ScienceDaily: Pain Control News

Long-term outcomes in patients with advanced coronary artery disease are better than expected

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:45 EDT

Death rates associated with patients with refractory angina, or chronic chest pain, are lower than previously considered; therefore, physicians should focus on relieving the chest pain symptoms and improving the quality of life in these patients according to a new article.

Tissue damage from metal-on-metal hip implants appears before pain symptoms appear

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:14:14 EDT

Metal-on-metal hip implants can cause inflammation of the joint lining long before symptoms appear, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify this inflammation, according to a new study.

Long-term use of prescription painkillers for back pain linked to erectile dysfunction in men

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:49:49 EDT

Regularly taking prescription painkillers, also known as opioids, is associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction in men.

War spawns new approaches for wounded service members' pain care

Sat, 11 May 2013 19:48:48 EDT

Better body armor and rapid aeromedical evacuations enable American service members to survive blasts that would have proved fatal in Vietnam or even the first Gulf War, but they pose new challenges to military medicine – how to deal with the excruciating pain of injuries, especially severe burns from IED blasts that body armor can’t protect.

Chronic pain sufferers likely to have anxiety

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Patients coping with chronic pain should also be evaluated for anxiety disorders, according to new research.

Weeks after stroke, some patients develop chronic, debilitating pain

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:28:28 EDT

Nearly 1 in 10 stroke patients suffer chronic and debilitating pain, typically described as sharp, stabbing or burning. It is treatable with medications and magnetic or electrical stimulation of the brain. But physicians often fail to correctly diagnose the condition.

New Canadian guidelines for treating fibromyalgia

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:24:24 EDT

Physicians have published a review article to help family doctors diagnose and treat fibromyalgia. The article represents the first time researchers have published Canadian guidelines to help manage the condition.

Kids with conduct problems may have brains that under-react to painful images: May increase risk of adult psychopathy

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

When children with conduct problems see images of others in pain, key parts of their brains don't react in the way they do in most people. This pattern of reduced brain activity upon witnessing pain may serve as a neurobiological risk factor for later adult psychopathy, say researchers.

Regular, moderate exercise does not worsen pain in people with fibromyalgia

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

For many people who have fibromyalgia, even the thought of exercising is painful. Yet a new study shows that exercise does not worsen the pain associated with the disorder and may even lessen it over time.

Persistent pain after stressful events may have a neurobiological basis

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

A new study is the first to identify a genetic risk factor for persistent pain after traumatic events such as motor vehicle collision and sexual assault. The study also contributes further evidence that persistent pain after stressful events has a specific biological basis.

Genetic mutation linked with typical form of migraine headache

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:51:51 EDT

Scientists have identified a genetic mutation that is strongly associated with a typical form of migraine.

No more reflux: New surgery in fight against reflux for patients whose medication no longer works

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:20:20 EDT

A new procedure involving a magnetic ring of beads that fits around your pinky has been shown to stop GERD in people whose medication stopped working.

Influence of the family on back pain sufferers

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:13:13 EDT

Researchers have published a research paper that focuses on the social factors involved in back pain sufferers returning to work, to give a wider context to the medical factors that are often considered.

Psychopaths are not neurally equipped to have concern for others

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:11:11 EDT

Prisoners who are psychopaths lack the basic neurophysiological "hardwiring" that enables them to care for others, according to a new study.

Some visible signs of Lyme disease are easily missed or mistaken

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:25:25 EDT

With Lyme disease season now beginning, doctors are urged to consider Lyme disease as the underlying cause when presented with skin lesions that resemble conditions such as contact dermatitis, lupus, common skin infections, or insect or spider bites, especially where Lyme disease is endemic. New analysis establishes patients with those symptoms, rather than the classic Lyme "bulls-eye" lesion, to have been infected with the Lyme bacterium.

Platelet-rich plasma is most effective treatment for chronic heel pain, study suggests

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:08:08 EDT

New research aims to find an effective treatment for the two million Americans suffering annually from moderate-to-severe heel pain.

Painkillers taken before marathons linked to potentially serious side effects

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:06:06 EDT

Attempts to ward off pain in marathons and other endurance sports by taking over the counter painkillers may be ill advised, because these drugs may cause serious side effects in these circumstances, suggests new research.

Breast pain issue for one in three female marathon runners

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:06:06 EDT

One in three female marathon runners is likely to suffer breast pain (mastalgia) during the course of the event, suggests new research.

Knee bracing can 'significantly' reduce pain of kneecap osteoarthritis, study suggests

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:39:39 EDT

Wearing a knee brace has been shown to “significantly improve the pain and symptoms” of a type of osteoarthritis affecting the kneecap, according to a new study.

Anesthesia increases success rates of turning breech babies, reduces delivery costs

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:57:57 EDT

A new study shows anesthesia is cost-effective in turning breech babies because it increases the likelihood the procedure will work.

Hologram-like 3-D brain helps researchers decode migraine pain

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:46:46 EDT

Wielding a joystick and wearing special glasses, a pain researcher rotates and slices apart a large, colorful, 3-D brain floating in space before him.

Reducing the pain of movement in intensive care

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:36:36 EDT

Monitoring pain and providing analgesics to patients in intensive care units (ICUs) during non-surgical procedures, such as turning and washing, can not only reduce the amount of pain but also reduce the number of serious adverse events including cardiac arrest, finds new research. Although pain at rest is routinely noted, pain during procedures is less regularly reported and its effect on patients unknown.

Migraines in childhood and adolescence associated with having colic as an infant

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:18:18 EDT

In a study including children and adolescents six to 18 years of age, those who have experienced migraine headaches were more likely to have had colic as an infant, according to a new study.

Anxious about life and afraid of death? Tylenol may do the trick, study suggests

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:23:23 EDT

Researchers have found a new potential use for the over-the-counter pain drug Tylenol. Typically known to relieve physical pain, the study suggests the drug may also reduce the psychological effects of fear and anxiety over the human condition, or existential dread.

Medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may affect abortion rate in women

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:54:54 EDT

A new study reveals that women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were on methotrexate, a drug commonly used to reduce inflammation caused by RA, had lower rates of induced abortions compared to women with RA who were not exposed to the medication.

Doctors freeze nerves to knock chronic pain out cold

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:20:20 EDT

For the millions of Americans who rely on pain medications for neuralgia, a condition where nerves damaged by surgery, traumatic injury, or diseases such as diabetes cause chronic pain, an emerging non-pharmacological treatment may offer relief. By placing a tiny ball of ice on damaged nerves by way of a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment called cryoneurolysis, doctors were able to safely short circuit chronic pain caused by nerve damage.

Freezing nerves knocks pain out cold

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:11:11 EDT

Using a tiny ball of ice, a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment called cryoneurolysis safely short circuits chronic pain caused by nerve damage, according to new data.

Study on patients with disc prolapse: Same gene variant promotes pain in women, suppresses pain in men

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:45:45 EDT

More women than men develop chronic low back pain and sciatica. The explanation may lie with a gene variant that plays into the body’s pain regulation.

New research examines the spiritual, psychological and other under-appreciated effects of opioids on patients with sickle cell disease

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:42:42 EDT

Researchers sought to shed light on the biopsychosocial and spiritual effects of taking prescribed opioids to treat noncancer pain. Such questions have received little examination and impact the challenging decision of when and how to use opioids, the study authors said. They found that taking opioids had many and diverse consequences for patients in terms of biological, psychological, social and spiritual functioning.

Pain improves during first year but mental-health problems linger in returning veterans with major limb injuries

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Few studies document short- and long-term pain and behavioral health in combat-injured service members with major limb trauma. In a 2-year longitudinal study, multiple post-injury pain and related outcomes are reported.

Bone-marrow grafts show promise for some sufferers of low-back pain

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Autologous bio-cellular grafts are increasingly encountered in surgical literature as a means to enhance tissue repair. Biologic graft use has expanded beyond simple platelet rich plasma to encompass bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and adipose derived autologous stem cell products. The clinical application of such grafts in the treatment of low back pain is intriguing, but remains unproven.

First objective measure of pain discovered in brain scan patterns

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:18:18 EDT

For the first time, scientists have been able to predict how much pain people are feeling by looking at images of their brains, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.

Need your appendix out? How about scarless surgery through the navel

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:18:18 EDT

A new study suggests that surgery for appendicitis that uses a pinhole incision through the navel may be a feasible alternative to traditional appendectomies. The findings indicate that larger studies to test the potential of the procedure are warranted.

Benefits of cognitive pain relief methods

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:13:13 EDT

Those who accept their pain condition are best able to tolerate pain, while distraction can be the way to lower pain intensity, according to new research.

Genetic alteration predicts pain recovery after sexual assault

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:13:13 EDT

One in five U.S. women are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes and more than half experience severe pain during the week following an attack. A study showed that presence of a genetic variant could significantly reduce pain severity associated with assault.

New therapy for fragile X chromosome syndrome discovered

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:24:24 EDT

Researchers have discovered a new therapy for the fragile X chromosome syndrome. This new therapy proposes the modulation of the cerebral endocannabinoid system in order to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease.

Hot and cold senses interact: Cold perception is enhanced when nerve circuitry for heat is inactivated

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:22:22 EDT

A new study offers new insights into how the nervous system processes hot and cold temperatures. The research found an interaction between the neural circuits that detect hot and cold stimuli: cold perception is enhanced when nerve circuitry for heat is inactivated.

New relief for gynecological disorders: Injectable protein to reverse symptoms of dangerous conditions

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:20:20 EDT

Researchers have discovered an injectable protein that reverses symptoms of two dangerous gynecological conditions, endometriosis and overian hyperstimulation syndrome. Because there are currently no treatment options for women suffering from these diseases, this breakthrough promises long-awaited relief from severe abdominal pain and infertility issues.

Verifying that sorghum is a new safe grain for people with celiac disease

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

Strong new biochemical evidence exists showing that the cereal grain sorghum is a safe food for people with celiac disease, who must avoid wheat and certain other grains, scientists are reporting. Their study includes molecular evidence that sorghum lacks the proteins toxic to people with celiac disease.

Targeting mental defeat among pain patients could prevent anxiety and depression

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:19:19 EDT

A new study of Hong Kong chronic pain patients suggests that targeting feelings of mental defeat could prevent severe depression, anxiety and interference with daily activities.

Medication duloxetine helps reduce pain from chemotherapy

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:24:24 EDT

Among patients with painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, use of the anti-depressant drug duloxetine for 5 weeks resulted in a greater reduction in pain compared with placebo.

Tonsillectomy in adults with severe recurrent sore throats may benefit some people

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:46:46 EDT

Tonsillectomy may result in fewer severe sore throats and could benefit some adult patients, according to a randomized trial.

Post-ER care for chest pain reduces risk of heart attack, death

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:12:12 EDT

Follow-up care after an emergency room visit for chest pain significantly reduced the risk of heart attack or death among high risk patients. Chest pain is the most common reason patients go to the ER. However, one in four chest pain patients didn’t seek follow-up care within a month, as recommended.

Pinning down the pain: Schwann cell protein plays major role in neuropathic pain

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:33:33 EDT

Scientists say a key protein in Schwann cells performs a critical, perhaps overarching, role in regulating the recovery of peripheral nerves after injury. The discovery has implications for improving the treatment of neuropathic pain, a complex and largely mysterious form of chronic pain that afflicts over 100 million Americans.

MRI shows brain abnormalities in migraine patients

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A new study suggests that migraines are related to brain abnormalities present at birth and others that develop over time.

Relieving chronic pain with new device

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:15:15 EDT

A new, implantable device for treating chronic pain has passed an important safety test.

Men and women get sick in different ways: Developing gender-specific medicine is a major challenge of the future

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Recent research in laboratory medicine has revealed crucial differences between men and women with regard to cardiovascular illness, cancer, liver disease, osteoporosis, and in the area of pharmacology.

Research explores links between physical and emotional pain relief

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:57:57 EDT

Though we all desire relief -- from stress, work, or pain -- little is known about the specific emotions underlying relief. New research explores the psychological mechanisms associated with relief that occurs after the removal of pain, also known as pain offset relief.

Pain reliever shows anti-viral activity against flu

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:19:19 EDT

The over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug naproxen may also exhibit antiviral activity against influenza A virus, according to a team of scientists. The findings are the result of a structure-based investigation.

Platelet rich plasma significantly improves clinical outcomes in patients with tennis elbow

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:14:14 EDT

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy has been used to manage pain associated with torn tendons, muscles and ligaments, mostly in athletes, at all levels. Though it has anecdotally been successful, the evidence to support its efficaciousness is weak. Researchers evaluate the clinical value of PRP versus an active control group to determine its effectiveness in managing the pain and tenderness associated with tennis elbow.

Gulf War illness linked to physical changes in brain fibers that process pain

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:28:28 EDT

Researchers have found what they say is evidence that veterans who suffer from "Gulf War Illness" have physical changes in their brains not seen in unaffected individuals. Brain scans of 31 veterans with the illness, compared to 20 control subjects, revealed anomalies in the bundles of nerve fibers that connect brain areas involved in the processing and perception of pain and fatigue.

Researchers spot molecular control switch for preterm lung disorders

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:53:53 EDT

Researchers have made major discoveries that could lead to new treatments for lung disorders in premature babies. In a mouse study, the team located key molecules that switch on stress pathways in preterm lung disorders, and also found that when parts of these pathways were blocked with a pain drug, lung damage was prevented or reversed.

Estrogen may relieve post-menopausal joint pain, study suggests

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:52:52 EDT

Post-menopausal women, who often suffer from joint pain, could find some long-term relief by taking estrogen-only medication.

Novel discovery reveals signals from brain aid the spread, persistence of pain

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:19:19 EDT

Treatments for pain at the site of an injury may not always be good enough, according to a novel study. The study results could change conventional thinking about pain management, they say.

Spine patients who quit smoking report diminished pain

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 09:14:14 EDT

Smoking is a known risk factor for back pain and disc disease. In a new study, researchers reviewed smoking cessation rates and related pain in 6,779 patients undergoing treatment for spinal disorders with severe axial (spine) or radicular (leg) pain. Information on each patient's age, gender, weight, smoking history, assessment of pain, treatment type and co-morbid depression also were assessed.

Hands-on treatment improves chronic low back pain, reduces medication use

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:29:29 EDT

A new study used osteopathic manual treatment (OMT) and ultrasound therapy to treat chronic low back pain in 455 adults. Patients in the study who received ultrasound therapy did not see any improvement, but the patients who received OMT did see significant improvement in pain, used less prescription medication and were more satisfied with their care over the 12 weeks of the study than those patients who did not receive OMT.

Blood levels of fat cell hormone may predict severity of migraines

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:12:12 EDT

In a small, preliminary study of regular migraine sufferers, scientists have found that measuring a fat-derived protein called adiponectin (ADP) before and after migraine treatment can accurately reveal which headache victims felt pain relief.

Alcohol, fibromyalgia, and quality of life

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:46:46 EDT

Low and moderate drinkers of alcohol reported lower severity of symptoms of fibromyalgia than teetotallers, finds a study. Too much alcohol reversed this effect. The chronic pain of fibromyalgia is thought to affect one in 20 people worldwide but there is no known cause or cure. It often goes hand in hand with fatigue and sleep problems, headaches, depression and irritable bowel and bladder problems. Treatment is based around pain management and lifestyle changes.

Drug reduces chest pain in patients with diabetes

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:26:26 EDT

A commonly used anti-anginal drug reduces chest pain in patients with type 2 diabetes and appears to have a more pronounced effect in those with poorer glucose control, according to new research.

Neck injuries linked to high costs for patients and spouses, study reports

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:37:37 EDT

Patients with neck injuries incur increased health and social costs -- which also affect their spouses and may begin years before the initial injury, a new study reports.