Pain is more than nociception, and pain management is more than medication. Delia Chiaramonte, MD, provided insights into how rheumatologists can help their patients ease and manage chronic pain.
Some Cannabis Products May Ease Chronic Pain, But Side Effects Are a Concern
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Oral synthetic cannabis products that have a high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) ratio, as well as extracted cannabis products with comparable THC-to-CBD ratios, may provide moderate, short-term improvements in chronic pain, a large systematic review of relevant research suggests.1 However, these products are also associated with higher risks for side effects,…
Diagnosing & Caring for Patients with Fibromyalgia
Doebl et al. compared the effect of symptoms and the healthcare use of people with fibromyalgia with those who fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia but had not been diagnosed and those with chronic pain. They found patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia reported the poorest healthcare experiences and were more likely than other study participants to be unemployed due to health issues. Their findings reveal an urgent need exists for a model of care for patients with fibromyalgia.
Intra-Articular Steroid/Lidocaine Injection Improves Hip Arthritis Pain, Function
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A single injection into the hip of steroid and local anesthetic improved pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial, with most of the benefit seen early after treatment. Researchers at two community-based clinics in England assigned 199 volunteers to receive either an ultrasound guided intra-articular hip…
Oral CBD Fails to Relieve Pain from Hand OA & PsA
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Lower doses of cannabidiol (CBD) failed to provide any meaningful reduction in pain when added to other analgesic therapy in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in a randomized, placebo-controlled study from Denmark.1 Writing in the journal, Pain, Jonathan Vela, MD, and colleagues of Aalborg University note that CBD…
FDA Receives Upadacitinib Application for Ankylosing Spondylitis & Approves Tramadol Hydrochloride Oral Solution
In August, Abbvie submitted a new drug application for upadacitinib to treat ankylosing spondylitis. And in September, the FDA approved an oral solution of tramadol hydrochloride for pain.
Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy Tied to Radiographic Knee OA
(Reuters Health)—Patients with a degenerative meniscus tear who get arthroscopic partial meniscectomy have similar five-year outcomes and increased risk of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) as without surgery, a small study suggests. Researchers in Finland randomly assigned 146 adults with degenerative meniscus tear confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to receive either arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM)…
Novel Cathepsin K Inhibitor Promising for OA
Research into the disease-modifying effects of the novel cathepsin K inhibitor MIV-711 suggests it may be effective as a knee OA treatment. In OA patients using the treatment, the study documented statistically significant reductions in bone and cartilage progression…
FDA Considers Tanezumab Application for Chronic OA Pain
The FDA is considering an application for subcutaneous tanezumab, a monoclonal antibody, as a treatment for moderate to severe osteoarthritis…
No Gain with Pain: Exercise & Physical Function in Patients with Rheumatic Disease
Pain can deter patients with rheumatic disease from engaging in physical activity. But the latest research shows exercise helps reduce pain, & other influences may also affect patients’ activity levels, particularly after surgery…
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