Pain

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) created the Guidance for the Assessment of Abuse Potential of drugs for patients who have a history of recreational opioid use. But does the strategy actually work?

Despite the availability of several treatment options, many people with migraine aren’t satisfied with their outcomes, according to the national Migraine in America 2016 survey created by Health Union.

The MD Magazine editors rounded up the 10 best stories from August – did you read them all?

As one of the leading educational institutions on the island of Grenada, St. George's University plays a unique role not only in helping the students that come to the school to learn but also those who have already called the island home.

A recent study published in The Journal of Pain looked at the effect of marijuana treatment on neuropathic pain.

Whether medical students learn their craft at the most established institutions or newer schools around the world their ultimate goal is the same, to help the patient in front of them when they enter practice.

As an international university St. Geroge's can take their own route when it comes to preparing their students while still abiding by some of the traditions of other schools in the United States.

Located on the island of Grenada St. George's University has made a name for itself as one of the top international medical schools providing doctors to the United States.

Children who suffer from chronic conditions may find pain relief with acupuncture, according to a new study in the journal Medical Acupuncture.

Although indications for medicinal marijuana differ by state, pain is a common condition behind a prescription. But the pain relief effects appear to be greater in men.

One of the biggest differences between military and civilian medicine is the very real chance of being deployed to a forward military unit from a stateside appointment. Lessons from those experiences can shape a doctor's practice back in their home country.

The life of a civilian doctor may not be all that different from a military doctor but there are certain differences which can make it a unique experience for those who serve in military medicine.

“Physical exercise is an essential component of any treatment for fibromyalgia, and plenty of studies have demonstrated that low-impact aerobic exercise offers the most benefits," said Jamil Natour, MD, PhD.

While it is clear the opioid abuse problem is not going away, those working in the field are still determined to ensure that the problems of the past do not interfere with success in the future.

As the field of pain medicine advances there is a considerable focus on helping patients get better as well as undoing the damage done by the opioid abuse epidemic. Both problems will likely require a long term approach to be successful.

For some patients, especially on a short term basis opioids may still be the best treatment option. Safely prescribing these medications is the focus of a field looking to help patients without causing problems in other areas.

As it is becoming clearer how dangerous opioids can be for some patients work is being done to find alternatives to help manage pain without as much fear of addiction.

Typically, the creation of a new drug is a process of tweaking or combining existing drugs to alter outcomes and side effects. A recent collaboration between researchers from Germany and across the United States, however, takes a novel approach in the battle against opiate addiction: trying to build a new painkiller from scratch.

Previous research has concluded that acetaminophen (Tylenol) worsens disease activity in children with asthma; however, a new study refutes that finding in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The connection between chronic pain and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been long studied in the medical world; and although the effort to identify precise drivers behind pain is still a work in progress, genetics and environmental factors have been in the forefront.

It has been many years since Howard Schatz was a practicing physician and while he said the retina specialty has changed he has also seen the field of photography change as digital passes the age of film.

It was supposed to be just a one year sabbatical for Howard Schatz to take a break from his work as a retina specialist and enjoy what had become a growing hobby of photography. More than two decades later Schatz said he misses some parts of practice but is greatly enjoying what has become a second career.

Acetaminophen – the most common drug ingredient in the United States – has been believed to be safe for pregnant women, no matter what stage of pregnancy they’re in. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics challenges that belief.

Study results show that adults with chronic low back pain are more likely to use illicit drugs—including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine—than those without chronic low back pain.

Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, who served as FDA Commissioner and CMS Administrator, will be the keynote speaker at the fall meeting of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition, presented by The American Journal of Managed Care. The meeting will be October 20-21, 2016, in Philadelphia.

Observed improvements were not statistically significant above placebo, and there remains no approved medication for adolescent sufferers of fibromyalgia.

It’s no secret that prescription drug misuse and abuse are on the rise. In an effort to curb addiction, researchers aimed to find how physician prescribing patterns influence the number of new cases.

Columbia University Medical Center researchers explored the correlation between levels of pain and subsequent prescription opiate abuse in the noninstitutionalized U.S. population and suggest that more painful conditions contribute to the risk of use disorders.

Pain and sleep problems commonly go hand-in-hand. However, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), daytime sleepiness, and poor sleep quality are all very different things.

Long used in traditional medicine, new research illustrates the specific mechanisms by which plant-derived diterpenoids are able to alleviate pain and inflammation.