http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. The pain relief offered by cannabis varies greatly between individuals, a brain imaging study carried out at the University of Oxford suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-brain-imaging-insight-cannabis-pain.html Medical research Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:00:02 EST news275246803 (Medical Xpress)—Rats and humans have at least one thing in common: They both react the same way to a placebo, according to a new University of Florida study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-placebo-effect-humans.html Medical research Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:08:50 EST news273316113 (Medical Xpress)—The Pain Research Group at the UA College of Medicine-Tucson studies the underlying causes of acute and chronic pain to promote the discovery of new targets for drug development with the ultimate goal of improved pain management. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-relief-pain-reward.html Medical research Tue, 27 Nov 2012 06:56:58 EST news273221805 Are you good at coping when life gets tough? Do people call you a straight-shooter? Will you help others without expecting anything in return? http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-tough-relief-placebo.html Psychology & Psychiatry Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:38:53 EST news272198326 A randomized, double-blind clinical trial by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery has revealed that corticosteroids are more effective than the more expensive treatment, hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc One, Genzyme Biosurgery), in providing pain relief to patients with thumb arthritis. The study also showed that both of these commonly used treatments provided clinically meaningful pain relief, but so did a placebo injection. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-expensive-arthritis-treatment-steroid-therapy.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Sun, 11 Nov 2012 08:19:39 EST news271844364 Hundreds of Australians were given water instead of pain-killing medication after thieves siphoned off the drugs from ambulance supplies and refilled the empty vials from the tap, officials said Tuesday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-australian-pain-killer-affects-hundreds.html Medications Tue, 16 Oct 2012 04:20:35 EST news269580026 (Medical Xpress)—A drug which for decades has been widely used to treat pain related to cancer has no net clinical benefit, researchers in the Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative (PaCCSC) based at Flinders University have found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-ketaminean-cancer-pain-drugmay-good.html Cancer Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:57:44 EST news267778658 For those suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees or hands, applying topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—in the form of creams, gels and patches—can bring weeks of pain relief, finds a new review by The Cochrane Library. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-topical-nsaids-relief-arthritis-pain.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:50:42 EST news267267035 Inhaled pain relief appears to be effective in reducing pain intensity and in giving pain relief in the first stage of labour, say Cochrane researchers. These conclusions came from a systematic review that drew data from twenty-six separate studies that involved a total of 2,959 women, and are published in The Cochrane Library. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-inhaled-pain-relief-early-labor.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:49:24 EST news266586556 Women having surgery for breast cancer are up to three times more likely to have severe pain in the first week after surgery if they suffer from other painful conditions, such as arthritis, low back pain and migraine, according to a Cancer Research UK study published today (Wednesday) in the British Journal of Cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-uncovers-simple-severe-pain-breast.html Cancer Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:05:44 EST news266065538 In a major breakthrough, an international team of scientists has proven that addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, while at the same time increasing pain relief. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-scientists-block-heroin-morphine-addiction.html Neuroscience Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:00:02 EST news264160153 (Medical Xpress) -- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops in individuals who experience highly traumatizing situations such as terrorist attacks and car accidents, but symptoms can also come about after normal life events — including childbirth. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-post-partum-women-ptsd-symptoms-birth.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:34:06 EST news263640837 Patients with plantar fasciitis (painful bone heel spur) experience significantly less pain and improved quality of life following a standard dose of external beam radiation therapy, a common cancer treatment similar to receiving an X-ray, according to a randomized, cooperative group study that was published online July 25, 2012, in the International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology, Physics (Red Journal), the official scientific journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-standard-therapy-dose-pain-relief.html Cancer Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:34:15 EST news262604050 (HealthDay) -- Compared with periprostatic nerve block (PNB), pelvic plexus block (PPB), performed under Doppler ultrasound guidance, provides better pain relief for men during office-based transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of Urology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-analgesia-pelvic-plexus-block-prostate.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 26 Jul 2012 17:41:31 EST news262543277 Patients with blocked arteries to their extremities, known as peripheral artery disease (PAD) or critical limb ischemia (CLI), may now find relief from lower leg pain and wounds caused by impaired leg artery circulation with the previously unproven therapy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). The XCELL trial results now available in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), reports that infrapopliteal nitinol stenting to treat CLI is safe and effective in improving wound healing, providing pain relief, and promoting amputation-free survival. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-angioplasty-procedure-blood-blocked-arteries.html Cardiology Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:58:16 EST news262353441 An analysis of published data in the medical literature has found that vertebroplasty can provide more pain relief and better function for patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures than nonoperative treatments. Vertebroplasty, a medical procedure for reducing pain caused by this type of fracture, involves the injection of an acrylic cement into the body of the fractured vertebrae for stabilization. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-vertebroplasty-reportedly-pain-relief-function.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:48:40 EST news261053313 (HealthDay) -- Patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) who have coexistent lumbar spine disorders (LSDs) do not report as much improvement in pain and function after arthroplasty compared with patients without lumbar disorders, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-coexistent-lumbar-disorders-complicate-hip.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:04:35 EST news259243456 New UK guidance for doctors and other prescribers on the use of strong painkillers for patients with chronic or incurable disease has been welcomed by researchers at the University of Leeds. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-patients-benefit-advice-pain.html Medications Wed, 23 May 2012 10:37:42 EST news256988249 Investigators report that a simple bedside manual therapy to correct a painful misaligned sacroiliac joint was highly successful in a group of 45 patients 10 to 20 years of age. Thirty-six patients (80 percent) obtained significant pain relief, whereas nine patients (20 percent) experienced minimal to no relief. In 24 patients (53 percent) complete resolution of pain was experienced immediately upon treatment. Only two patients required a second treatment because of symptom recurrence. These findings are reported in a new article, "Sacroiliac joint pain in the pediatric population. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-quick-sacroiliac-joint-pain-children.html Surgery Tue, 22 May 2012 10:40:41 EST news256902013 (HealthDay) -- Hemiarthroplasty with the cemented Exeter implant provides pain relief comparable to hemiarthroplasty with the uncemented Alloclassic implant in elderly patients with a displaced femoral neck fracture, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-hip-outcomes-similar-withwithout-cement.html Surgery Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:30:02 EST news254490896 Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified a new way to deliver long-lasting pain relief through an ancient medical practice. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-pain-relief-pap-longer-traditional.html Medical research Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:35:32 EST news254399725 (HealthDay) -- Hormonal changes are a major reason women are far more likely than men to have migraine headaches, research suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-hormonal-trigger-migraines-women.html Health Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:31:06 EST news251731853 There is better evidence for the effectiveness of drug-based approaches for relieving labour pains than non-drug approaches. These are the findings of an all-encompassing publishing in The Cochrane Library, which draws together results from a number of previous reviews on the subject. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-pain-relief-poor-evidence-non-drug.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:03 EST news250876288 Experts from the Rush Pain Center at Rush University Medical Center are the first in Chicago to offer patients a neurostimulation system that uses new, motion sensor technology found in smart phones and Wii video gaming systems to help patients manage chronic leg and back pain. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-motion-sensor-technology-smart-chronic.html Other Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:36:38 EST news250842985 (Medical Xpress) -- Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction—say, doing a puzzle—relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That’s the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention—which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-boost-power-pain-relief-drugs.html Psychology & Psychiatry Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:12:28 EST news247475527 Undergoing surgery can be a terrifying experience for a child. But stress and fear, and the use of pain relief after the procedure, can be reduced with simple means: drawings, continuity and dialogue. This has been shown by research at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-methods-hospital-children.html Health Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:00:04 EST news243611983 Researchers at King's College London have discovered how one of the most common household painkillers works, which could pave the way for less harmful pain relief medications to be developed in the future. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-reveal-paracetamol-pain-relief-medicines.html Medical research Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:20:56 EST news241183249 Stockholm, Sweden: Many prostate cancer patients develop bone metastases, and controlling the pain these cause can be difficult. Now the first large randomised Phase III trial of a bisphosphonate drug in these patients has shown that a single dose of the drug is as good for pain relief as single dose radiotherapy, the standard treatment for bone metastases. Results of the trial were presented today at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-bone-strengthening-drug-pain-relief-prostate.html Cancer Sun, 25 Sep 2011 13:28:41 EST news236176106 For more than 100,000 area women, chronic vulvar pain (pain at the opening to the vagina) is so severe it makes intercourse, and sometimes sitting for long periods of time, painful, if not impossible. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-chronic-vulvar-pain-reality-women.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:58:07 EST news235223869 A Cochrane Review of data relating to about 45,000 patients involved in approximately 350 individual studies has provided an evaluation of the effect you can expect to get if you take commonly used painkillers at specific doses. The review also identifies pain killers for which there is only poor or no reliable evidence. This review will help doctors and patients to make evidence informed decisions of which pain killers to use, and is published in the latest edition of The Cochrane Library. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-pain-relief-based-solid-evidence.html Medications Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:16:38 EST news234587774