Pain sensitization, such as that experienced by patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes after surgery. New research has found that, although pain sensitization in CTS patients correlates with preoperative symptom severity, CTS symptoms did not have a persistent effect on functional outcomes after surgery…... [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Online socializing may weaken the tie between pain and depression for older people, a U.S. study suggests. People in chronic pain are at risk of depression to start with. When pain makes them stay home more, interacting with friends and family less, it only adds to this risk, the researchers write in the Journals… [Read More]
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Low-dose amitriptyline does not have clear benefits for patients with chronic low-back pain that has no specific cause, according to results from a randomized clinical trial. Despite the lack of evidence that antidepressants are more effective than placebo for low-back pain, seven of 14 national and international guidelines recommend their use in… [Read More]
A recent study found that the perception of experimentally induced pain is closely associated with neurocognitive symptoms, such as attention, memory and executive function, in fibromyalgia patients. Specifically, fibromyalgia patients described low-intensity pressure as more painful than controls did…... [Read More]
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Depressed individuals over age 50 should be screened for arthritis pain because the two conditions often occur together, worsening mental and physical health outcomes, researchers say. “Our findings shed light on the high rates of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis in U.S. older adults with varying degrees of depression,” Dr. Jessica Brooks of the… [Read More]
AMSTERDAM—A variety of factors lead to delays in patients seeking medical care for rheumatoid arthritis—from the nature of symptoms to coping tendencies—requiring more awareness from physicians when managing patients, researchers said at EULAR: the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology. Longer delays in treatment bring about more emotional distress to patients, missed chances to ease symptoms… [Read More]
The FDA has not approved extended release Remoxy, a gel capsule formulation of oxycodone, concluding that its potential benefits do not outweigh its risks…... [Read More]
(Reuters Health)—Art museums may have an analgesic effect on chronic pain, a small study suggests. Chronic pain sufferers who took guided tours of art museums felt less discomfort and unpleasantness related to their pain shortly afterward, researchers found. The researchers invited 54 visitors to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, Calif., who reported experiencing chronic… [Read More]
New research shows tanezumab may be safe and effective for patients with osteoarthritis pain…... [Read More]
NEW YORK (New York)—Patients with anxiety and depression may be less satisfied than other patients with their chronic low back pain (CLBP) treatments, new research suggests. “Patients with anxiety/depression symptoms experienced more pain severity and more pain-related functional, social, and emotional disability, and they were less satisfied with care, compared with the other groups,” the… [Read More]