The HCPLive pain page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on pain medicine. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for acute pain, chronic pain, addiction medicine, and more.
October 4th 2024
Crisugabalin at 40 mg/d or 80 mg/d significantly reduced daily pain in adults with postherpetic neuralgia, a phase 3 study found.
Collaborating Across the Continuum™: The Role of Multidisciplinary Care in the Management of Patients with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
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Cases and Conversations™: Applying Best Practices to Prevent Shingles in Your Practice
October 16, 2024
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Tackling Inequities in IBD: Inclusive Solutions for Elevated Patient Care
October 26, 2024
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6th Annual Advanced Practice Collaborative
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SimulatED™: Personalizing Treatment Choices to Achieve Glycemic and Weight Management Goals
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Cases and Conversations™: Keeping Up with Novel Approaches to Managing ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
November 18, 2024
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Shaping the Management of COPD with Biologic Therapy
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Elevating Care for PAH: Applying Recommended Management Approaches to Maximize Outcomes
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Clinical Consultations™: Managing Depressive Episodes in Patients with Bipolar Disorder Type II
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Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Exploring the Role of Novel Agents for the Management of IgA Nephropathy
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Medical Crossfire®: Understanding the Advances in Bipolar Disease Treatment—A Comprehensive Look at Treatment Selection Strategies
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'REEL’ Time Patient Counseling: The Diagnostic and Treatment Journey for Patients With Bipolar Disorder Type II – From Primary to Specialty Care
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‘REEL’ Time Patient Counseling™: Navigating the Complex Journey of Diagnosing and Managing Fabry Disease
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Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: Envisioning Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Managing ANCA-associated Vasculitis
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Clinical ShowCase™: Finding the Best Path Forward for Patients with COPD
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A Tethered Approach to Type 2 Diabetes Care – Connecting Insulin Regimens with Digital Technology
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Surv.AI Says™: What Clinicians and Patients Are Saying About Glucose Management in the Technology Age
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Clinical ShowCase™: Forming a Personalized Treatment Plan for a Patient With ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
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Addressing Healthcare Inequities: Tailoring Cancer Screening Plans to Address Inequities in Care
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SimulatED™: Diagnosing and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease in the Modern Era
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Patient, Provider & Caregiver Connection™: Implementing an Effective Management Plan to Improve Outcomes in IgA Nephropathy
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Migraine Risk Higher in Patients with Low Back Pain
The risk of developing migraine is increased for those who have low back pain, a low level of education, a heavy physical workload, or participate in heavy recreational activities, but is decreased for those who drink alcohol frequently.
Spinal Cord Injury Locomotion Improvement with Lysophosphatidic Acid
The hallmark degenerative process in spinal cord injury may be caused by lysophosphatidic acid, the lipid that acts as a signal between various cells, according to findings published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
Neuropathic Pain: This Drug Could Reduce the Need for Opioids
October 2nd 2015Pharmacologic approaches are still "the most widely used therapeutic options to ameliorate persistent pain," according to this overview from UpToDate. But with growing awareness of the potential negative outcomes associated with long-term opioid therapy, a newly discovered approach may be just what the doctor ordered.
How Effective Are Pain Specialists in Improving Quality of Life?
October 1st 2015Chronic pain affects around 100 million Americans and treatments can range from prescription drugs to genetic engineering. While pain is typically the primary complaint among patients, their quality of life is often times negatively impacted as well. Beyond treating a patient's pain symptoms, is there anything else a physician can do to make a positive impact on a patient's quality of life?
Stay Tuned: Nonpharmacologic Treatment for Long-Term Neck Pain
A Swedish study is set to analyze the effect of massage and exercise therapy on subacute and long-lasting neck pain, according to an article in Trials. While both massage and exercise therapy are widely used for neck pain, there is little clinical evidence on the effectiveness of these treatments. Even where outcome measurements are available, the results have been conflicting.
Empathy for Pain Lies in the Same Brain Regions as First-Hand Pain
September 30th 2015Pain is not fully understood; and while that isn't a revelation, the way that it connects to pain empathy in the brain is noteworthy. Similar brain regions activate during both phenomena, potentially opening the door for researchers to gain that understanding.
Genetic Study Identifies New Target for Treating Post-Surgical Pain
A study in Anesthesiology suggests a new target for pain control in patients who develop chronic pain after surgery. The target, spinal cathepsin G (CTSG), is a pro–nociceptive mediator in both an animal model and human study. The research points to the potential for inhibiting CTSG through an inhibitor.
Rare Skin Disorder Brings Extraordinary Pain
Pachyonychia congenita (PC), a rare skin disorder, can cause an inordinate amount of neuropathic pain, a study in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology confirms. In the chilling words used by the researchers, "The health states observed in this sample are at a level that the average US citizen would forfeit one-third of their remaining lifespan to avoid."
Chronic Pain: Herbal Cannabis Showed No Serious Adverse Effects After One-Year Use
There is not yet enough clinical evidence suggesting that cannabis is effective for self-management of pain. Some short-duration trials have shown efficacy, whereas other studies have shown little improvement over placebo. Effective or not, however, cannabis continues to be widely used as a self-management strategy by patients with a wide range of symptoms and diseases. A study in The Journal of Pain suggests that such use over a one-year period did not increase patients' risk of serious adverse events.
Shoulder Injury Happens Earlier Than Expected in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
A study in Arthritis Research & Therapy found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience shoulder pain early in the course of the disease, suggesting that screening of shoulder function should become a larger focus for maintenance and treatment of RA.
Addressing Pain Management In Military Medicine
On the battlefield soldiers can suffer any number of injuries that can lead to a lifetime of painful injuries. How doctors approach that care can affect the quality of life their patients enjoy long after their time in the service is done.
High BMI Can Increase Risk of Gout Associated with Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
September 23rd 2015Sugar-sweetened beverages (SBB) can do more than increase belly fat and send your body on a rollercoaster, it can elevate serum urate levels which increases the risk of gout. Researchers from New Zealand recently looked at how body mass index (BMI) plays a role in the SBB and gout relationship.
Chronic Pain Correlates with Brain Region Enlargement
September 22nd 2015Pain: a seemingly simple four-letter word, but healthcare providers know that pain is anything but simple. While there has been ample research elucidating the pathways and mechanisms of neuropathic pain, a recent analysis successfully identified a key brain region that plays in a role in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
Can Acupuncture in "Forbidden Points" Decrease Pain and Duration of Childbirth? No and Yes.
An Iranian study in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies suggested that acupuncture given during childbirth significantly lowers the duration of labor with no significant variations in pain scores or serum cortisol levels between the acupuncture-administered and control groups.
OA and RA Treatment: Targeting MGC Cells May Be a Promising Avenue
A study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders suggests that multinucleated giant cells (MGC) may contribute to osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in addition to their known association with synovitis severity. The finding adds to other recent research and points to the therapeutic potential of targeting MGCs to improve pain and joint damage in both types of arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Follow-up Study Suggests Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Combo Therapy
Certolizumab pegol (CZP) + methotrexate (MTX) is safe and effective for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with disease activity despite methotrexate therapy, according to a five-year follow-up study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy. The finding is an extension of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Prevention of Structural Damage (RAPID 2) randomized, controlled trial. It is important because patients with RA are likely to undergo treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) medications over several years.