Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

HealthWell Foundation introduces new lupus fund

The HealthWell Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing financial assistance to insured patients facing a variety of chronic and life-altering illnesses, announces the launch of a new fund supporting treatment for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus.

22 Sep 2011

New findings on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

The Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as Morbus Sudeck, is characterised by "disinhibition" of various sensory and motor areas in the brain. A multidisciplinary Bochum-based research group, led by Prof. Dr. Martin Tegenthoff and Prof. Dr. Christoph Maier, has now demonstrated for the first time that with unilateral CRPS excitability increases not only in the brain area processing the sense of touch of the affected hand. In addition, the brain region representing the healthy hand is simultaneously "disinhibited".

22 Sep 2011

InSightec's ExAblate Neuro system may treat chronic brain disorders

InSightec Ltd., the global leader in MR guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) technology, announced today that its investigational ExAblate(R) Neuro system has been used in clinical studies to treat 30 patients suffering from chronic neurological disorders.

22 Sep 2011

Methylphenidate drug may induce arousal from general anesthesia

Administration of the commonly used stimulant drug methylphenidate (Ritalin) was able to speed recovery from general anesthesia in an animal study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital.

22 Sep 2011

Sapheon's new varicose vein closure system receives European CE Mark approval

Sapheon Inc. announced that it has received CE Mark approval for its new approach to the treatment of varicose veins caused by venous reflux disease.

22 Sep 2011

Obama's deficit plan focuses on cutting health programs but not benefits; experts wonder how patients will fare

President Obama and some members of Congress assert that, in cutting Medicare and Medicaid, they can whack health care providers while protecting beneficiaries. But experts say it is not so simple.

22 Sep 2011

Ariel Pharmaceuticals in-licenses AP-1531 from BTG for acute migraine attacks

Ariel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for acute central nervous system (CNS) diseases and trauma, announced today that it has in-licensed its lead product, AP-1531, for the treatment of acute migraine attacks, from the specialist healthcare company BTG International Ltd.

22 Sep 2011

Peptide receptor radiolabeled therapy shows promise against neuroendocrine tumors

According to new Dutch research featured in the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, a peptide receptor radiolabeled therapy (PRRT), [177Lu-DOTA0,Tyr3]Octreotate (177Lu-octreotate), is effective not only in decreasing tumor size but also in reducing the severity of side effects that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.

22 Sep 2011

African Americans more likely than Caucasians to develop and die from lung cancer

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., takes a particularly heavy toll on African Americans. Despite their lower smoking rates, African Americans are more likely than Caucasians to develop and die from lung cancer.

21 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 21, 2011

For Kaiser Health News, Jackie Judd talks with PBS NewsHour's David Chalian about the GOP presidential candidates' health law repeal rhetoric, the varying level of nuance among their viewpoints and how each is attacking the President's – and each other's – stances.

21 Sep 2011

Gothenburg researcher advises patients with acute low back pain to stay active

Move if you have back pain, this is the advice of a researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Patients with acute low back pain who were advised to stay active despite the pain fared better than those who were told to adjust their activity in line with their pain.

21 Sep 2011

St. Jude Medical pledges $100,000 to support SIR Foundation's Discovery Campaign

The Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation's Discovery Campaign, which seeks to further the growth of minimally invasive medicine into new areas of discovery, announced a major corporate pledge to that initiative. St. Jude Medical Foundation, the philanthropic arm of St. Jude Medical, has pledged $100,000 and is a "Pioneer" level supporter.

21 Sep 2011

Positive results from Orexo's OX219 clinical study on opioid dependence

Orexo AB (STO:ORX) today announced that it has obtained positive results in a clinical study with OX219, which is being developed for the treatment of opioid dependence.

21 Sep 2011

New blood test can help detect heart attacks

Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researchers are reporting a possible new blood test to help diagnose heart attacks.

21 Sep 2011

Loyola offers 15 minute emergency balloon angioplasty for heart attack patients

When 45-year-old Bobbie Jeske arrived at Loyola's ER with a massive, life-threatening heart attack, it took Dr. Fred Leya just 15 minutes to perform an emergency balloon angioplasty.

21 Sep 2011

One in five cancer patients more likely to develop venous thromboembolism

An analysis of more than 30,000 cancer patients has shown that blood clots are a more common complication than doctors may realize, causing additional hospitalizations and driving up the cost of care, according to a study led by a Duke Cancer Institute researcher.

21 Sep 2011

FDA clears Anulex's fiXate Tissue Band System to treat chronic trunk/limb pain

Anulex Technologies, Inc., a privately held medical device manufacturer, has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to market the fiXate Tissue Band product, designed to secure Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) lead anchors to the fascia or interspinous/supraspinous ligament in patients with chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs.

21 Sep 2011

Akeso Medical Imaging closes first financing round to develop imaging device for rheumatoid arthritis disease activity monitoring and control

Akeso Medical Imaging BV, a spin-off from Philips Research, announces today the closure of its first financing round led by Thuja Capital Healthcare Seed Fund with additional financing from the Brabant Spin-Off Fund and Point-One Innovation Fund.

20 Sep 2011

Multimodal analgesia important for effective control of pain

Efforts to effectively control pain in hospitalized patients with opioid (narcotic) analgesics can lead to unintentional sedation and respiratory depression, which are serious adverse events affecting the quality of recovery for patients.

20 Sep 2011

Neuroticism affects brain processing during anticipation and experience of pain

Neuroticism - the tendency to experience negative emotions -significantly affects brain processing during pain, as well as during the anticipation of pain, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Neuroticism tends to be higher in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and is a risk factor for chronic, unexplained pain in IBS.

20 Sep 2011