Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Saline for chronic rhinosinusitis

Spraying salty water (saline) into your nose can help reduce the symptoms of pain and congestion that accompany long-term infections of the nasal passages, a Cochrane Systematic Review has concluded.

18 Jul 2007

Paracetamol for pain relief after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth

The commonly used and inexpensive analgesic acetaminophen (Tylenol or paracetamol) is an effective pain reliever after surgical removal of lower wisdom teeth, according to a new systematic review of 21 studies.

18 Jul 2007

Correcting birth defects

Traditionally when a baby was born with a malformation of the lung or esophagus, they had to undergo open surgery involving a large chest incision with risk for serious complications.

18 Jul 2007

Taste loss after tonsillectomy unusual

In a small study of patients undergoing tonsillectomy, or removal of the tonsils, none reported an ongoing dysfunction in their sense of taste following the procedure, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology?Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

17 Jul 2007

Children at birthday party paid by 'MMR row' doctor for their blood

The General Medical Council (GMC) in Britain has heard that Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who is facing allegations of serious professional misconduct with regard to research on the triple measles-mumps-rubella MMR vaccine, paid children £5 to take their blood samples at his son's birthday party.

16 Jul 2007

Women have poorer short-term recovery than men from arthroscopic knee surgery

The factors associated with poor short-term recovery from knee surgery appear to be different than those found to mar long-term outcome from the same surgery, according to new research released at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center.

16 Jul 2007

Venous thromboembolism in the U.S.

Venous thrombosis (VTE), the formation of blood clots in a vein, is a major health problem for hospitalized patients in the United States.

16 Jul 2007

Throwing motion in young baseball players may actually protect shoulder

Adaptive changes occur in the arm bone and soft tissue of the shoulders of young athletes participating in youth baseball and help protect them against injury, according to new research released at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center.

16 Jul 2007

Arthroscopic treatment of tennis elbow demonstrates long-term success

Arthroscopic treatment of tennis elbow has shown to be successful at long-term follow-up, according to new research released at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center.

16 Jul 2007

Sports hernia repair technique coupled with innovative rehabilitation program speeds return to play

Surgical repair of athletic hernia using tension-free mesh and a standardized rehabilitation protocol are successful in returning athletes to competition, according to new research released at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center.

16 Jul 2007

Do vaccines promote a false sense of security?

A new study examines whether a vaccine that offers only partial protection can backfire by increasing risky behavior, as a false sense of security could make recipients less careful than they otherwise would be.

16 Jul 2007

Sports hernia repair surgery plus innovative rehab program helps athletes return to play

In recent years, sports hernias have sidelined many high-level athletes for months and, occasionally, prevented a return to competitive sports all together.

16 Jul 2007

Real-time 3-D ultrasound in nerve blockade speeds patient recovery

Mayo Clinic physicians have adapted real-time 3-D ultrasound imaging devices -- including one designed to look at an infant's heart -- so that they can watch as they use a needle filled with anesthetic to numb individual nerves located inches under the skin.

16 Jul 2007

NDA for Lubiprostone to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has announced that it has submitted a supplemental New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to seek market approval of a lower strength of lubiprostone (8 mcg) to treat irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

13 Jul 2007

Hip resurfacing offers options to boomers' aging joints

Joe Mitchell always assumed his chronic leg pain was due to tight muscles, but as the pain became more intense in recent years, his physicians uncovered the culprit: an arthritic hip. He explored treatment options, and was dismayed to learn that he was not an immediate candidate for the main treatment for arthritic hips: hip replacement surgery.

12 Jul 2007

Next generation painkillers

Scientists studying one of nature's simplest organisms have helped to unravel the structure of a key molecule that controls pain in humans.

From The University of Manchester 12 Jul 2007

Link between increased blood pressure and decreased pain perception

New research published in Psychophysiology finds a relationship between increased blood pressure and decreased pain perception in a variety of circumstances, including among individuals with heart disease.

11 Jul 2007

Uncooked fish linked with liver cancer in Asia

An age old preference for eating uncooked fish dishes like koi-pla puts people in SE Asia at risk of ingesting trematodes that can cause a type of liver cancer called cholangiocarcinoma (cancer of the bile ducts), say researchers in this week's PLoS Medicine.

10 Jul 2007

No compelling evidence that meditation has therapeutic value

While it's not likely to do you any harm, there is also no compelling evidence that meditation has therapeutic value, says a new report from the University of Alberta.

10 Jul 2007

National study to treat addiction to prescription pain medications

Researchers funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, launched the first large-scale national study evaluating a treatment for addiction to prescription opioid analgesics (i.e., painkillers) such as Vicodin and OxyContin.

10 Jul 2007