Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Common neurological diseases pose serious annual financial burden for the U.S.

The most common neurological diseases cost the United States $789 billion in 2014, and this figure is projected to grow as the elderly population doubles between 2011 and 2050, according to a new study published in the April issue of the Annals of Neurology.

30 Mar 2017

Study uncovers trigger for recurrent UTI infections

About half of all women will experience urinary tract infections in their lifetimes, and despite treatment, about a quarter will develop recurrent infections within six months of initial infection.

30 Mar 2017

Virtual reality therapy effective in reducing pain for hospitalized patients

Virtual reality therapy is effective in significantly reducing pain for hospitalized patients, according to a new Cedars-Sinai study.

29 Mar 2017

Researchers show how dopamine falls and fluctuates during migraine headache

Using PET scans of the brain, University of Michigan researchers showed that dopamine falls and fluctuates at different times during a migraine headache.

29 Mar 2017

EHR systems improve outcomes for weekend surgery patients, study shows

Electronic health record systems significantly improve outcomes for patients who undergo surgeries on weekends, according to a Loyola Medicine study published in JAMA Surgery.

29 Mar 2017

Research findings open door to new class of analgesics for treating neuropathic pain

New research published online in The FASEB Journal suggests that a novel therapeutic target called LPCAT2 may prove effective against pain that is not receptive to the current treatments.

29 Mar 2017

Research sheds new light on reasons behind recurrent aphthous stomatitis

A burning pain sensation - and treatments that do not work. This is what daily life is like for many of those who suffer from recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Research from the Sahlgrenska Academy now sheds new light on the reasons behind this condition found in the mouth.

29 Mar 2017

Study unravels mysteries behind cause of acute liver failure

Twenty years ago, the federal government funded the study of a condition quietly killing hundreds of Americans a year - acute liver failure, or ALF. Growing evidence had linked ALF to overdoses of acetaminophen, the popular over-the-counter pain medication many viewed as harmless at the time.

29 Mar 2017

Music therapy decreases pain in patients recovering from spine surgery

Music therapy has been found to decrease pain in patients recovering from spine surgery, compared to a control group of patients who received standard postoperative care alone.

29 Mar 2017

Research helps elucidate mechanisms behind low-level laser therapy in treating neuropathic pain

Low-level laser therapy has been shown by recent studies to be a non-invasive and effective alternative for treating neuropathic pain, a chronic condition caused by nerve damage, spinal cord injury or diseases such as diabetes.

28 Mar 2017

New probiotic may help combat negative health effects of adrenaline surges

U.S. sailors and Marines face continuous periods of excessive stress in "fight-or-flight" situations, triggering surges of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, often known as an adrenaline rush.

28 Mar 2017

FDA approves new maintenance therapy for recurrent cancers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zejula (niraparib) for the maintenance treatment (intended to delay cancer growth) of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, whose tumors have completely or partially shrunk (complete or partial response, respectively) in response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

27 Mar 2017

Research findings offer potential explanation for opioid-induced itching

Opioids have long been an important tool in the world of pain management, but the side effects of these drugs - from addiction and respiratory failure to severe itching and dizziness, can be overwhelming.

27 Mar 2017

Obese people more sensitive to pressure pain, research shows

An extra layer of fat won't provide a cushion against pain - in fact, obese people are more sensitive to pressure pain than those who are not overweight, and they are equally susceptible to extremes of hot and cold.

27 Mar 2017

Pelvic prolapse surgery using mesh no more effective than standard repair?

Women who have surgery for their prolapse have a 3 in 10 chance of needing at least one more operation, so the success rate is not great. Gynecologists hoped that using non-absorbable synthetic mesh or biological graft material as a patch to reinforce their standard repairs, the success rate would get better.

27 Mar 2017

NUS researchers develop novel web-based tool to predict patient's readmission risk

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore has developed a novel web-based tool that predicts a patient's 15-day readmission risk.

27 Mar 2017

Virtual environment education decreases anxiety before prostate cancer treatment

Radiation therapists and physicians know that education can reduce anxiety before radiation treatment but lack a standardized tool. In an effort to solve this problem, a multidisciplinary team from Jefferson College of Health Professions and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University conducted a pilot study to see if a virtual environment education program could reduce some of the anxiety their patients face.

25 Mar 2017