When you’re an autistic teenager living with chronic pain, getting treatment for your pain can be a challenging experience.
Tag: Pain Management
U of T-led study finds positive support from parents and clinicians for pediatric cancer pain management app
A recent study led by Assistant Professor Lindsay Jibb of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) found that parents of young children with cancer, along with pediatric cancer clinicians are in favour of an app-based solution that Jibb and her team are creating, to help parents manage their child’s cancer pain at home.
Nerve block can reduce need for postsurgical opioids
A preoperative nerve block used in combination with other medications can reduce the need for opioids to manage pain following spinal surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found. The findings, published in European Spine Journal, suggest a way to lessen the reliance on opioids to reduce postoperative pain and help patients become ambulatory sooner.
Even Worms Get the Munchies
A study, led by University of Oregon neuroscientist Shawn Lockery, points to worms as a useful tool for understanding more about the many roles that cannabinoids naturally play in the body. And it could help researchers develop better drugs that target this system.
A Leader Fighting the Overdose Crisis Urges Standardizing Addiction Medicine Education and Supporting New DEA Requirements
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The National Vital Statistics System, drug-related overdose deaths have been rising over the past two decades in the United States. In 2021, 106,699 drug overdose deaths occurred. Adults aged 65 and over…
How one state beat national surgery opioid trends
A statewide effort to treat the pain of surgery patients without increasing their risk of long-term dependence on opioids has paid off in Michigan, a study shows.
Debunking pain myths could help teens recover faster
Whether it’s headaches, abdominal pain, or unrelenting joint soreness, up to a third of young people in Australia experience chronic pain. Now, a world-first study from the University of South Australia is providing valuable insights about how young people understand chronic pain, potentially helping thousands of sufferers to better manage their symptoms and long-term wellbeing.
Cleveland Clinic Studying Stem Cell Treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Cleveland Clinic was awarded $5.5 million from the National Institutes of Health to develop a stem cell treatment for complex regional pain syndrome, a disease that causes debilitating chronic pain.
The research shows long-term potential for providing patients suffering from chronic pain an alternative to addictive treatments like opioids.
Role of CRNAs in Pain Management Included in Final CDC Clinical Practice Guidelines
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) applauds the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for providing more flexibility and clarity in their updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids. The final guidelines include acknowledgment of the role of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) as pain care providers, how pain care is administered, and the consideration for nonopioid therapies for subacute and chronic pain.
Poll: Aching joints make older adults reach for many forms of pain relief – but health risks could follow
Popping a pill may bring short-term relief for arthritis-related joint pain, but many older adults may not realize that what they swallow could raise their risk of other health problems, or that other non-drug options could help them, a new poll suggests.
American Society of Anesthesiologists Hosts ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2022
Adults who use cannabis consume more opioids after surgery. Reducing noise in the operating room (OR) improves postoperative behavior in children, including decreased temper tantrums and fussiness about eating. Minorities are less likely to have patient-centered end-of-life care. These are among the important research findings being presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2022, the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), Oct. 21-25 in New Orleans.
A new way to control pain after knee replacement surgery
Houston Methodist researchers present clinical evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of injecting pain medication directly into the tibia during knee replacement surgery for better postoperative pain management. The study revealed patients receiving a mixture of morphine and vancomycin injected into the shin bone have less pain post-surgery than those who received the infusion without morphine during surgery.
Pain, pain go away, help our children run and play
Like it or not, bumps and bruises are an unavoidable part of childhood. But while no parent wants their child to feel pain, teaching children about pain when they’re young can help them better understand and respond to pain when they’re older.
Buccally Absorbed Cannabidiol is Safe and Effective for Pain Management After Rotator Cuff Surgery
Cannabidiol is effective in improving immediate post-operative pain following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine 2022 Annual Meeting.
Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Pain by Separating it from the Self
Mindfulness meditation is effective in reducing pain relief; UC San Diego study reveals the underlying neural circuitry.
Increased overdose and mental health risks persist two years after opioid dose reduction
A new UC Davis Health study suggests that the increased rates of overdose and mental health crisis observed during the first year after opioid dose tapering persist through the second year. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
Study Finds Duloxetine Added to Multimodal Pain Management Reduced Opioid Use After Knee Replacement
A study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) found that the antidepressant duloxetine reduced the use of opioid medication when added to a multimodal pain management regimen after knee replacement surgery. The study appeared in The Journal of Arthroplasty.
High-Frequency Spinal Cord Stimulation Shows Improved Longer Lasting Pain Relief
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine report that high-frequency spinal cord stimulation proved more effective at improving perceived pain reduction than low-frequency SCS in patients studied, and that there was some variation in PPR between male and female patients.
Not So Great Expectations: Pain in HIV Related to Brain’s Expectations of Relief
Neuroimaging study reveals potential brain mechanism underlying chronic neuropathic pain in individuals with HIV. Findings may guide new clinical treatments targeting patients’ expectations for pain relief.
Guidelines Emphasize Need for Multimodal, Individualized Care for Surgery Patients
A new multi-society organizational consensus statement published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine establishes seven guiding principles for acute perioperative pain management to help institutions better care for patients having surgery.
The Promise of Regenerative Medicine to Treat Chronic Pain
Regenerative medicine has enormous implications for treatment and prevention of chronic pain including conditions like osteoarthritis, diabetic and peripheral neuropathy, and even spinal cord injuries and degenerative disk disease. According to one expert, there is potential to “[turn] back the time clock.”
Do doctors treat pain differently based on their patients’ race?
Physicians prescribed opioids more often to their white patients who complained of new-onset low back pain than to their Black, Asian and Hispanic patients during the early days of the national opioid crisis, when prescriptions for these powerful painkillers were surging but their dangers were not fully apparent.
UC San Diego Health First in Nation to Implant New Device for Chronic Back Pain
Treatment provides non-opiate alternative that is minimally invasive with emphasis on functional restoration.
Many surgery patients get opioid prescriptions, but many don’t need to, study suggests
Surgeons can ease their patients’ pain from common operations without prescribing opioids, and avoid the possibility of starting someone on a path to long-term use, a pair of new studies suggests.
Roswell Park Team Demonstrates Safe Approach for Dramatically Reducing Use of Opioids Following Surgery
A pain-management protocol designed by Emese Zsiros, MD, PhD, FACOG, to be reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 annual meeting, resulted in a 45% decrease in opioids prescribed to patients undergoing surgery, without significant effect on recovery or satisfaction.
New High for Migraine Treatment? Trial Looks at Effectiveness of THC, CBD
UC San Diego Health is conducting the first known randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial looking at cannabis as a potentially effective treatment for acute migraines.
Researchers Say Prescribing Opioids for Pain Relief after Knee Surgery is Unnecessary
Researchers find that opioids are not necessary for managing post-knee surgery pain.
Digital solutions including remote monitoring can help chronic pain sufferers manage their pain and reduce the probability of misuse of prescription opioids.
For the first time, an app has been shown to reduce key symptoms of chronic pain. A UNH-led study evaluated the impact of Manage My Pain(MMP), a digital health solution on chronic pain patients.
Virtual Reality as Medicine: An Interview with Brennan Spiegel, MD
In the wake of the opioid addiction crisis that has cost more than 500,000 U.S. lives, medical investigators have focused on finding new methods to help patients control pain.
Study Finds Older Adults Using Cannabis to Treat Common Health Conditions
UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers report that older adults are increasingly using cannabis to treat a variety of common health conditions, including pain, sleep disturbances and psychiatric conditions like anxiety and depression.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Reduces Pain and Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease Patients
A team of researchers in the United States and Japan reports that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) measurably decreased pain and reduced motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, both as a singular therapy and as a “salvage therapy” after deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapies were ineffective.
NYU College of Dentistry Awarded NIH Grant to Investigate Endosomal Receptors as Targets for Chronic Pain Treatment
The NIH has awarded NYU College of Dentistry researchers Nigel Bunnett, PhD, and Brian Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD, a $3.9 million grant to study targeting endosomal receptors for the treatment of chronic pain. The five-year grant will support Bunnett and Schmidt’s collaborative research, which aims to ultimately yield improved pain management without the need for opioids.
UC San Diego Health Offers New Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain
UC San Diego Health is now offering a new minimally invasive approach to provide relief for patients suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP).The new treatment is called “Intracept,” an outpatient procedure that targets nerves located in the vertebrae or bones of the spine.
More than medicine: pain-relief drug delivers choices for mothers in labour
Choice and control are important factors for ensuring a positive childbirth experience, yet until recently, little was known about the impact of alternative administrations of fentanyl – one of the pain relief drugs used during labour– on both mother and baby.
Managing Pain After Sports Medicine Surgery
A Henry Ford Hospital study published in the Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery has found that patients who underwent knee surgery and other types of sports medicine procedures could manage their pain without opioids or a minimal dosage. “This is a large prospective study and our hope is that non-opioid use will gain momentum and that others may tweak our protocol and use it throughout orthopedics, from joint surgery to spine surgery and other surgeries” says Vasilios (Bill) Moutzouros, M.D., chief of Sports Medicine, a division of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and the study’s lead author.
Cannabis use for management of chronic musculoskeletal pain increasing, new study shows
The use of medical cannabis has garnered a lot of recent attention, especially as parts of the United States and Canada have legalized its use. While it has been studied in cancer and nerve pain, not much is known about the usage rate and its efficacy in managing chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. According to a new study released as part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Virtual Education Experience, up to 20% of patients presenting to an orthopaedic surgeon with chronic MSK pain are using cannabis to manage their pain, with many reporting success. Additionally, two-thirds of non-users are interested in using it for the management of MSK pain, prompting a need to further study its effects.
Orthopaedic surgeons available to comment on the impact of COVID-19 on postponed elective surgery, the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries during a pandemic, and how patients can safely ease into outdoor activities after social distancing.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented situation that has raised healthcare questions for patients of all ages. If you need an orthopaedic surgeon to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on patients’ musculoskeletal health, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)…
The Ethics of Ventilators During COVID-19
Diane Hoffmann is the Jacob A. France Professor of Health Law at University of Maryland School of Law where she directs the Law & Health Care Program and the Maryland Health Care Ethics Committee Network. She is able to speak…
An Integrated Approach to Reducing Ventilation Time
A Texas hospital developed an integrated approach that reduced ventilation time for ICU patients. The 2018 study, in AACN Advanced Critical Care, is the first to examine the effects of implementing protocol-directed sedation with the coordinated use of two evidence-based assessments across multiple disciplines.
Whether marijuana helps with pain is unclear, study suggests
Medical marijuana users who say they have high levels of pain are more likely than those with low pain to say they use cannabis three or more times a day, a new study finds.
Recognize an overdose, save a life
Every day nearly 200 people die from an overdose of drugs or from alcohol poisoning, with opioids responsible for the majority. Recognizing the signs and knowing how to respond to medical emergencies, including carrying and administering naloxone in cases of opioid overdose, can save lives says the ASA.
National CRNA Week: The House of Representatives Recognizes the Contributions of Nurse Anesthetists
In honor of National CRNA Week (Jan. 19-25, 2020), Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Sam Graves (R-MO) today introduced a bipartisan resolution on the House floor, “Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and their role in providing quality health care for the public.”
Epidemic levels of chronic pain, opioid use disorder add to challenges of managing patients in pain
A series of seven articles in AACN Advanced Critical Care focuses on the challenges of safe, effective pain management in the ICU, including more Americans reporting daily chronic pain and the rapidly increasing prevalence of opioid misuse and opioid use disorder.
Mount Sinai Hospital Receives Early Holiday Gift – A Grant To Support Popular Four- Legged Friend
Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital announced today that PetSmart Charities has offered a gift of $75,000 to extend the tenure of Professor Bunsen Honeydew the hospital’s first of three facility dogs, through October 2020.
Implanted Nerve Stimulation Devices May Need Just 60 Days for Sustained Pain Control
Patients who have chosen to treat chronic pain with implanted peripheral nerve stimulation no longer need to be tethered permanently to the device. According to findings from a study in amputees, placing the device for just 60 days resulted in sustained pain relief and functional improvements.
Giving Ketamine Repeatedly for Migraine and Pain Not Associated with Increased Adverse Events
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Virginia retrospectively analyzed patient records see if side effects increased after repeated infusions. They actually found a couple of benefits.
Accountability Program May Prevent Opioid Overprescribing
Colleagues at the University of California at Irvine have developed an electronic prescription drug accountability program to keep track of prescribing among hospitalists, primary care physicians, and emergency department physicians within an institution.
Best of Meeting Abstract: Neurologic Immune Cell Pathways May Offer New Target for Chronic Pain Control
According to research from investigators at Millennium Pain Center and Lumbrera, LLC, targeting of microglial activation phenotypes, such as the M1 and M2, may help control patients’ chronic pain.
Dr. Mark Lema to Receive Distinguished Service Award
Dr. Mark J. Lema, State University of New York (SUNY) Distinguished Service Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology at SUNY at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been selected to receive ASRA’s 2019 Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Nagy Mekhail Is ASRA’s 2019 John Bonica Lecture Award Winner
Nagy Mekhail, MD, PhD, professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, has been selected to receive the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) 2019 John J. Bonica Award.