Pain Management News - SciTechDaily

Scientists Uncover Hidden Mechanism Behind Opioid Addiction – Discovery Could Revolutionize Addiction Treatment

Medical University of South Carolina — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:21:50 +0000

Opioid receptors located in the dorsal peduncular nucleus uniquely contribute to the rewarding effects of opioids. Opioids, such as the widely prescribed painkiller oxycodone, are notorious for their high addiction potential. In 2022, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 85,000 people in the U.S., as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Despite this, [...]

Innovative Light-Controlled Drugs Could Revolutionize Neuropathic Pain Treatment

Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:58:04 +0000

A team of researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has developed light-activated derivatives of the anti-epileptic drug carbamazepine to treat neuropathic pain. Light can be harnessed to target drugs to specific body areas using photopharmacology. This technique modifies the drug’s chemical structure by incorporating a light-sensitive molecular switch, like azobenzene. As a [...]

Nature’s Painkiller: Natural Molecules Found in Cannabis Rival Morphine in Groundbreaking Study

University of Arizona Health Sciences — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 03:21:29 +0000

Researchers at the Comprehensive Center for Pain & Addiction conducted tests on five terpenes, finding promising results in their pain-relief capabilities. A study from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, published in the journal PAIN, discovered that terpenes from Cannabis sativa were as effective as morphine in alleviating chronic neuropathic pain. Additionally, combining these two [...]

Groundbreaking Hip-Focused Physical Therapy Reduces Low Back Pain

University of Delaware — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 16:03:01 +0000

The first-ever clinical trial focuses on precision medicine specifically for older adults, a group often overlooked in musculoskeletal research. Two decades ago, when Gregory Hicks of the University of Delaware began his research career, he was among a small group in the United States focusing on chronic low back pain in individuals over 60. Fast-forward [...]

Good (and Bad) News for People With Lower Back Pain

University of South Australia — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 02:22:40 +0000

Globally, low back pain significantly contributes to disability, impacting over 570 million individuals. In the United States alone, between 1996 and 2016, healthcare expenses related to low back pain amounted to $134.5 billion, and these costs continue to rise. “The good news is that most episodes of back pain recover, and this is the case [...]

New Research Challenges the Commonly Held View That Opioids Are the Most Powerful Pain Relievers

University of Sydney — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 03:27:04 +0000

Our understanding of the role of opioid medicines in cancer pain is challenged by a new review. Researchers studying opioid data for cancer-related pain discovered significant evidence gaps about the actual effectiveness of these medicines for alleviating cancer pain. This review questions the widely accepted belief that opioids are the most powerful pain relievers. The [...]

Don’t Use Ibuprofen for Migraines – New Study Reveals Much More Effective Medications

American Academy of Neurology — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 21:36:39 +0000

Many individuals suffering from migraines struggle to find treatments that work consistently, and often there’s a lack of comparative information on different medications. A new study, utilizing data from about 300,000 people through a smartphone app, aims to aid in making informed decisions about migraine medications. This research, published in Neurology, the journal of the [...]

The Prescription Paradigm Shift: Planning the Path to Safer Patient Care

University of Southern California — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 18:14:07 +0000

Letters notifying physicians of patient overdose deaths and providing a plan for the future is an effective intervention, according to a new study. Physicians who are notified that a patient has died of a drug overdose are more judicious in issuing controlled substances if the notification includes a plan for what to do during subsequent [...]

Cheap vs Expensive: What Is the Best Medicine for Migraines?

The University of Bergen — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 21:11:17 +0000

A migraine is much more than a mere headache. It frequently involves additional symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and a heightened sensitivity to light and sound. Chronic migraines can be debilitating, often hindering individuals, particularly women, from fully participating in their professional lives. Still, it often takes a long time for migraine patients to find a [...]

New Compound Outperforms Common Pain Medication Without Harmful Side Effects

New York University — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:35:24 +0000

Researchers have discovered a small molecule capable of inhibiting four types of pain in preclinical studies. A new study led by the Pain Research Center at NYU College of Dentistry, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), has made a significant breakthrough in pain management. Researchers screened a library of [...]

Revolutionary Relief: Affordable Drug Offers New Hope for Hand Osteoarthritis Patients

Monash University — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:20:05 +0000

An affordable drug, commonly used for treating inflammatory joint conditions, has shown promise as a treatment for painful hand osteoarthritis, according to a study led by Monash University and Alfred Health. The research, published in The Lancet, focused on methotrexate, which has been effectively used in Australia and globally since the early 1980s for conditions [...]

Scientific Study: Acupuncture Shows Promise in Treating Chronic Hives

American College of Physicians — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:21:38 +0000

A randomized controlled study involving over 300 participants diagnosed with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), or hives, suggested that acupuncture might provide some relief from symptoms. However, the clinical significance of these results remains uncertain. The study was recently published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. CSU is the most common form of chronic hives [...]

Melodic Medicine: Scientists Discover Simple Way To Reduce Physical Pain Intensity

Frontiers — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 07:36:28 +0000

Researchers discovered that listening to our favorite music reduces both pain intensity and unpleasantness, insights that could optimize music-centered treatments for pain management. Research indicates that music could serve as a non-pharmacological method to reduce pain perception in humans. This phenomenon, known as hypoalgesia, happens when the transmission of pain signals from their origin to [...]

Opioid Alternative: Rutgers Research Reveals Cannabidiol (CBD) Effectively Treats Dental Pain

Rutgers University — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:44:10 +0000

Rutgers researchers report that CBD effectively reduces dental pain, offering a potential alternative to opioids. Further research is planned to confirm these findings and explore CBD’s applications in pain management. In a groundbreaking study that could revolutionize dental pain management, Rutgers researchers have found that cannabidiol (CBD) – the non-addictive marijuana derivative – alleviates acute [...]

Migraine Mysteries Unveiled: New Genetic Pathways and Treatment Avenues

deCODE Genetics — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 15:39:17 +0000

A new study of migraine reveals new biological pathways for treatment. A large international study led by deCODE Genetics on the genetics of migraine provides novel insights into the biology of migraine enabling detection of rare variants protecting against migraine, opening an avenue for potential development of novel drug targets. In a study published today [...]

Peppermint Power: A New Natural Solution To Post-Surgery Pain and Sleeplessness

BMJ — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 10:24:30 +0000

Results from a small clinical trial suggest that it might also improve sleep quality. A recent comparative clinical trial published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care indicates that aromatherapy using essential peppermint oil could potentially reduce pain severity following open heart surgery and also improve sleep quality. Heart surgery is a major procedure, [...]

Scrambler Therapy – A Noninvasive Treatment That May Offer Lasting Relief for Chronic Pain

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 08:15:15 +0000

A new review paper co-authored by two Johns Hopkins pain experts suggests hat a noninvasive treatment known as scrambler therapy could provide significant pain relief for 80%–90% of chronic pain patients. The paper further proposes that this therapy might surpass the efficacy of another noninvasive treatment, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The paper was recently [...]

New Study: People With Alzheimer’s Disease Perceive Pain Differently

King's College London — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:31:48 +0000

Recent findings from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) suggest differences in the way pain signals are processed in a mouse model emulating Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), compared to healthy mice. The study, which was published in Nature Communications, suggests that the perception of pain in individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease may [...]

More Than Pain Relief: Sustained Cannabis Use Leads to Improved Cognition in Cancer Patients

University of Colorado at Boulder — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 00:46:47 +0000

New research indicates that cannabis may alleviate “chemo brain.” New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that cancer patients employing cannabis to manage their symptoms not only experience reduced pain and enhanced sleep quality, but also enjoy another unexpected advantage: after several weeks of continuous use, they seem to think more clearly. “When [...]

Cognitive Functional Therapy: Fresh Hope for Those Suffering From Chronic Back Pain

Curtin University — Tue, 16 May 2023 21:05:13 +0000

In a study published in The Lancet, Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) showed significant improvements in chronic back pain sufferers, reducing pain intensity and disability while saving over $5,000 per person in healthcare and work productivity costs. Long-term sufferers of chronic back pain experienced dramatic reductions in pain and related disability that remained at their one-year [...]

Smarter Opioids: A New Approach to Pain Relief Without Addiction

Washington University School of Medicine — Thu, 04 May 2023 21:41:38 +0000

Targeting opioid receptor pathway could treat pain without addiction or hallucinations. Researchers have discovered a new approach to developing painkillers that don’t cause addiction or hallucinations by targeting specific binding sites on the kappa opioid receptor and understanding the interaction of G proteins linked to the receptor. This could lead to safer pain-relieving drugs. Strategies [...]

Painkiller Paradox: 60 Years of Research, But Do They Really Work for Back Pain?

BMJ — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 02:54:33 +0000

Doctors and patients are advised to take a cautious approach to the use of analgesics. Despite nearly 60 years of research, there is still a lack of high certainty evidence on the effectiveness and safety of commonly used painkillers (analgesics) for short bouts of low back pain, finds an analysis of the evidence published by [...]

New Treatment Significantly Reduces Knee Pain Without Surgery

The Reis Group — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 21:18:45 +0000

Treatment improved quality of life for all study participants. Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for knee pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, and can significantly reduce pain, especially for adults who are 50 and older. This is according to new research to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology [...]

New Minimally Invasive Treatment Provides Significant, Long-Term Relief for Chronic Back Pain

The Reis Group — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:27:16 +0000

Interventional radiology treatment reduces pain and improves function over three years. A minimally invasive treatment that injects allograft disc tissue into the spine to relieve pain associated with degenerative disc disease provides significant improvement in pain and function over a sustained period, according to new research to be presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology [...]