Pain

Living with pain can be very difficult, especially since heavy-duty pain relievers typically have unwanted side effects, and can be habit-forming. An experimental new treatment, however, gets around those limitations by using implanted electrodes.

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded jointly to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, for their work uncovering the receptors that allow us to perceive temperature and pressure.

Australian scientists have found chronic pain is associated with lower levels of key neurotransmitters in the brain. It is believed this chemical disruption plays a role in the difficulties people with chronic pain have in regulating negative emotions.

New research lends support to a controversial hypothesis dubbed the entourage effect, which claims the medical benefits of cannabis are not due to single cannabinoids such as THC or CBD, but rather the interactions between various compounds in the plant.

By targeting the same mechanisms through which epidural anesthesia controls pain during child birth, engineers at the University of Cambridge have demonstrated a new medical implant that could offer relief from other types of severe pain.

Researchers have developed a brain implant designed to detect pain sensations in real-time and deliver bursts of pain-relieving stimulation. The device is still experimental but a proof of concept study shows it working effectively in rodent models.

A new study presents results from one of the first placebo-controlled trials exploring the influence of CBD on sensations of acute pain. The mixed results suggest CBD may reduce feelings of unpleasantness, helping one tolerate pain more effectively.

A new proof-of-concept study suggests CRISPR gene therapy may be a promising alternative to opioids for chronic pain. The preliminary investigation demonstrated lowered pain sensitivity in mice after temporarily repressing activity of a specific gene.

New research suggests cannabis use can be linked to higher rates of "rebound headaches" in migraine sufferers. The research is observational and retrospective, but it is yet another finding questioning how helpful cannabis is for chronic migraine patients.

Given the difficulty in diagnosing the Alzheimer's, scientists are exploring all kinds of avenues to reveal the disease in its early stages. New research indicates a person's pain perception could be used a biomarker for diagnosing Alzheimer's.

New research led by scientists from UT Southwestern suggests a novel combination of three old antibiotics may be repurposed into an alternative to opiates for a particular kind of nerve pain.

In order to keep patients from developing opioid addictions, it's best if doctors can avoid prescribing the things in the first place. A new surgical patch could help, by gradually releasing painkillers right where they're needed.