Pain

Products endorsed by the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation Program are universally accessible, which means that the products don’t have to be specially designed for people with a disability, but they should be designed in way that all consumers can use them.

New research from a plastic surgeon reveals that migraine sufferers may have another treatment option—surgery.

A $1.8 million grant will help the University of Michigan investigate the use of herpes simplex virus-based vectors to deliver genes to sensory nerves from application in the skin, which researchers believe hold promise not only for the treatment of pain but also ultimately for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy itself.

The Institute of Medicine released its "To Err is Human" report in 2000. Now that we're nearing the end of 2009, safety experts are examining the extent to which the IOM's recommendations have been implemented.

We rank 19th among industrialized countries in preventable deaths in such conditions as diabetes, epilepsy, stroke, influenza, ulcers, pneumonia, infant mortality, and appendicitis.

The new health Internet being designed by federal officials will hopefully be up and running by next year, a move that will allow physicians and patients to more easily exchange health information.

Pain scores were significantly reduced in the blinded phase of a Henry Ford Health System study, with many patients experiencing complete resolution of pain on the drug.

The answer may surprise you.

Migraine sufferers got some more bad news on Monday, when the results of a study determined that "sufferers are also more prone to splitting head pain after drinking too much."

A new network from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will create a national database that aims to see how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients respond to different RA drugs, and then use that information to further personalize RA treatment.

Additional analysis showed that reduction and long-term maintenance of normal serum urate levels also reduced risk of future gout flares.

Great for healthcare providers, but bad for patients?

The journal Arthritis Research and Therapy has recently published its 10th anniversary issue, “The Scientific Basis of Rheumatology: A Decade of Progress,” which includes 38 articles that review some of “the most important advances in rheumatology research from the past decade.

A handful of abstracts were presented during this session, focusing on the link between fibromyalgia fatigue and kynurenine pathway activity, glutamate in the anterior insula, the effects of fatigue on response to pain, and neurocortical representation of locus of control in patients with fibromyalgia.

During this hour-and-one-half concurrent abstract session, moderated by Jennifer M. Hootman, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atalanta, GA, a half-dozen abstracts were presented, focusing on health-related quality of life among adults with arthritis, the impact of arthritis and other chronic conditions on community participation, quality of non-pharmacologic care for patients with osteoarthritis, social network support, and restrictions in participating in life situations among patients with RA.

Today was the final day of the American College of Rheumatology's 2009 Scientific Meeting. Here are some of the study highlights from the finale.

This morning's presentation on implementing a CARE (Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatic Disease Education) Program was comprised of a step-by-step case study. Barbara A. Paliughi, RN, BSN, and Linda L. Miranda, RN, BSN, relayed their experience of getting this type of program off the ground at their place of employment, the Children's Hospital of Central California.

Today was the final day of the American College of Rheumatology's 2009 Scientific Meeting. Here are some of the study highlights from the finale.

Among the numerous posters on display under the "Fibromyalgia and Soft Tissue Disorders" heading on day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions were posters focused on the development of a fibromyalgia (FM) responder index, anxiety and depression among patients with FM, tai chi as an effective treatment of FM, and sex differences in predictors of increased symptoms after exercise and sleep restriction in patients with such chronic pain disorders as fibromyalgia.

Dozens of posters were presented under the RA umbrella during the morning of day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions.

In this intimate session, discussion focused on the most recent thoughts regarding the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and related disorders.

Dozens of posters were presented under the "Fibromyalgia and Soft Tissue Disorders" umbrella during the morning of day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions. Among the highlights are the following.

Dozens of posters were presented under the RA umbrella during the morning of day 4 at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals 2009 Annual Scientific Sessions.

Objectives for this presentation included identifying biologic agents in the use of RA; discussing the role of TNF inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis; describing the role of B-cells in rheumatoid arthritis; and discussing what advances need to happen in order to better treat this condition.

The ACR's "Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis" campaign has funded research that identified a highly-specific marker of RA, helps predict response to anti-TNF therapy, and improving doctor-patient communication.

The 2009 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Scientific Meeting will feature several “Curbside Consult/Ask the Professors” sessions. Designed to feature information and discussion about “difficult management decisions that must be made in the absence of strong data,” these sessions give attendees the opportunity to “compare their personal management approaches” to the clinical problems outlined in the featured vignettes and scenarios with those of “the academic expert consultants and other clinicians in the audience.”

A new study finds that pindolol is highly effective for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms manifesting themselves through the autonomic nervous system.

The Monday morning sessions at the 2009 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals featured several presentations that focused on cognitive functioning in fibromyalgia and lupus.

Researchers examining senior-identified arthritis management strategies were able to identify the most helpful treatment methods as well as the biggest challenges preventing most seniors from engaging in these practices.