Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

ABI therapy effective for treating microtears in hamstring injury: Study

Researchers in London say they have found an effective two-part treatment for microtears in the hamstring: injections of the patient's own blood and a steroid along with "dry-needling," in which repeated needle punctures cause controlled internal bleeding in the injured area. Results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

30 Nov 2010

Study confirms difference in coronary artery disease pathways among Caucasians, African Americans

In a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), researchers say they may have an explanation as to why African Americans, despite having lower amounts of coronary artery calcification, are at increased risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular events compared with Caucasians.

30 Nov 2010

Tricare may raise fees; VA Medical Center uses telemedicine to trim costs

"Of nearly 4.5 million military retirees and their families, about three-quarters are estimated to have access to health insurance through a civilian employer or group. But more than two million of them stay on Tricare," the military's lifetime health insurance program, The New York Times reports. Enrollment in Tricare, which costs less than what many private employers ask for in premiums, is expected to grow "as the costs of private health care continue to climb."

29 Nov 2010

Zalicus to highlight A2A agonist oncology programs at ASH Annual Meeting

Zalicus Inc. announced today that preclinical data on its discovery of novel A2A agonist oncology programs for the treatment of multiple myeloma and other B-cell malignancies will be highlighted at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology in Orlando, FL on December 4-7, 2010.

29 Nov 2010

Study reports increased CT usage in emergency departments

A new study reports that the use of computed tomography (CT) in the nation's emergency departments is growing exponentially. If the growth trend continues, by 2011, nearly 20 percent of all emergency department (ED) visits may involve a CT exam. The results of this study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and published online and in the journal Radiology.

29 Nov 2010

Researchers identify effects of endurance running

Using a mobile MRI unit, researchers followed runners for two months along a 4,500-kilometer course to study how their bodies responded to the high-stress conditions of an ultra-long-distance race, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

29 Nov 2010

Study finds light exercise may protect against osteoarthritis

People at risk for osteoarthritis may be able to delay the onset of the disease or even prevent it with simple changes to their physical activity, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

29 Nov 2010

Lame duck session to include votes on Medicare 'doc fix,' health law's 1099 tax provision

Lawmakers, after taking Thanksgiving week off, arrive in town Monday along with the Capitol Christmas tree for the final stretch of the postelection session. Facing a daunting agenda, they could have that tree in their sights well into Christmas week.

28 Nov 2010

Stem cell treatment may help treat low back pain

Lower back pain affects many people and may be caused by degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae. Treatment for the condition using stem cells may be an alternative to today's surgical procedures. This is the conclusion of a thesis presented at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

28 Nov 2010

Study shows relationship between nasal symptoms and severe asthma

People with multi-symptom asthma more often have night-time awakenings due to asthma-symptoms, a sign of severe asthma. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research have shown that asthma with multiple symptoms is more highly prevalent than previously suggested, comprising 20- 25% of all asthmatics.

26 Nov 2010

$ESCEO and IOF publish position paper on link between upper thigh bone fractures and bisphosphonate use$

ESCEO and IOF publish position paper on link between upper thigh bone fractures and bisphosphonate use

Leading experts from the European Society on Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have published a timely position paper on the association between subtrochanteric femoral (upper thigh bone) fractures and long-term treatment with bisphosphonates.

25 Nov 2010

American Board Diplomat joins Ascendant Neuro for treating pain management

Ascendant Neuro is pleased to announce the addition of Jack A. Chapman, M.D., a nationally recognized pain management specialist, who will work to further advance the group's minimally invasive pain treatment techniques through the innovative use of neurostimulators and other conservative treatments.

25 Nov 2010

Cannabis compounds trigger immune cells that promote cancer growth

An international team of immunologists studying the effects of cannabis have discovered how smoking marijuana can trigger a suppression of the body's immune functions. The research, published in the European Journal of Immunology, reveals why cannabis users are more susceptible to certain types of cancers and infections.

25 Nov 2010

End-of-life care raises difficult questions about quality issues

PBS Frontline has kicked off a series called Facing Death, which explores the way Americans die, issues around extending life or prolonging death, uncertainty, talking about the end of life and modern medicine's trade offs.

24 Nov 2010

USFDA grants Sun Pharma tentative marketing approval for generic Cymbalta

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that USFDA has granted its subsidiary a tentative approval for an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Cymbalta®, duloxetine hydrochloride delayed-release capsules.

24 Nov 2010

Ziconotide could promote suicidal tendencies in vulnerable patients: Research

24 Nov 2010

DePuy Orthopaedics issues recall on ASR XL Acetabular System and Hip Resurfacing System

DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., a division of Johnson & Johnson issued a recall on its ASR XL Acetabular System (a hip socket used in traditional hip replacement surgery) and ASR Hip Resurfacing System (a partial hip replacement that involves placing a metal cap on the ball of the femur) -- both of which have been used in hip replacement surgery.

24 Nov 2010

Today's Op-Eds: HMOs, the 'fixed' middlemen; you can't keep your coverage; the (in) effectiveness of medical cost control

Wouldn't it be better to let HMOs compete to offer the cheapest most innovative plans-rather than having the plans defined by new exchanges that must follow federal rules and meanwhile allow the HMOs a generous fixed middleman share of total health pie.

23 Nov 2010

African American cigarette smokers at higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis

A new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study—the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population—are available in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

23 Nov 2010

Ziconotide could promote suicidal tendencies: Study

The active agent ziconotide, the synthetic toxin of the cone snail (Conus magus), was acclaimed a safe alternative to morphine when it was introduced six years ago. Now it is increasingly suspected of causing patients to commit suicide. Researchers working under the auspices of Prof. Christoph Maier (Director of the Pain Clinic Bergmannsheil at the Ruhr University in Bochum) presume that ziconotide not only suppresses the transmission of pain stimuli, but also deteriorates the frame of mind and could simultaneously reduce anxiety and impulse control.

23 Nov 2010