Pain
Scientists pinpoint brain's area for numeral recognition
Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have determined the precise anatomical coordinates of a brain "hot spot," measuring only about one-fifth of an inch across, that is preferentially activated ...
Neuroscience
Apr 16, 2013 |
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Reversing paralysis with restorative gel: Researchers develop implant to regenerate nerves
(Medical Xpress)—Some parts of the body, like the liver, can regenerate themselves after damage. But others, such as our nervous system, are considered either irreparable or slow to recover, leaving thousands ...
Neuroscience
May 13, 2013 |
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Psychopaths are not neurally equipped to have concern for others, study shows
Prisoners who are psychopaths lack the basic neurophysiological "hardwiring" that enables them to care for others, according to a new study by neuroscientists at the University of Chicago and the University of New Mexico.
Psychology & Psychiatry
Apr 24, 2013 |
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New theory on genesis of osteoarthritis comes with successful therapy in mice
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have turned their view of osteoarthritis (OA) inside out. Literally. Instead of seeing the painful degenerative disease as a problem primarily of the cartilage that cushions joints, ...
Arthritis & Rheumatism
May 19, 2013 |
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First objective measure of pain discovered in brain scan patterns
For the first time, scientists have been able to predict how much pain people are feeling by looking at images of their brains, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.
Neuroscience
Apr 10, 2013 |
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Freezing nerves knocks pain out cold
Using a tiny ball of ice, a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment called cryoneurolysis safely short circuits chronic pain caused by nerve damage, according to data being presented at the Society of Interventional ...
Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Apr 14, 2013 |
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Restless legs syndrome, insomnia and brain chemistry: A tangled mystery solved?
Johns Hopkins researchers believe they may have discovered an explanation for the sleepless nights associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS), a symptom that persists even when the disruptive, overwhelming nocturnal urge ...
Neuroscience
May 07, 2013 |
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Babies show visual consciousness at five months
(Medical Xpress)—A new study by scientists in France and Denmark has identified a neurological marker in the brain of babies as young as five months that is associated with visual consciousness, or the ...
Neuroscience
Apr 19, 2013 |
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Turning back the clock on regeneration in neurons
(Medical Xpress)—When minor wounds heal, the fine nerve endings that sense touch, or control sweating, are usually able to regrow. Like many processes in the body, the ability to regenerate new tissues ...
Neuroscience
Apr 19, 2013 |
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Study identifies key shift in the brain that creates drive to overeat
A team of American and Italian neuroscientists has identified a cellular change in the brain that accompanies obesity. The findings could explain the body's tendency to maintain undesirable weight levels, rather than an ideal ...
Medical research
Apr 29, 2013 |
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Researchers identify how cells control calcium influx
(Medical Xpress)—When brain cells are overwhelmed by an influx of too many calcium molecules, they shut down the channels through which these molecules enter the cells. Until now, the "stop" signal mechanism that cells ...
Neuroscience
May 09, 2013 |
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Relieving chronic pain
A new, implantable device for treating chronic pain passes an important safety test.
Medical research
Mar 25, 2013 |
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Experiencing existential dread? Tylenol may do the trick
Thinking about death can cause us to feel a sort of existential angst that isn't attributable to a specific source. Now, new research suggests that acetaminophen, an over-the-counter pain medication, may help to reduce this ...
Psychology & Psychiatry
Apr 16, 2013 |
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Radioactive bacteria targets metastatic pancreatic cancer
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a therapy for pancreatic cancer that uses Listeria bacteria to selectively infect tumor cells and deliver radioisotopes into them. The ex ...
Cancer
Apr 22, 2013 |
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Da Vinci's robot: Surgery is getting a renaissance
(Medical Xpress)—Robots are everywhere these days. They roam Mars, solve Rubik's cubes and vacuum our floors. Now, a robot named da Vinci is helping patients across the Penn State region get the major surgeries ...
Surgery
Apr 25, 2013 |
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Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone." The International Association for the Study of Pain has a definition that is widely used: "Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage".
Pain motivates the individual to withdraw from damaging situations, to protect a damaged body part while it heals, and to avoid similar experiences in the future. Most pain resolves promptly once the painful stimulus is removed and the body has healed, but sometimes pain persists despite removal of the stimulus and apparent healing of the body; and sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage or disease.
Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation in the United States. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and can significantly interfere with a person's quality of life and general functioning. Psychological factors such as social support, hypnotic suggestion, excitement, or distraction can significantly modulate pain's intensity or unpleasantness.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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