Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Massage therapy more effective for patients with chronic low back pain

Massage therapy helps ease chronic low back pain and improve function, according to a randomized controlled trial that the Annals of Internal Medicine will publish in its July 5 issue.

5 Jul 2011

Obama administration turns bright spotlight on prescription painkiller abuse

The Obama administration turned a bright spotlight on prescription painkiller abuse in April when the Office of National Drug Control Policy released a national action plan and a statement from Vice President Joe Biden.

2 Jul 2011

New 'Fast Track' total hip replacement effective in reducing hospital stay

Discharged from the hospital within two days of a total hip replacement operation? It's possible, thanks to the new 'Fast Track' protocol that underwent testing in the U.S., in response to both patient requests for shorter hospital stays and economic realities of providing medical care.

2 Jul 2011

Checklist to stay healthy and active in summer

The summer is a great season for getting in shape. Whether by playing a sport, doing an aerobic exercise routine, or just returning to that familiar running path -- this is the time for activity.

2 Jul 2011

IOM report highlights need for changes in pain management

Defining pain as "a major public health problem," the Institute of Medicine offered recommendations to make systemic and cultural changes in how pain could either be prevented or managed better.

1 Jul 2011

Fast track protocol reduces hospital costs and infections in total hip replacement surgery

Generally healthy patients who undergo total hip replacement (THR) can be fast tracked to be discharged in two days compared with the standard three to six days, according to a new study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. The study could help cut down on hospital-acquired infections, reduce hospital costs and improve patient satisfaction.

1 Jul 2011

NIH awards Allina $2.4M grant to examine impact of integrative therapies for pain management

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $2.4 million to Allina Hospitals & Clinics to study the impact of integrative and mind/body therapies on pain management for patients at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn.

1 Jul 2011

State roundup: Calif. braces for budget cuts; Mass. weighs premium freeze

Poor people will receive less medical care and welfare, disabled people will see fewer services, state parks will close and public university students will pay more in California under the budget that takes effect Friday. But also Friday, the state sales tax will decrease from 8.25 percent to 7.25 percent and vehicle licensing fees will drop by almost half. Combined with the taxes that expired in January, an average California family will pocket about $1,000 this year.

1 Jul 2011

Chiropractors report high number of back-related injuries during summer moving period

Each year, chiropractors notice a recrudescence of patients that come for a consultation during the summer moving period. Not surprising when we know that many people, eager and tired, hasten to get everything done rapidly without worrying about their muscles and their back. That explains why herniated discs, lumbar pain and muscle soreness are so common during this time of year. How can we avoid this?

30 Jun 2011

PENNSAID Viscous Solution Phase 2 clinical trial for osteoarthritis pain meets primary endpoint

Nuvo Research Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to building a portfolio of products primarily for the treatment of pain, today announced receipt from Mallinckrodt Inc., a Covidien company (Covidien), of top-line results from a Phase 2 study conducted by Covidien, of twice-daily administration of PENNSAID Viscous Solution (topical diclofenac sodium viscous solution) 2% w/w, previously referred to as PENNSAID Gel.

30 Jun 2011

IOM report can set the stage for improvements in pain care, says APS

The American Pain Society (APS) said that "Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Treatment, and Research, the report submitted to Congress today by the Institute of Medicine, is a major step forward in addressing the nation's leading public health problem - untreated and undertreated chronic pain.

30 Jun 2011

Surgical complications much more likely in obese patients

Obese patients are nearly 12 times more likely to suffer a complication following elective plastic surgery than their normal-weight counterparts, according to new research by Johns Hopkins scientists.

30 Jun 2011

100 million Americans suffer pain - many in silence

According to a report released by the Institute of Medicine Wednesday, nearly a third of Americans experience long-lasting pain and too often feel stigma rather than relief from a health care system poorly prepared to treat them. Chronic pain is costing the nation at least $558 billion a year in medical bills, sick days and lost productivity, the report found. That's more than the cost of heart disease, the top killer.

30 Jun 2011

Most cases of facial nerve paralysis in children can be treated successfully

A half-paralyzed face with a motionless, drooping side can be alarming at any age, but when it occurs in a child it can be especially devastating.

30 Jun 2011

Mary Ann Liebert peer-reviewed journal highlights advances in gene therapy for neurological diseases

Novel tools and methods for delivering therapeutic genes to cells in the central nervous system hold great promise for the development of new treatments to combat incurable neurologic diseases.

30 Jun 2011

Obese patients more likely to suffer complication following elective plastic surgery

30 Jun 2011

Women recover faster from knee replacement surgery than men

Although women generally have worse knee function and more severe symptoms before undergoing surgery for knee replacement than men, they recover faster after the operation. Men take longer to recover but, after a year, they catch up with women and there are no differences in surgery outcomes at that time.

30 Jun 2011

Protect your ears from loud noise of fireworks, trains, and concerts

The sounds of summer can be noisy. "Fireworks, trains, concerts and road construction can be harmful to your hearing. And once hearing is damaged, it cannot be repaired," said Jyoti Bhayani, certified audiologist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola University Health System.

30 Jun 2011

Cipher grants Vertical exclusive U.S. distribution rights to CIP-TRAMADOL ER

Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive distribution and supply agreement with Vertical Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a U.S.-based specialty pharmaceutical company, under which Cipher has granted Vertical the exclusive right to market, sell and distribute CIP-TRAMADOL ER in the United States.

29 Jun 2011

Zalicus commences Synavive SYNERGY Phase 2b clinical trial for rheumatoid arthritis

Zalicus Inc. a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops novel treatments for patients suffering from pain and immuno-inflammatory diseases today announced the initiation of the SYNERGY trial, a Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating Synavive, a low-dose glucocorticoid with the potential for amplified immuno-inflammatory benefits, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

29 Jun 2011