Pain

Bodily pain and headache are highly prevalent in pituitary disease, making pain screening and therapy an important part of the work-up for these patients.

Recent studies looking at neural response in patients with fibromyalgia have shown that people with this condition may have hypersensitivity to non-painful stimuli.

Movantik (naloxegol), an oral peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adults with chronic non-cancer pain.

On March 21, 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Celgene Corporation's Otezla (apremilast), an oral tablet indicated to treat active psoriatic arthritis in adults. Otezla has a single contraindication: known hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or any excipients in Otezla tablets.

Researchers are testing promising new biologic agents that target different aspects of the inflammatory pathway in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Although several medications and dietary factors have been implicated, as causes of gout, much of the risk of developing the condition is controlled through genetics, and the pathophysiology of the disease is incompletely understood.

The choice of an appropriate disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) is complicated by the availability of several agents and the lack of comparative effectiveness studies. Until recently, the scientific consensus did not favor any agent over another as the most appropriate initial biologic DMARD for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

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.

In recent years, introduction of biologic agents for treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has changed the landscape of RA management.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is responsible for premature mortality, disability, reduced quality of life, and higher health care costs in the United States.

Although not completely understood, the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is thought to involve an external trigger (eg, trauma, cigarette smoke, infection) that induces an autoimmune reaction, resulting in synovial hypertrophy and chronic joint inflammation in persons who are genetically susceptible.

Researchers from Stanford University are nearing the end of a decade-long bioengineering project in which yeast creates painkillers without the use of poppies' opium.

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.

In one of the first studies analyzing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol's tolerance based on gender, Washington State University researchers found that women develop a tolerance more quickly and are 30% more sensitive to the drug.

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome experience less effective pain treatments, according to research from the University of Adelaide in Australia.

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.

The end of September will mark the deadline set for hospitals across the country to reach Stage 2 of the Meaningful Use program for the year and that means the clock is ticking for health care professionals around the country to meet the goals set for them.

While opioids represent an important tool in treating pain, it would be foolish to not acknowledge that opioids and opioid prescribing are fraught with potential hazards. However, through the development of a strong risk mitigation platform, primary care physicians can minimize the risks to their patients, as well as to their own practices.

This is a 60-year-old male with a 30-year history of bone pain. He had bilateral hip replacements 2 and 3 years earlier with no complications, but he has continued to have severe back pain.

On June 7, 2014, the state of Missouri passed State Bill 716, a piece of legislation creating a new category of health care provider in the state, known as the, "Assistant Physician."

When a patient gets bitten by a dog, there can be many issues doctors need to confront as treatment begins. Two doctors shared their experiences of a patient who was bitten by a dog and still had symptoms including swelling and pain 2 weeks after his K-9 encounter.

As the practice of telecare continues to gain momentum, a group of researchers conducted a study to test how effective that course of treatment is in patients with chronic illnesses.

A common treatment for opioid addiction significantly reduces testosterone levels in many male patients; researchers suggest that supplementary testosterone might improve outcomes.

When a patient arrives at a hospital or other urgent care center, there are seemingly endless tests that can be undertaken to appropriately diagnose the patient. A recent study reviewed the necessity of some tests, particularly in regard to acute, nonspecific lower back pain.

Opioid treatment suppressed testosterone levels in men, yet the therapy left women's testosterone levels unaltered, according to a study in Scientific Reports.

Looking back over a 30-year career in pain medicine, the author laments the shift from comprehensive, multidisciplinary pain care to a model that focuses on pills and procedures to treat chronic pain.

The intravenous respiratory stimulant GAL-021 is effective in treating opioid-induced respiratory depression, according to the results of a small study.

Clinicians who treat patients suffering with osteoarthritis pain have a new low-dose nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) option at their disposal. Zorvolex (diclofenac) was developed to meet prevailing FDA recommendations regarding NSAID dosing and treatment duration.

The guidelines were developed as part of a multi-part plan to curb misuse, abuse, and diversion of opioid medication by preventing opioid medications from being inappropriately prescribed in the emergency department, and by reducing the overuse of emergency departments for pain relief.