Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Yoga program improves fibromyalgia symptoms and functional deficits

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a debilitating condition affecting 11󈝻 million individuals in the US alone. FM carries an annual direct cost for care of more than $20 billion and drug therapies are generally only 30% effective in relieving symptoms and 20% effective in improving function. Standard care currently includes medications accompanied by exercise and coping skills approaches. In a study published in the November 2010 issue of PAIN, researchers report patients participating in a "Yoga of Awareness" program showed significantly greater improvement in FM symptoms and functioning compared to patients on a standard FM care program.

14 Oct 2010

XenoPort to present XP23829 preclinical data at ECTRIMS meeting

XenoPort, Inc. announced today that it will present data on a new preclinical product candidate, XP23829, at the upcoming 26th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, October 13 - 16, 2010.

14 Oct 2010

Global project to find biological activity in sea organisms suitable for pharmaceutical products

Researchers at the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Helsinki are co-ordinating an extensive project which aims to find biological activity from among organisms in the sea which would be suitable for use as a basis for pharmaceutical products. Interesting compounds isolated from organisms in the sea are chemically modified to be more suitable for medical purposes.

13 Oct 2010

Secure Tracks launches innovative new patient support system

Weight bearing gait aides such as conventional walkers and belts could quickly become a thing of the past in rehabilitation centers of hospitals as Secure Tracks today announced the launch of its innovative new patient support system. Customized for each hospital's unique needs, Secure Tracks is a purely mechanical system that consists of a ceiling-mounted monorail track, an exclusive trolley and a U-shaped support device that allows patients to stand completely upright and walk with a natural gait without the need for a harness.

13 Oct 2010

$1.5 million DOD award allows U-M scientists to pursue new application for nanoemulsion technology

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded $1.5 million over three years to the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences and to Ann Arbor-based NanoBio Corporation to develop and test nanoemulsions with potential to fight a wide range of wound infections, including drug-resistant forms.

13 Oct 2010

Buprenorphine implant decreases opioid usage in persons with opioid dependence

Helping to address the issue of medication adherence, persons with opioid dependence who had the medication buprenorphine implanted had less opioid use over 16 weeks, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Oct 2010

Study compares minimally invasive and open surgeries for lower back pain

Rush University Medical Center is assessing whether minimally invasive surgery to relieve lower back pain differs from open surgery in terms of complication rate, recovery time, outcome and cost.

13 Oct 2010

The Partnership at Drugfree.org issues statement on FDA approval of VIVITROL for opioid dependence

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of Alkermes' opioid dependence medication (VIVITROL) for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence following opioid detoxification is positive news for families of young adults and all those who are struggling to overcome opioid addiction. Addiction, a disease of the human brain, is a chronic illness while opioid dependence is frequently characterized by relapse.

13 Oct 2010

Archimedes publishes results from FPNS Phase III clinical study for breakthrough cancer pain

Archimedes Pharma, an emerging specialty pharma company focused on oncology, pain, neurology and critical care sectors, today announced publication of results from a Phase III, long-term safety, tolerability and consistency of effect, clinical study of fentanyl pectin nasal spray (FPNS) in the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP).

13 Oct 2010

DoD awards $1.5 million grant to study nanoemulsion-based therapies for preventing burn wound infections

Researchers from NanoBio Corporation and the University of Michigan Medical School today announced the receipt of a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to study the use of nanoemulsion-based therapies for protection against burn and wound infections.

13 Oct 2010

New 2010 clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis and management of osteoporosis in Canada released

Today, Osteoporosis Canada released its 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Osteoporosis in Canada, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The new guidelines represent a paradigm shift in the prevention and treatment of osteoporotic fractures, moving the focus from treating low bone mineral density (BMD) to better identifying fractures caused by weakened bones (fragility fractures).

12 Oct 2010

Integrated Research Network to analyze payor health policy for chronic pain medications

HealthCore's Integrated Research Network is enrolling family physicians, general practitioners, internists, neurologists, rheumatologists, endocrinologists, and pain management specialists in a first-of-its-kind study to analyze payor health policy for chronic pain medications.

12 Oct 2010

Twenty-two physical symptoms prevalent in all types of cancers

Twenty-two physical symptoms associated with cancer - symptoms often unrecognized and undertreated - are prevalent in all types of cancers regardless of whether the patient is newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment or is a cancer survivor, according to researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University schools of medicine and nursing.

12 Oct 2010

$Photographic exhibition reveals devastating impact of spinal osteoporotic fractures$

Photographic exhibition reveals devastating impact of spinal osteoporotic fractures

At a press conference held in Brussels today, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), the Belgian Bone Club and the European Parliament Osteoporosis Interest Group called on health care professionals and health policy officials in Europe to take action to prevent spinal fractures. The call to action was made at the launch of a unique photographic essay, 'snap! the breaking spine', leading up to World Osteoporosis Day on October 20, 2010.

12 Oct 2010

Behavioral management and preventive medication can combat migraine: Research

The combination of preventive medication and behavioral changes offered significant relief for 77 percent of the individuals enrolled in a study aimed at combating frequent, disabling migraine headaches, according to new Ohio University research published this week in the British Medical Journal.

12 Oct 2010

Most men with prostate cancer not referred to hospice care early enough

More than half of men dying of prostate cancer use hospice care - a significant increase over the last two decades - but most wait too long to enroll so they can't take full advantage of the palliative care that could make their deaths easier, a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found.

12 Oct 2010

Covidien presents hernia and abdominal wall repair products at EHS Meeting

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, announced that its hernia and abdominal wall repair products were featured in 18 podium presentations at the 32nd International Congress of the European Hernia Society (EHS).

12 Oct 2010

Physical and psychological factors contribute to somatic symptoms: Report

Patients with cancer who experience pain or depression also have a high rate of physical symptoms, such as fatigue, dry mouth and nausea, according to a report in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

$Osteoporosis Canada issues new guidelines to prevent fragility fractures$

Osteoporosis Canada issues new guidelines to prevent fragility fractures

Comprehensive new guidelines from the Osteoporosis Canada aimed at preventing fragility fractures in women and men over the age of 50 are published in CMAJ.

12 Oct 2010

Proper treatment for scoliosis may help children to lead active lives

Scoliosis may sound like a frightening diagnosis, but proper treatment enables children with the condition to lead normal, active lives. Scoliosis refers to an abnormal curvature of the spine. Small curves are a normal part of spine anatomy and are not cause for concern, according to Dr. Daniel Green, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. But when the curvature exceeds a certain range, children require medical attention.

12 Oct 2010