Tag: Chronic pain
Regenerative medicine: Revolutionising osteoarthritis treatment

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, affecting over 528 million people worldwide. OA results in chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced joint function. Conventional treatments focus on symptomatic relief rather than addressing underlying causes. Dr Torbjörn Ogéus from the Stockholms led- & smärtspecialist (SLS) clinic in Sweden is pioneering regenerative medicine approaches to treating OA using patients’ stem cells. […]
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The Church and Academia model: A powerhouse for harnessing pain-related prayer research

There are limited alternatives to standard prescription therapy for those suffering from chronic pain. While the biopsychosocial model of pain is well established, it often neglects the influence of religious and spiritual factors on pain. Dr Marta Illueca, a leader in the Episcopal Church in Delaware, has collaborated with Dr Samantha Meints at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in […]
Why do women experience more chronic pain than men?

Chronic pain is poorly managed by current healthcare systems, with limited treatments. However, little is known about chronic pain, especially in autoimmune diseases. Dr Gurmit Singh and colleagues at McMaster University, Canada, have investigated whether chronic pain should be considered an autoimmune disease and why chronic pain is more common in women. They have identified various explanations as to why women […]
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Ketamine: An old medication with newly discovered actions in pain and breathing regulation

Pain that lasts longer than the expected period of healing is tormenting a significant percentage of the population and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Although medications are available to control it, its management often involves trial and error, especially in cases where specific nerve damage cannot be found. Professor Albert Dahan at the Leiden University Medical Center in […]
Rib fracture pain and disability: Do we need a more aggressive approach after all?

Rib fractures are the most common injury after thoracic (chest) trauma, accounting for approximately two-thirds of cases. The main challenge in treating them is controlling the associated pain that can lead to complications, such as chest infections and respiratory failure. Despite advances in pain control and anaesthesia, the conservative treatment of these injuries often results in chronic pain, in some […]
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Bidirectional relationship between chronic pain and insomnia

Dr Aubrey Husak, internal medicine resident at the Ohio State University, and Dr Matthew Bair, Core Investigator at VA HSR&D Center for Health Information and Communication and Associate Professor at Indiana University School of Medicine, carried out a review on the bidirectional relationship between chronic pain and insomnia. They found common comorbidities, including depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and catastrophising. Patients […]
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Pain care: The role of social class on nurses’ patient management

Research on social disparities in pain care has so far mainly been focused on issues such as racism and sexism in the way healthcare professionals assess and manage patients’ pain. Professor Sónia Bernardes of Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal, is interested in how social class impacts nurses’ care and attitudes toward their patients. The research she and her associates conduct […]
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Cannabis: Offering hope of a breakthrough in chronic pain treatment

For thousands of years, cannabis has been used to treat pain. Now, with medicinal cannabis legal in some places, the drug might prove to be a viable alternative to opioid pain killers. Dr Alex Bekker and colleagues at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, USA, is investigating how cannabis could be used to ease the pain associated with opioid addiction […]
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