Once-a-day morphine more stable.
A new once-a-day controlled-release morphine formulation may provide a more stable plasma concentration and more stable pain control than an earlier version of the drug, according to Canadian researchers. Research published in a recent issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management reported that daily doses...

Patients seek natural alternatives to NSAIDs.
LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- The recall of Vioxx and safety warnings about Celebrex and Bextra created "a very insecure time for pain management," Robert Bonakdar, M.D., said at a meeting on natural supplements in evidence-based practice sponsored by the Scripps Clinic and the University of California, San Diego. ...

Massage and acupuncture for postoperative cancer patients.
Mehling W, Jacobs B, Acree M, Wilson L, Bostrom A, West J, Acquah J, Burns B, Chapman J, Hecht F. Symptom management with massage and acupuncture in postoperative cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2007;33:258-266. Why Was This Study Conducted? ...

Online learning builds confidence and helps reduce medication errors: having to retrain staff regularly in the use of patient-controlled analgesia pumps stretches limited staff resources at an acute pain service. An online learning training and revision programme is proving popular with both learners and trainers.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Computer-based training (CBT) in the use of "pain pumps" is proving successful at Auckland District Health Board (DHB). The online training tool was developed in response to the needs of the acute pain service (APS) to train and re-train staff who use epidural and intravenous...

Anesiva Announces Clinical Plan for Pivotal Testing of 4975, Long-Acting Pain Candidate.
Phase 2/3 Clinical Trials to Start This Year to Treat Severe Pain For Weeks to Months Following a Single Application of 4975 in Surgical Settings and Osteoarthritis Conference Call Today 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to Discuss Plan SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --...

Catastrophizing and pain perception in recreational ballet dancers.
Pain is a central aspect of involvement in physical activity and sport (Sullivan, Tripp, Rodgers, & Stanish, 2000). Sport psychologists describe pain as the most pervasive and debilitating barrier to rehabilitation and recovery (Heil, 1993). Athletic pain research applies to ballet dancers because of the rigorous strain...

New Survey Finds Long-Term, Intense Pain a Hallmark of Wounded Veteran Experience.
'Freedom From Pain' Campaign Launched by American Pain Foundation to Raise Awareness of Pain Resources for Veterans Baltimore, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of veterans in pain (54 percent) said that they have been in pain for more than 10 years according to a survey...

Imagery use, perceived pain, limb functioning and satisfaction in athletic injury rehabilitation.
ABSTRACT Purpose: This study examined the relationship between athletes' imagery use, perceived pain, overall lower limb functioning, and satisfaction in the context of injury rehabilitation. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, eighty-three injured athletes receiving physiotherapy for a lower limb injury completed a questionnaire package containing...

Pain specialists: urged to resist profiteering.
SAN DIEGO -- Challenges such as declining reimbursements and limitations on payor approval of prescribed therapies are creating fertile ground for conflict of interest and profiteering by physicians, Dr. Jerome Schofferman said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Those involved in interventional...

Partner-delivered reflexology: effects on cancer pain and anxiety.
Purpose/Objectives: To compare the effects of partner-delivered foot reflexology and usual care plus attention on patients' perceived pain and anxiety. Design: The experimental pretest/post-test design included patient-partner dyads randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Setting: Four hospitals in the southeastern United States. ...