Yearly Archives: 2011

On December 11th, the largest medical conference focused on the new anti-aging to age-related issues, titled A4M, began in Las Vegas. Dr Norm Shealy will be discussing Energy medicine, while other conference tracks will present on the metabolic approach to pain control and causes of chronic pain. A local company will also be revealing the RITM Scenar, a new technological breakthrough designed to use the body's own healing ability to naturally ease pain. http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/518973

University of California San Francisco has published a study reporting that medical marijuana, in combination with certain opiates,  can safely and effectively help diminish chronic pain in sufferers. The group tested cannabinoids inhaled through a vaporizer in combination with morphine and oxycodone, which had the effect of further reducing pain in the patients by 33% and 20% respectively. The doctors who created this study find it upsetting that after sixteen years of medical marijuana being available to the "sick and dying" in California, the elderly and the sick still have problems finding access. All involved called for further research on the [...]

In an article published in the December issue of the journal Pain, researchers in Nova Scotia have reported that a comprehensive review of 41 studies on pain in children published since 1991 have revealed that children and adolescents experience similar levels of chronic pain as adults. Though typically considered an adult affliction, chronic pain conditions such as frequent headaches and stomach pain occurs in many children. Understanding the patterns of pain in children might help to alleviate their suffering as well as further our understanding of chronic pain in adults. http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/09/3310629/chronic-pain-is-common-child-complaint.html

Amp Orthopedics has announced a clinical trial for a device to treat people with mild to moderate knee pain from osteaoarthritis (OA). The trial is a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind study of 150 patients aimed to test the safety and effectiveness of the company's non-thermal pulsed radio frequency (PRF) technology to ameliorate pain. The study is being conducted by Mytrus, a company considered revolutionary in that it directly recruits candidates for trials through the internet using tools such as social media sites. The results of the trial should be published in 2012. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/amp-orthopedics-initiates-clinical-trial-in-knee-osteoarthritis-pain-2011-12-07

The Journal of Pain has reported research indicating that in married couples including one spouse with a chronic pain disorder, the methods in which they communicate can vastly affect that person's ability to cope with their condition. The researchers hypothesized that invalidation, especially in an argument, can lower the afflicted spouses ability to handle the pain from their disorder. The results of the study actually indicated that men responded more negatively than women to being invalidated by their partner, perhaps because chronic pain disrupts the ability for the husband to perform traditional roles, making him more sensitive to a marital argument. [...]

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its AdaptiveStim(TM) with RestoreSensor(TM) neurostimulation system, the first chronic pain treatment of its kind. This new technology functions much like neurostimulation devices of the past, but their shortfall was that when the patient changed positions they would have to manually adjust the amount of stimulation because the distance between the device and their spine would change. The new AdaptiveStim device utilizes the same motion sensor technology found in video games and smartphones to automatically adjust to position changes, increasing the patients quality of life. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/medtronic-receives-fda-approval-of-adaptivestimtm-with-restoresensortm-for-the-management-of-chronic-pain-2011-11-17

The cervical spine, or the neck, has some of the most important bones in the body. Neck pain can be debilitating, and for some patients it will not go away. The most common chronic problems affecting the cervical spine are disk herniation and spondylosis, both leading to damage at the joint that cushions the bones of the cervical spine, which can push on nerves causing symptoms like pain and numbness. Many patients can manage their pain with medications, exercises, and a healthy lifestyle (because smoking is very bad for the spine) but surgery for the problem is becoming safer and more [...]