Chronic Pain

Lead researcher Ben Seymour, PhD, noted that this brings medicine a step closer to harnessing the brain's natural pain relief system in a more specific way.

A new study finds clinical and economic advantages to the use of a multi-pronged pain management approach after surgery.

From July 2016 through September 2017, opioid overdoses have increased 35% in the CDC’s Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance's 16 participating states.

Remoxy ER is a thick, sticky, high-viscosity capsule formulation designed to deter abuse via injection, snorting and smoking.

Interventions are lacking for MSDs, which can result in lost time at work and early retirement.

The decision came one month after the first-ever FDA recommendation for a drug withdrawal on the grounds of opioid abuse.

Doctors should have an honest discussion with patients who exhibit red flags showing that they should not be given opioids, Larry Greenblatt, MD, of Duke University School of Medicine said at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting (ACP 2017) in San Diego, California.

NSAIDs may help a variety of painful conditions, but come with heart risks.

The top goal of chronic pain treatment differs between physicians and patients.

Many people don't see low back pain as life-threatening, but it is.

Older patients are feeling more pain now than they were in 1998.

Low back pain is rare before school age, but quite common after that.

A foot or ankle injury misdiagnosis can lead to chronic pain or arthritis.

Marijuana access isn't as clear cut as the law presents.

Using yoga for lower back pain relief may be a case of trial-and-error.

It might be time to retire the belief that bad weather is hurting joint pain even more.

The FDA approved a morphine sulfate extended-release tablet (Arymo ER/Egalet) to treat severe pain needing “daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment".

Between daily news and conferences around the country, it was a busy year in fibromyalgia research.

Researchers from the University of California-San Francisco examined patients with specific back conditions and assessed the ways in which surgery helped them with their sex lives.

From fish oil to acupuncture, a new study assesses the application and efficacy of popular alternative treatments.

Many patients with a variety of chronic pain conditions think negatively about how it will affect their sleep – which ends up leading to worse sleep outcomes. A study from the University of Warwick in England shows just how powerful these negative thoughts are.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but so could regular cannabis use, according to a study from The University of Edinburgh.

Many studies compare a pain drug to a placebo in order to identify potential analgesic effects; however, typically these studies are blinded. But a study out of Portugal went against the grain.

There are many challenges that confront pain specialists on a daily basis. Despite those challenges, seeing their patients recover and live a better quality of life is reward enough to keep them optimistic for the future of the field.

Injectable medications are being used for everything from chronic pain to cancer related pain. While doctors are working to help their patients manage their symptoms they are also keeping a close eye on potential abuse and illegal activity with the medication.

Ketamine is not a new tool in the arsenal of pain medication but doctors are finding new ways to use it in order to provide relief for patients. As an infusion ketamine is being used to treat chronic pain syndromes.

In an effort to avoid prescribing opioids except in cases where they are needed doctors are finding new ways to provide relief for their patients. This can include newly developed implantable medications which can help reduce pain and increase quality of life.

When opioids first hit the market they were specifically promoted for their non-addictive traits. Over the past few decades that has been disproven as doctors look for the best way to treat patients and avoid the risk of unwanted addiction and other issues.

As the main treatment in pain medication opioids are widely prescribed for patients who need them. Balancing that with the risk of addiction and abuse is something providers deal with on a regular basis.

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are adding to the opioid epidemic conversation with a review highlighting the benefits of toga, tai chi, and acupuncture.