Pain News
6 new things you didn’t know about pain control
1) Novel nerve stimulation helps chronic headaches
Recently, research has shown that a new form of electrical stimulation may be effective in the management of a chronic headache disorder. The study was conducted by the University of California, San Francisco and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London and involved six subjects suffering from a condition called hemicrania continua (a rare headache disorder). Each subject had a matchstick sized battery operated electrode (bion) implanted near the occipital nerve in the back of the neck. Researchers found that in the month after implantation of the bion, five of the six patients reported significant reduction in headache symptoms. Similar results were reported in 2007 by two other research teams studying patients with chronic cluster headaches.
2) New drug for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Recent research led by Professor Paul Emery at Leeds University showed that a monthly injection of a drug called tocilizumab can rapidly diminish the painful and debilitating effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis. In trials involving over 1000 subjects, tocilizumab plus methotrexate halted the condition in 47% of patients, compared to only 8% when methotrexate was taken alone. Tocilizumab is thought to work by blocking Interleukin 6 which is a signalling molecule thought to be involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. The drug is not yet available as it is awaiting approval from drug regulators in the US and Europe. However, when it does come out it will be sold under the brand name RoActemra by Roche.
3) Novel nerve stimulation helps chronic headaches
Recently, research has shown that a new form of electrical stimulation may be effective in the management of a chronic headache disorder. The study was conducted by the University of California, San Francisco and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London and involved six subjects suffering from a condition called hemicrania continua (a rare headache disorder). Each subject had a matchstick sized battery operated electrode (bion) implanted near the occipital nerve in the back of the neck. Researchers found that in the month after implantation of the bion, five of the six patients reported significant reduction in headache symptoms. Similar results were reported in 2007 by two other research teams studying patients with chronic cluster headaches.
4) Weights may be better for back pain than Aerobics
Back pain is a major cause of disability in the UK. There are a wide variety of treatments available for back pain and there has been a growing interest in working out what is the most effective treatment. New research from the University of Alberta and University of Regina has suggested that weight training is more effective to ease lower back pain than other forms of exercise such as jogging. In the study, chronic back pain sufferers were assigned to a 16 week period of aerobic training (walking on a treadmill/jogging) or resistance training (lifting dumbbells, barbells and other load-bearing exercise equipment). Interestingly, the aerobic training group experienced a 12% improvement in pain and function levels, whilst the resistance training group had a 60% improvement.
5) Food and Drug Administration Agency in the USA announces approval of Fibromyalgia drug
Two world renowned laboratories have announced that a new drug called Savella (Milnacipran) has been approved by the FDA for the management of Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia (FM or FMS) is a chronic soft tissue disorder characterised by widespread pain and an increased sensitivity to touch stimuli. Fibromyalgia can occur at any age; however, it is more common in women between the ages of 20 to 40. Savella is a selective serotonin and norepeniphrine dual reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). A serotonin and norepinephrine dual reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is a type of antidepressant that reduces the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, in order to boost their levels in the brain. The approval of Savella comes after phase III clinical trials involving over 2000 Fibromyalgia patients. Patients taking Savella doses of 100 mg/day and 200 mg/day demonstrated clinically significant improvements in their global assessment of pain and daily physical function.
6) Pain may cause Arthritis: New Study
New research from the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism has reported evidence to suggest that as well as being a symptom of osteoarthritis, pain may also cause arthritis. Researchers found that some of the pathways carrying pain signals also transferred inflammation from arthritic joints to the spine and back again. In the experiment, the researchers genetically engineered a mouse where they could turn up and turn down the production of a chemical (IL-1β ) known to be involved in inflammation. Most notably, they found that increasing production of IL-1β at the peripheral joint caused higher levels of IL-1β to be produced in the spinal cord. This finding is important as it may help researchers develop new drug targets to try and prevent the spread of inflammation.
pain control takes time and determination but keep working on it.