Pain Management

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the healthcare and mainstream press.

Overcoming the challenges to a holistic approach to opioid recovery is critical to engaging patients safely and comfortably, and to supporting sustained recovery. Here are 5 elements that contribute to a successful integrated approach.

Reimbursement models, novel gene therapy–based treatments, and price transparency: these were some of the topics covered by presenters and panelists at the annual meeting of the Community Oncology Alliance.

Earlier this week, CMS tweaked an opioid policy aimed at Medicare Part D patients that had drawn criticism when it was first released in draft form. Critics said it would have sharply reduced access to opioids for those with chronic pain, people with cancer or other types of pain. Two palliative care doctors said they are waiting to see if the changes are implemented in a meaningful way for their patients.

Learn About My Pain (LAMP), a recent study published in Annals of Internal Medicine that evaluated the efficacy of simplified group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) versus group pain education (EDU) and usual care in a disadvantaged population, was found to be effective. Researchers found that in general, both CBT and EDU, but not usual care, were associated with statistically significant improvements in pain intensity.

Patients suffering from back pain worldwide are being treated with an overuse of inappropriate tests and treatments such as imaging, opioids and other medications, and surgery, instead of being educated about their condition and to stay active, a new series of papers in The Lancet reported.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Institute shared results of 5 recent publications summarizing results from their awardees. The studies included research on a decision aid for patients with heart failure, 2 different approaches to treating mental illness, and addressing chronic pain.

Opioid use incidence and prevalence rates decreased with implementation of an opioid safety initiative, whereas nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug rates remained constant. Rates of adverse events were higher among opioid users.

Proprietary technology helps overcome the problem of long travel distances for those taking part in clinical trials.

A discussion of chronic pain prevalence, care obstacles, and potential opportunities for care improvement within the accountable care organization context at University of California, San Francisco Health.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed no signs of effectiveness when compared with a placebo with an indication to relieve moderate to severe hand pain and radiographic osteoarthritis, according to a randomized trial published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Sickle cell disease (SCD), the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, is marked by episodes of acute pain, but there is increasing recognition that it can transition to chronic persistent SCD pain. A recent study found that the presence of pain on 3 or more days a week is independently associated with worse patient-reported pain interference and anxiety.

In a given year, lower back pain affects between one-third and two-thirds of older adults. A new study sought to determine if such pain in well-functioning older adults spurs declines in mobility. Results were mixed but the issue deserves further research, the authors reported.

Researchers have developed a method of reducing pain-associated behaviors through the creation of decoy molecules that prevent pain after injury.

A study in Canada of nearly 4000 patients with chronic pain found that one-third reported coexisting chronic pain conditions, but no specific patterns of co-occurrence of pain comorbidity were identified. The study was conducted to add more to the body of knowledge about what is known about chronic pain, which is experienced by up to 20% of the population.

Including pharmacists in a team-based care model to treat patients with chronic pain can help primary care physicians create a plan to safely prescribe opioids to this population.

Novartis' calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor for prevention of migraine, erenumab, showed positive results in a phase 3b study in episodic migraine patients who have failed multiple prior preventive treatments.

Patients having total knee arthroplasty treated with liposomal bupivacaine were discharged to their homes sooner and had a significantly shorter hospital stay compared with patients who did not receive the drug during surgery, according to a recently published study looking at the value and cost effectiveness of the drug.

An inquiry by 10 Democrats on the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs into whether or not the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would research medical marijuana in veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain was met with denial.

A recent study from Australia found that the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was associated with an increased risk of persisting neck pain and disability in motor vehicle crash survivors with whiplash injuries.

Dry eye was found to be a comorbid pain condition among US veterans, raising the suggestion that pain specialists screen for this disorder in their chronic pain patients, researchers reported recently.

Researchers have made a key discovery that could pave the way to designing an improved opioid to relieve pain without the risk of addiction and side effects.

Topical analgesics were safe and effective at reducing chronic pain, according to a study that also looked at whether or not a subgroup of patients were able to stop using opioids a few months after treatment. About 50% of patients were able to discontinue use of opioids after 3 or 6 months of treatment with pain-relieving analgesics applied directly to the skin, a study reported.

A recent study found patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) have a higher rate of co-occurring adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Scientists from King’s College London uncovered a new mechanism of cellular communication, between neurons and immune cells, in a discovery that could lead to new treatment targets for neuropathic pain.

Opioids are commonly precribed for the treatment of both acute and chronic pain.

Examining insurance claims from millions of doctors' visits with daily rainfall totals from thousands of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather stations showed that there is no relationship between rainy weather and joint pain or an achy back, according to new research from Harvard Medical School.

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is seeking public comment on its review of 3 calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors for prevention of migraine, as well as an update to its 2016 report on treatments for plaque psoriasis.

The use of healthcare services, with the exception of physiotherapy and psychotherapy, in patients with chronic back pain was lower 6 months after rehabilitation in Germany than before rehabilitation, according to a study published in BMC Health Services Research.

Patients are significantly overestimating the pain they will feel after surgery, indicating that providers can do a better job of educating patients on what they can expect.