For individuals seeking relief from painful health conditions, there’s low certainty of evidence that massage therapy will ease their pain, according to a recent review article.
Innovative Pain Self-Management Program Improved Pain, Depressive Symptoms in HIV Patients
For almost three decades, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has enabled people with HIV to have nearly normal life expectancies. But as many as 85% of them experience chronic pain, due in part to common medical comorbidities and the side effects of life-saving treatments.
Novel Psychotherapy Targeting Unresolved Trauma Reduces Chronic Pain in Older Adults Better Than Traditional CBT
Chronic pain in older adults can be significantly reduced using a newly developed psychotherapy called emotional awareness and expression therapy (EAET), which confronts past trauma and stress-related emotions that can exacerbate pain symptoms, according to a new study.
Increase in Military Deployment Raised Chronic Pain Threat for Servicewomen
The prevalence of chronic pain is documented to be several times higher in U.S. veterans than the general population. Efforts to deal with that unrelenting issue have led to myriad problems, including elevated rates of substance abuse.
Buprenorphine for Post-Surgical Pain, OK for Opioid-Use Disorder Patients
Opioid-use disorder (OUD) has been referred to as a battle that takes more lives every year than the Vietnam or Korean wars.
Bipolar Veterans Sometimes Struggle to Get Pain Treatment at VA
Bipolar veterans with chronic pain sometimes have problems receiving evidence-based treatment in the VA healthcare system, according to a new study.
Opioid Use Increases Among Veterans Who Are Dual-System Users
Veterans who use dual systems (i.e., both VA and non-VA services, for medical care) are more likely to receive a new opioid prescription and to receive a diagnosis of opioid use disorder, according to a recent study.
Sequential Electrical Stimulation Device Relieves Pain in Veterans Study
Despite changes in physical training routines and equipment designed to reduce musculoskeletal injuries in servicemembers and veterans, veterans experience back and joint pain at a higher rate than their contemporaries who have never served.
New VA/DoD Pain Guideline Urges Buprenorphine Use Over Full Agonist Opioids
Recent VA/DoD guidelines call for new measures to reduce the use of opioid pain relievers in the management of chronic pain, including the preferential use of buprenorphine over full agonist opioids.
Veterans With Service-Linked Disabilities Fare Worse After TKA
Service connection (SC) status appears to worsen outcomes for veterans receiving total knee-arthroplasty, according to a new report.
Intra-Articular NSAIDs Might Be Future OA Treatment
Are intra-articular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs a viable option for treatment of osteoarthritis in adults?
VA Program Successfully Reduces Post-Operative Opioid Prescriptions
Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. For many, initial exposure to opioids occurs in the hospital following surgery, and current studies show that up to 75% of post-operative patients have unused opioid pills after discharge.
High Prescribing of Antibiotics, Opioids Linked In Medical, Dental Providers
Medical and dental providers who are high prescribers of antibiotics are also likely to be high prescribers of opioids, according to a new study.
Pain Associated With Gray-Matter Volume Differences in Gulf War Veterans
Gulf War veterans with chronic pain display changes in the volume of key areas of the brain, a finding that could explain why these veterans experience prolonged pain, according to a new study.
Opioid Safety Initiative Affected Cancer Pain Control
How has pain management for cancer patients been affected by the opioid epidemic and related risk reduction policies?
Rotation to Buprenorphine Effective for Pain Patients
Does rotation of buprenorphine from full μ-opioid receptor agonists improve pain-related outcomes and lessen adverse effects in patients with chronic pain and long-term use of narcotics?
Heart Failure Complicates VA Pain Prescribing
Pain and heart failure are highly comorbid, which can create problems for clinicians attempting to control the conditions.
Mixed Results for Discontinuing Chronic Opioid Therapy at VHA
While discontinuing chronic opioid therapy in veterans appears to be associated with decreased diagnoses for opioid-related adverse outcomes, the association with substance use disorders appears to be inconclusive, according to a new study.
Somatic Symptom Disorder Ups PTSD Risk
In somatic symptom disorder, patients develop too much focus on physical symptoms, such as pain, weakness or shortness of breath, which causes them significant distress and often creates problems for normal function, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Pain Cream Sellers Sentenced for Bilking TRICARE Out of Mega-Millions
Prosecution continues for defendants charged in a number of nearly-identical schemes to defraud TRICARE and other insurers out of hundreds of millions of dollars by exploiting a former loophole in the billing process for compound drugs.
Care of Servicemembers With Chronic Pain Hampered by Limited Research
While it’s been long understood that servicemembers suffer from chronic pain at higher rates than their civilian counterparts, a new study by the RAND Corp. has found that a lack of administrative data and a dearth of research into treatments limits how successfully that pain can be treated.
What Affects Acute Pain After Breast Cancer Surgery?
Acute postoperative pain following surgery can complicate recovery, according to a study which said the condition has been associated with chronic pain development and lower quality of life.
Chronic Pain Is Growing Issue for U.S. Military
The U.S. military has seen a steady rise in the annual incidence rates of any chronic pain diagnoses over the past decade.
Post-Surgical Pain, Opioids Decreased in Veterans Who Received Acupuncture
DETROIT—Using acupuncture in veterans facing surgery resulted in less post-surgical pain and the use of fewer opioids to manage it, according to new research. The randomized, controlled study was presented at the Anesthesiology 2020 annual meeting and found that VA...
Who Is More Likely to Have Phantom Limb Pain?
Phantom limb pain persists for veterans who undergo major upper limb amputation, according to a new study.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Reduces Veterans’ Opioid Usage
Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) implantation has shown some effectiveness for chronic pain, including painful musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
Multimodal Use of Non-Opioid Painkillers Urged for Postsurgical Patients
With a growing realization that post-surgical opioids might be neither the safest nor most effective way to reduce pain, VA facilities are using a variety of non-opioid painkillers to help patients manage their discomfort after undergoing surgery. In fact, opioids are no longer considered first line treatment for most types of acute pain, including that related to surgery.
Minneapolis VA Researcher Led Many Pain Management Changes
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – How post-operative pain is treated has changed at the VA, as research has demonstrated that opioids and nonopioids work comparatively well when it comes to relieving pain, with nonopioids having less serious adverse effects and much lower chance of addiction.
Sleep Apnea Increases Need for Opioids in Veterans
WEST HAVEN, CT — Does sleep disruption caused by obstructive sleep apnea lead to hyperalgesia and contribute to poor pain control and use of prescription opioids?
Auricular Acupuncture Effective for Short-Term Pain
FARGO, ND — Battlefield Acupuncture is a unique auricular procedure use by many VHA facilities, according to a new study which suggested that, based on past research, it can reduce pain for up to two weeks.
