Pain Management
Social workers play vital role in cancer pain management
Social workers play a critical role in cancer care, helping patients — as well as their families and caregivers — successfully navigate many of the challenges they face.
Opioid use declines among elderly, but still ‘substantial’
Opioid use among older Medicare beneficiaries dropped during a recent 4-year period, but a “substantial” number of these individuals were considered chronic and heavy opioid users, researchers wrote.
Checklist for physicians may improve outcomes in cardiac ICU setting
A checklist for cardiac ICU physicians, who often treat both cardiac and noncardiac conditions, may improve outcomes among patients admitted to a cardiac emergency care setting, according to a scientific statement published in Circulation.
Most fibromyalgia therapies lack high-quality evidence supporting their use
Most fibromyalgia therapies lack strong evidence, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Education, communication can reduce risks of cannabidiol use among patients with cancer
Pain and other common adverse effects of cancer treatment — such as nausea and vomiting, mucositis, depression or anxiety — can dramatically decrease quality of life.
ASH guidelines address ‘major gaps in our knowledge’ regarding sickle cell disease care
Pain is one of the most common symptoms of sickle cell disease, and severe pain is the leading cause of ED visits and hospital stays among patients with this disease.
FDA approved opioids based on limited data, sometimes ‘flawed’ trial designs
The FDA has often approved new drug applications for opioids based on trials of inadequate length that included only patients who could tolerate the drugs, according to researchers.
Global task force establishes protocols for medical cannabis use to treat pain
An international task force of 20 health care professionals developed protocols for using medical cannabis to treat neuropathic, inflammatory, nociplastic and mixed pain.
PCPs need to know more about pain treatment in Alzheimer’s disease, experts say
About half of patients with Alzheimer’s disease experience back pain, but only eight North American medical schools offer courses on geriatric pain, data show.
Finding hope in ‘wild west’ of novel pain management approaches
While poor regulation and unsafe products are prevalent, novel pain management strategies such as stem cells and electrical stimulation nevertheless provide hope for patients, according to a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-East.