Chronic Pain

After a period of 6 months from post herpetic neuralgia onset, patients often report chronic pain, according to a study conducted in Rome, Italy.

The third part in a series looking at the risk associated with the prescribing of opioid medications.

For children, pain management regimens should aim for an acceptable level of pain, optimal mobilization, and minimal side effects, according to research published in Pediatric Anesthesia.

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS), a common condition among individuals who served in the military, is disproportionately untreated and misunderstood, according to research in Clinics in Sports Medicine, which aimed to highlight viable treatments.

From 2000 to 2007, medications to treat nonmalignant chronic pain (NMCP) came with a price tag of $17.8 billion annually in the US, a Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy study found.

Carpal tunnel syndrome pain is effectively reduced using topical menthol gel, according to a study from Denmark.

Pain and depression, but not disability, stem from sleep disturbances in patients with osteoarthritis, suggests a study published in Arthritis Care & Research.

Currently studies are underway to refine a surgical approach for migraine headaches, determine the best way to triage patients, identify additional trigger points, and expand knowledge of migraine's anatomy.

Research presented at the European League Against Rheumatism's Annual Meeting indicates comorbid diabetes may be linked to increased osteoarthritis pain.

Prescription opioid analgesics play an important and legitimate role for surgical patients, and proper use by surgeons ensures that patients find the pain relief they need with few adverse events.

Knowledgeable practitioners can effectively discuss pathophysiology and treatment strategies for amplified pain with patients and prescribe a treatment approach that does not require drug therapy for pain or sleep aids.

Symptoms of neuropathy are present in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to research from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

Cannabis users who acknowledge their problem and report withdrawal symptoms are likely to increase abstinence over a 12-month period, according to research published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine.

Continuing looking at what has become a pervasive problem in the medical community.

A recent study found states that allowed the use of medicinal marijuana had substantially lower opioid overdose mortality rates compared with states that do not have medical cannabis laws.

Study participants who drank moderate amounts of alcohol each week experienced decreased chronic pain prevalence and lower levels of disability compared to non-drinkers.

Results from a 12-week study show that treatment with once-daily, single-entity hydrocodone formulated with abuse-deterrent properties is safe and effective compared with placebo.

Although methadone accounts for only 2% of opioid prescriptions, it caused nearly one in 3 prescription opioid overdose deaths in 2012, a 6-fold increase from 2009, according to the CDC.

Because there is no objective test for pain, and because each patient's experience of his or her painful condition is subjective and unique, physicians who treat these patients must process a variety of symptoms, signs, and cues to determine whether they can trust their patient's narrative.

Despite the best tests, procedures, and medications that modern medicine has to offer, chronic pain is still a major cause of disability. Could a more holistic approach to pain management lead to improved quality of life for individuals with chronic pain?

Study results show that patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia often discontinue treatment. Those that do not frequently augment their initial treatment regimen with one or more additional medications, including some that are not recommended by current guidelines.

The patient-reported painDETECT questionnaire has been shown to accurately and reliably identify neuropathic pain across a range of conditions.

Knowledge of dietary supplement properties, uses, and contraindications is highly relevant to any health care practitioner that treats patients with chronic pain. Data shows that the top four reasons for supplement use are back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and arthritis.

Research indicates that there are probable etiologies of low back pain that can affect treatment outcome and that ignoring pain can possibly cause chronic neurological changes.

Researchers are learning more about the ways in which gut microbiota interact with the central nervous system and the role this can play in pain management.

Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, opioid-induced hyperalgesia occurs in some patients on higher doses of opioids. Treatment options include reducing, rotating, or completely tapering the opioid regimen.

Alasdair Coles, MD, University of Cambridge, shares his thoughts on the efficacy of alemtuzumab for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting in Boston.

Mikkel Anthonisan, MD, highlights his experience as the founder of Oceans of Hope, a global voyage to change the perception of multiple sclerosis, at the 2014 Joint ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS Meeting.

When autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis attack a patient's body from the inside it can be a difficult reminder of how hard it can be to treat a condition from the inside out.

Many guidelines recommend the use of acetaminophen (called paracetamol in Europe) and/or NSAIDs for the treatment of acute low back pain. The reason for this is acetaminophen and NSAIDs are relatively safe and effective with regard to managing musculoskeletal pain. This study determined the efficacy of acetaminophen alone vs. placebo for acute low back pain.