Addiction

For the first time, a direct biophysical link has been identified that connects chronic pain with mental health and substance abuse.

Despite assurances from the Obama administration that physicians who provide marijuana to patients for therapeutic use in states where that is legal will not face federal prosecution, the AMA is calling for a law. They want an ironclad guarantee these doctors will have legal immunity.

In a study approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, California researchers are launching a pilot program to see if MDMA, the recreational drug known as "Ecstasy" will alleviate social anxiety in adults with autism.

Treating hepatitis C with new antivirals saves lives and-in the long run-money spent on patient care. But some patients and their physicians are learning there are barriers to getting prescriptions approved by patients' insurance carriers.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia since 1995 have been assessing opioid-dependent patients with pain who are on methadone maintenance treatment.

Just one e-cigarette exposure makes people less likely to cough, a dampening of a protective reflex. Researchers are not sure what the implications of the finding might be.

Study results show that, despite being promoted by manufacturers as a healthier alternative to smoking tobacco, electronic cigarettes emit hazardous substances.

In a continuing effort to curb the spread of hepatitis C among the riskiest populations, government health officials recently held a webinar to discuss links between opioid injection drug use and increased cases of the liver disease.

Studies show that nutrient-dense yogurt may benefit individuals with lactose intolerance, constipation and diarrheal diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

A study published in AIDS and Behavior claimed men with HIV feel the effects of alcohol at smaller amounts.

Hepatitis C infection has increased more than 3-fold in parts of the US, a CDC research team reports. Their analysis tracks the spike to an increase in drug users injecting opioids.

In addition to injection drug use, alcohol consumption puts people at risk of dying from hepatitis C infection by increasing the severity of the disease. A French research study spells out the risks.

Patients with Parkinson's disease frequently look for treatments that physicians consider alternative or complementary therapies.

As if there aren't enough reasons to stop smoking, a study has revealed smoking also increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

It may be possible to reverse asthma caused by maternal smoking in pregnancy, as it was recently done successfully in animal models.

Although 49 states have some sort of drug monitoring program, a recently published study marked the first time that their impact has been measured.

The rates of opioid misuse among US patients with chronic pain appear to average about 25%, according to the results of a recently published systematic review and data synthesis.

Pain physicians and surgeons have concerns about performing back surgery on patients already taking opioids to control pain. A report from Massachusetts General Hospital researchers shows those concerns appear to be mostly unfounded.

Patients are not only confused about opioid use, but they also fear developing an addiction and crave more information from physicians.

For some patients the first treatment they receive to help manage their pain is opioid medication. Recent studies have looked at whether staying on these prescriptions for long periods of time can do more harm than good.

For patients dealing with chronic pain, the issues of their overall care can go beyond the body and into their minds. Addressing both areas can be key to helping them have normal everyday lives.

As the use of long-term opioid therapy to treat chronic pain continues to be a hotly debated topic, a new study in PAIN analyzed the extent to which patients misuse their medications and the risk of addiction associated with these behaviors.

E-cigarettes -- thought by many to be a "healthier" alternative to tobacco cigarettes -- were found by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health investigators to not only compromise the lung's immune system, but to also include some of the same chemicals present in traditional cigarettes.

Current osteoporosis guidelines don't recommend screening for men. However, researchers from National Jewish Health have identified men's smoking history and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures of the vertebrae.

The number of abuse, addiction, and opioid poisoning diagnoses has decreased since the introduction of reformulated OxyContin, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 31st Annual Meeting.

Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a medication approved for ADHD treatment, was assessed for its efficacy in managing binge eating disorder. In some doses, this approach was effective in 4-week binge eating cessation.

Female smokers were the most susceptible to emphysema in a study of male and female smokers and non smokers from Johns Hopkins.

Medical marijuana is legal in Washington state. But the FDA has ordered a Seattle company to stop selling cannabis products for dogs and cats. The products are shipped nationally.

The best method for smoking cessation can be determined by a blood test, according to findings published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

When opting for urine drug testing, doctors often choose between sending samples to a lab for examination or an immunoassay test.