Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections reach highest level in a decade

The latest Annual Epidemiological Reports from ECDC indicate a surge in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe.

21 May 2026

Phase two clinical trial demonstrates dramatic mobility gains in children with severe fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare skeletal disorder in which normal bone is gradually replaced by weak fibro-osseous tissue, leading to fractures, pain, deformities, and severe mobility impairment. In many patients, diseased bone tissue produces excessive amounts of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), a hormone that causes phosphate loss through the kidneys.

21 May 2026

First-of-its-kind pregnancy hormone test reveals why female IBD patients face severe symptom flares

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises the inflammatory conditions Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects about 1.6 million Americans, many of whom cannot be effectively treated.

21 May 2026

Study defines realistic performance goals for pediatric emergency departments

A large, multi-center study led by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago derived "achievable benchmarks of care" (ABCs) using electronic health record data, which allows pediatric emergency departments across the country to set high yet realistic performance goals.

21 May 2026

$Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits$

Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits

Calcium, vitamin D, or combined supplements offer little to no clinically meaningful benefit on fracture and fall prevention in most older people, finds an in-depth review of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.

20 May 2026

Fatty liver disease linked to higher risk of heart attacks

Researchers at Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute found that people with hepatic steatosis, commonly called "fatty liver disease," have a higher amount of noncalcified, rupture-prone coronary plaque and face nearly twice the rate of cardiovascular events compared to those without steatosis.

20 May 2026

Patient intuition leads to urgent open-heart surgery at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn

Shana Hale, a Brooklyn mother of two and a technology executive, noticed a mild burning sensation in her chest during her daily walks last summer.

20 May 2026

Plant-based eye drops harness photosynthesis to heal dry eyes

What if your eyes could use light to heal themselves? Drawing inspiration from how plants harness sunlight, researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are pioneering a revolutionary treatment for dry eye disease.

20 May 2026

Vitamin D deficiency linked to higher postoperative breast cancer pain

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with more moderate to severe pain following breast cancer surgery and an increased consumption of opioid drugs, finds research published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

19 May 2026

Facial micromovements may help doctors measure pain more accurately

Researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick are working to measure pain more accurately beyond the single, subjective question patients are often asked: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is your pain?"

19 May 2026

Nurse-led ultrasound screening catches hidden infant hip dysplasia

A recent trial of community-based and nurse-led ultrasound screening for hip dysplasia in Japan has been met with great success, according to new research at the University of Tokyo.

19 May 2026

Stem cell infusions improve symptoms in butterfly skin disease

The intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells from family donors is safe and improves symptoms such as pruritus (itching), sleep disturbances, and fatigue associated with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB), popularly known as "butterfly skin".

18 May 2026

Integrated care needed for lifelong Polyendocrine Ovarian Syndrome management

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which has just been renamed Polyendocrine Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), is the most common hormonal and metabolic disorder affecting women of reproductive age, impacting up to 13% of this population and contributing to nearly 40% of infertility cases worldwide.

18 May 2026

Health experts outline symptoms and risks of shipboard hantavirus

It's one of the cruisegoer's biggest fears: a contagious disease outbreak at sea.

18 May 2026

Gut microbiome metabolite butyrate relieves chronic jaw joint pain

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is associated with disrupted gut microbiome metabolites. Researchers reveal that butyrate, administered as tributyrin, alleviates pain by restoring histone acetylation and reversing gene regulatory changes in the brain.

18 May 2026

Silent heart attacks may speed cognitive decline

Research shows hidden heart attacks accelerate cognitive decline, highlighting the need for better identification of cardiovascular risks to brain health.

18 May 2026

Addressing depression and anxiety in primary care improves chronic pain management

A study published this month in the American Journal of Managed Care explores how integrating behavioral health care into primary care can improve outcomes and be cost-effective for adults with depression, anxiety and chronic pain who are on long-term opioid therapy.

15 May 2026

New research reassures mothers on NSAID safety during the first trimester

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, taken during the first trimester of pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to a new study published May 14th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Sharon Daniel of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Clalit Health Services, Beer-Sheva, Israel, and colleagues.

15 May 2026

Study identifies breakthrough drug combination for early-stage Peyronie’s

Combining two widely prescribed drug classes could provide the first effective treatment for early-stage Peyronie's disease, according to a new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

15 May 2026

Asymptomatic transmission plays a prominent role in mpox infection patterns

A Kaiser Permanente study of nearly 8,000 men shows that in mid- to late 2024, mpox was far more common among men who have sex with men than previously thought. Individuals without symptoms accounted for most infections and likely played a prominent role in transmission, contrary to prior assumptions that people had to be symptomatic to spread the disease.

15 May 2026