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Although moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with improvement in some health outcomes including lower risk for heart disease, stroke, and dementia, the impact on chronic pain levels is less well understood. Researchers from the University of Michigan sought to investigate the...
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An editorial appearing earlier this week in the Journal of Pain Research and coauthored by senior PAINWeek faculty member Michael Schatman, PhD, CPE, DASPE, advocates for a fresh approach to threading the needle between efforts to address the crisis of opioid abuse and the legitimate needs of...
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The association between chronic pain and sleep impairment has been well documented, including findings from a 2015 poll by the National Sleep Foundation that 2 of 3 patients with chronic pain also experience recurring disruptions in their sleep. New research conducted at UC Berkeley’s Center for...
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Prescription topical pain preparations can cost from $20 to thousands of dollars and are often perceived as a safer treatment approach that is free of the side effects or addictive potential of other pain medications. In 2015, Medicare Part D spent over $500 million in coverage for the prescriptions...
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Researchers from the University of Michigan recently completed an examination of the available data from state medical marijuana registries to assess why patients are using cannabis for medical reasons, and whether there is evidence based support for these uses. The study classified patient reported...
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A report from the University of Michigan Addiction Center raises concern over the lack of education and guidelines on the impact of marijuana use for chronic pain on driving impairment. The study found that 56% of respondents who had used cannabis for pain management had also driven within 2 hours...
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New and disheartening statistics on opioid-related suicide and unintentional overdose deaths have emerged from a review and analysis of data by researchers from the University of Michigan. Writing this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, the team concludes that rates of suicide and...
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A recent study conducted at the Johns Hopkins Sickle Cell Infusion Center highlights the challenges of managing severe pain in some patients with the condition. Researchers found that a subset of patients presenting to the center were more likely to visit the emergency room for crisis pain even when...
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There are a lot of theories about CRPS. There are theories about glial cell involvement, or dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. To my mind, there is a hormonal component because 80 percent of my patients are women. There’s a genetic component because I have seen 18 families where more than...
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A study conducted at Hospital for Special Surgery confirms the efficacy of complementary modalities including meditation and mindful breathing for chronic pain management, according to the authors. The pilot program was undertaken in response to the notation that some 70% of long-term opioid users...