Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Gene responsible for Neuralgic Amyotrophy identified

Neuralgic Amyotrophy is a painful disorder of the peripheral nervous system. This heritable disease causes prolonged acute attacks of pain in the shoulder or arm, followed by temporary paralysis.

27 Sep 2005

Artificial Cervical (neck) Disc for treatment of degenerative disc disease

Rush University Medical Center is one of the few sites in the country selected to participate in a clinical trial for the Artificial Cervical (neck) Disc, the latest technology in the field.

27 Sep 2005

Discovery of molecule that causes transverse myelitis

Hopkins researchers have discovered a single molecule that is a cause of an autoimmune disease in the central nervous system, called transverse myelitis (TM), that is related to multiple sclerosis.

26 Sep 2005

Scientists identifiy new type of pain-sensing neuron in rats

We all know that if you put your hand over an open flame it's very painful. What you may not know is that, for some people, just lying under a blanket is painful as well. They have neuropathic pain--annoying, chronic pain that comes from a diseased nerve cell rather than a specific stimulus. Feeling phantom pain in a missing limb is another, more famous, example.

26 Sep 2005

Potential oral drug for rheumatoid arthritis

A potential oral drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may encourage women to treat their condition earlier rather than later because it is less arduous than currently available treatments. Early treatment is important because RA most often develops between the ages of 35 and 50 and is two- to three times more prevalent in women.

26 Sep 2005

Researchers have found a way to keep students awake during class

Whether it's triggered by the monotone of an instructor or insufficient rest the night before, students at all ages and grade levels sometimes have trouble staying awake in class.

26 Sep 2005

Magnetic shoe insoles did not effectively relieve foot pain

...researchers report in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. And the results indicate that patients who strongly believed in magnets had pain relief even if they were given false magnets to wear.

26 Sep 2005

Implant-placed overdentures make life more pleasurable

The enticing aroma of a thick, juicy steak was a temptation Marvin Goodwin oftentimes avoided because his dentures made the meat difficult to chew. Now that he's had implants placed to support his denture, he is no longer cautious of the foods he eats.

26 Sep 2005

Abatacept, marketed as Orencia appears to offer pain relief and increased mobility to rheumatoid arthritis patients

A new drug appears to offer pain relief and increased mobility to rheumatoid arthritis patients who have exhausted their other medical treatment options.

21 Sep 2005

Adult sickle cell drug hydroxyurea proves effective in young children

A drug used for the treatment of sickle cell anemia in adults has now been shown to cause significant improvements in very young children with the disorder.

20 Sep 2005

Researchers identify three rapid diagnostic methods that can target antibodies commonly found in multiple sclerosis

Yale School of Medicine researchers have identified three rapid diagnostic methods that can target antibodies commonly found in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, greatly improving potential diagnosis and treatment.

20 Sep 2005

SARS can infiltrate brain tissue

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), by its very name, indicates a disease of the respiratory tract. But SARS can also infiltrate brain tissue, causing significant central nervous system problems, according to an article in the Oct. 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

20 Sep 2005

Low-dose aspirin might prevent the cardiovascular damage known to arise from use of the painkiller rofecoxib (Vioxx)

Their findings that a chemical imbalance might underlie such damage could also lead to the development of anti-inflammatory drugs without the adverse side effects, the researchers said.

20 Sep 2005

Gaps in the intestinal barrier could be a cause of inflammatory diseases of the gut such as Crohn's Disease

Their research, led by Professor Alastair Watson in the University's Faculty of Medicine, could have important implications for the treatment of patients with diseases like Crohn's - an inflammatory bowel disorder that causes severe ulceration in the intestine, leading to pain, bleeding and diarrhoea.

20 Sep 2005

Phantom pain following spinal cord injury is the result of hypersensitive neurons in the thalamic region of brain

Yale researchers report the first evidence that phantom pain following spinal cord injury is the result of hypersensitive neurons in the thalamic region of the brain that can be suppressed with specially designed molecular agents.

20 Sep 2005

People who exercise regularly experience 25% less muscle and joint pain in their old age

Research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy reveals that people who regularly participate in brisk aerobic exercise, such as running, experience less pain than non-runners even though they are more likely to suffer from pain from injuries.

19 Sep 2005

Natural daily body rhythms may influence the effectiveness of spinal-epidural pain medication

The study found that women who had day labor got longer pain relief than women with night labor with the same amount of labor pain medicine.

19 Sep 2005

Cannabis drug could help fight obesity

Apparently scientists have discovered that a natural component of cannabis suppresses the appetite and that discovery may lead to a new class of drugs for treating obesity.

10 Sep 2005

When it comes to pain - mind over matter works

According to experts in the U.S., they have strong scientific proof that mind over matter works for relieving pain.

10 Sep 2005

Researchers recommend multidisciplinary approach of low back pain

Researchers calculated the costs of management of low back pain and found that an integrated and step-wise approach within a multidisciplinary setting forms a better use of the available resources. The study is published in the September issue of Pain Practice.

7 Sep 2005