Predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain

A large study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230459 identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, which can help clinicians engage in shared decision-making with patients around opioid prescribing. “The opioid crisis has generated interest in identifying patients at higher risk of addiction or overdose and has led to the development of several screening tools; however, these instruments […]

Patients with chronic pain value empathic doctors who validate concerns and communicate clearly

Researchers measured the associations among process, outcomes and patient satisfaction within general medical care for chronic low back pain, provided through an ongoing patient-physician relationship. They also used two models to measure factors associated with patient satisfaction, including studying a subgroup of participants experiencing chronic low back pain who were being treated by the same physician for more than five […]

People with arthritis 20% less likely to be in work

The typical person living with arthritis in the UK is 20% less likely to be in work than their equivalent without the condition, new research shows. And the most striking finding was that non-university educated women aged 60-plus are at least 37% less likely to be in work if they have arthritis, compared to matched individuals without the condition. The […]

Treating gut pain via a Nobel prize-winning receptor

Targeting a receptor responsible for our sense of touch and temperature, which researchers have now found to be present in our colon, could provide a new avenue for treating chronic pain associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. A team examining the colon, led by Professor Hongzhen Hu at Washington University and Professor Nick Spencer at Flinders University, […]

New study sheds light on why opioids can cause gastrointestinal problems

Opioids are the gold standard for treatment of chronic and acute pain; however, their use may result in significant gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation. The reasons behind these side effects are not well understood. A new study in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, is the first report of how opioids like morphine cause gastric inflammation […]

New health professional training blueprint to transform chronic pain care

Researchers have developed a new national blueprint to help health professionals support the one in five Australians living with chronic pain, costing the Australian economy $139 billion every year. Published in leading international interdisciplinary pain journal PAIN, the ‘Listen to me, learn from me’ framework was co-developed by a national team of Curtin University-led researchers and collaborators working in partnership with […]

Researchers map human sensory neurons, pursue chronic pain cure

An investigation into how human nerve cells differ from animal cells has provided researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for Advanced Pain Studies (CAPS) with important clues in the pursuit of more effective treatments for chronic pain. Dr. Ted Price BS’97, Ashbel Smith Professor of neuroscience in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) and CAPS […]