr 2026

Yoga to help manage obesity-related heart and metabolic risks

The impact of yoga on heart health in obesity is modest, suggesting it as a complementary approach for improving metabolic outcomes in high BMI populations.

27 Apr 2026

Experts debate benefits and costs of robotic lung transplantation

The expanding use of robotic technology in lung transplantation came under scrutiny at today's 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT), where experts debated whether its clinical benefits justify the cost and complexity.

25 Apr 2026