Here’s something to chew on: One in four people are impacted by defects of the temporomandibular — or jaw — joint. Despite the pervasiveness of this affliction, treatments are lacking, and many sufferers resort to palliative measures to cope with the pain and debilitation it causes. “The TMJ is central to chewing, talking and so […]
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Where does chronic pain begin? Scientists close in on its origins: Human nerve cells and genes tied to neuropathy
A new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT Health Science Center at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine has produced evidence of the source of chronic pain in humans, revealing several new targets for pain treatment. The paper — published March 19 in Brain, one […]
Rerouting nerves during amputation reduces phantom limb pain before it starts: Researchers find life-altering benefits to surgery developed for advanced prosthetics
Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine are pioneering the use of primary targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) to prevent or reduce debilitating phantom limb and stump pain in amputees. Losing a limb due to trauma, cancer, or poor circulation can result in phantom limb and stump pain in upwards […]
A Trojan horse delivery method for miRNA-enriched extracellular vesicles
A method for large-scale production of extracellular vesicles enriched with specific microRNAs (miRNAs) has been developed in the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) labs, offering a manufacturing standardization process which may have therapeutic applications and clinical impact. Extracellular vesicles are currently of particular interest in the scientific community for their therapeutic potential as […]
Small molecules: From beaker to solved 3D structure in minutes
In a new study that one scientist called jaw-dropping, a joint UCLA/Caltech team has shown that it is possible to obtain the structures of small molecules, such as certain hormones and medications, in as little as 30 minutes. That’s hours and even days less than was possible before. The team used a technique called micro-electron […]
What if needle pokes didn’t hurt? Hospital implements strategies to eliminate or reduce needle pain in kids
A major US children’s hospital introduced a first-of-its-kind project to eliminate or reduce pain from elective needle procedures in all infants and children, reports a study in PAIN Reports®, part of a special issue on research innovations in pediatric pain. The official open-access journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), PAIN […]
Nerve pain in the legs? Medical marijuana may alter brain connections, bring relief
When medical marijuana is taken for chronic nerve pain, it may provide pain relief by reducing connections between the areas of the brain that process emotions and sensory signals, according to a study published in the September 5, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked […]
Peripheral nerve block provides some with long-lasting pain relief for severe facial pain
A new study has shown that use of peripheral nerve blocks in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia (TGN) may produce long-term pain relief. TGN is a condition involving sudden episodes of severe facial pain that significantly reduces quality of life in those affected. When medication fails to control the pain, some patients turn to invasive […]