UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE A team at the University of Cambridge has shown how, in osteoarthritis patients, the viscous lubricant that ordinarily allows our joints to move smoothly triggers a pain response from nerve cells similar that caused by chilli peppers. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It causes joint pain and stiffness, and in some people swelling and...
Tag: <span>pain management</span>
Post
Hit it where it hurts—scientists reveal how mirrors cure phantom pain
by Hayley Jarvis, Brunel University Easing phantom limb pain can be as simple as looking in the mirror. Scientists who have mapped how mirror therapy changes the brain may now be able to predict just how much treatment will ease a particular patient’s pain. Phantom limb pain—feeling intense pain in a missing limb—happens to more than 90% of amputees and can start just 24...
Post
The case of a woman who feels almost no pain leads scientists to a new gene mutation
By JACQUELYN CORLEY Doctors in Scotland were amazed when a 66-year-old woman underwent what is normally a very painful operation on her hand for severe arthritis and required little to no pain medication afterward. Similarly, two years ago, she was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis in her hip with significant joint degeneration, yet she complained of no...
Post
PIEZO2, a molecular target for treating clinical pain
If you’ve ever been sunburned, you’ve experienced the dreaded pain of putting on a shirt the next day. Fabric that should feel soft turns into a layer of painful pressure. That kind of pain-from what should feel like a gentle touch-is called allodynia, and it’s a fact of life for many people who suffer from...
Post
Treating pain with magnetic fields
Scientists have designed a hydrogel loaded with magnetic particles and laboratory-grown neurons. By applying magnetic force, the researchers were able to reduce the pain signaling of the neurons. In the United States, chronic pain is “the most common cause of long-term disability.” When applied to neurons, a magnetic field can reduce the cells’ pain signals,...
Post
New GSA resource provides guidance for safe use of OTC analgesics by older adults
July 17, 2018, The Gerontological Society of America The latest issue in the From Policy to Practice report series from The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) addresses recent labeling changes for OTC analgesics and highlights important considerations when recommending the use of these products in older adults. “Pain management in older adults is challenging and frequently managed...
Post
FDA proposes that doctors learn about acupuncture for pain management
Chiropractors and acupuncturists who have lobbied for a bigger role in treating pain have won a preliminary endorsement from federal health officials. The Food and Drug Administration released proposed changes Wednesday to its blueprint on educating health care providers about treating pain. The guidelines now recommend that doctors get information about chiropractic care and acupuncture as therapies that might help patients avoid...
- 1
- 2