Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Alexander Technique shows long-term benefit for low back pain

A major study - one of the first of its kind - has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people suffering from chronic or recurrent low back pain. The study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Southampton is published today in the BMJ.

19 Aug 2008

Chewing gum speeds up recovery from colon surgery

Scientists in Britain say chewing gum after colon surgery improves the recovery of the bowel.

19 Aug 2008

New sickle cell unrelated transplant trial

Children's National Medical Center immunologist and blood and marrow transplant physician Naynesh Kamani, MD, will serve as the study co-chair for a new national clinical trial of unrelated donor marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants for severe sickle cell disease.

18 Aug 2008

Pancreatitis link to Gardasil to be investigated by the TGA

Some Australian doctors are suggesting that a review of the cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil is called for after three patients contracted pancreatitis after having the vaccination.

18 Aug 2008

St. Jude Medical receives approval of first extended-life primary cell neurostimulator for treatment of chronic pain

St. Jude Medical, Inc. has announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European CE Mark approvals of EonC, the first extended-life primary cell (non-rechargeable) neurostimulator for the treatment of chronic pain.

13 Aug 2008

NanoBio vaccine for hepatitis B shows promise

Chronic hepatitis B infects 400 million people worldwide, many of them children. Even with three effective vaccines available, hepatitis B remains a stubborn, unrelenting health problem, especially in Africa and other developing areas. The disease and its complications cause an estimated 1 million deaths globally each year.

13 Aug 2008

Sexual dysfunction among older adults

Sexual dysfunction is not an inevitable part of aging, but it is strongly related a number of factors, such as mental and physical health, demographics and lifetime experiences, many of which are interrelated, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Chicago.

13 Aug 2008

Massage speeds recovery after a sports injury

Researchers testing the long-held theory that therapeutic massage can speed recovery after a sports injury have found early scientific evidence of the healing effects of massage.

12 Aug 2008

IMPAX sued for patent infringement on generic Ultram ER

IMPAX Laboratories, Inc. today announced Purdue Pharma Products L.P. ("Purdue"), Napp Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. ("Napp"), Biovail Laboratories International, SRL ("Biovail") and Ortho-McNeil, Inc. ("Ortho-McNeil") have filed suit for patent infringement in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware based on the Company's submission of its Abbreviated New Drug Application ("ANDA") for tramadol hydrochloride extended-release tablets (100 mg), generic of Ultram ER, to the Food and Drug Administration.

12 Aug 2008

Chronic pain among women may be down to low levels of vitamin D

According to new research published ahead of print, low vitamin D levels may contribute to chronic pain in women.

12 Aug 2008

Depression prompts thoughts of death in cancer patients

Cancer patients are three times more likely to think they would be "better off dead" or to contemplate suicide than the rest of the population - a Cancer Research UK study reports online today.

12 Aug 2008

Low vitamin D levels substantially increase risk of death

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

11 Aug 2008

Too many women ignorant of symptoms of ovarian cancer

A new survey had revealed that though ovarian cancer remains one of biggest gynaecological cancer killers, many women are unsure or unaware of the symptoms of the disease.

10 Aug 2008

Clomifene citrate or unstimulated intrauterine insemination do not seem to improve fertility

Long established medical interventions to help couples with infertility problems do not seem to improve fertility, according to a study published on bmj.com.

10 Aug 2008

Researchers find a cancer-inhibiting cyanobacteria that grows on coral reefs

University of Florida College of Pharmacy researchers have discovered a marine compound off the coast of Key Largo that inhibits cancer cell growth in laboratory tests, a finding they hope will fuel the development of new drugs to better battle the disease.

10 Aug 2008

Media coverage of persistent vegetative state and end-of-life decision-making

In 1990, Theresa Schiavo, an American citizen, had a cardiac arrest that caused irreversible brain damage which led to a persistent vegetative state diagnosis. A few years later, this diagnosis became a source of conflict over the interruption of artificial nutrition.

10 Aug 2008

Watson Pharmaceuticals announces limited recall of Fentanyl transdermal patches

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that one lot of 75 mcg/hr Fentanyl Transdermal System patches sold in the United States is being voluntarily recalled from wholesalers and pharmacies.

10 Aug 2008

Sexual dysfunction - The brain-body connection

When asked, everyone seems to agree that sex is an important part of life and that sexual health is important for one's overall well-being.

10 Aug 2008

Medicinal cannabis effective for neuropathic pain in HIV

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of smoked medical cannabis, or marijuana, on the neuropathic pain associated with HIV, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that reported pain relief was greater with cannabis than with a placebo.

6 Aug 2008