Health

New Test Can Predict Arthritis

May 18, 2012
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A simple test could soon help doctors identify patients at risk of developing arthritis before they show any symptoms. Researchers at the University of Missouri say a new biomarker test now being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could help millions of people get treatment for the disease before their joint pain and [...]

Study Finds Boomers and Elderly Patients Misusing Painkillers

May 17, 2012
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A new study by one of the nation’s largest drug screening laboratories has found that nearly a third of chronic pain patients aged 50 or older are not taking the painkiller they were prescribed. Over one in four patients were also found to be taking a medication not prescribed by the doctor who ordered a [...]

The Psychology of Pain: It’s Not All in Your Head

May 17, 2012
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Being distracted isn’t typically a good thing. After all, being distracted at work, school, or behind the wheel, can lead to poor productivity, bad grades, or even a serious car accident. But mental distractions may make your pain easier to handle, according to two new studies inGermany. Using high-resolution spinal imaging, researchers at the University [...]

Annual Healthcare Cost for Average American Family Exceeds $20,000

May 16, 2012
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  Everyone knows that the cost of healthcare is rising, but most American families who receive health insurance through an employer have no idea just how expensive it is. The average cost for a typical American family of four receiving healthcare through an employer-sponsored preferred provider organization (PPO) is $20,728, according to a study published [...]

The Numbers Game: How Many Americans Have Chronic Pain?

May 16, 2012
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One of the nation’s largest drug screening labs says 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. The American Academy of Family Physicians puts the number at 70 million, a figure long used by several other medical societies. Last summer, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) raised the estimate even higher. It released the landmark study Relieving [...]

Intermezzo: A Nightmare Drug for Insomniacs?

May 16, 2012
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A new sleeping pill is on the market for patients with insomnia. Its name is Intermezzo and what makes this sleeping pill unique and potentially dangerous is that it is for “middle of the night” insomnia. The drug is made by Transcept Pharmaceuticals and is being marketed by Purdue Pharma (the maker of OxyContin) as their [...]

FDA Warns Painkiller May Have Too Much Hydromorphone

May 15, 2012
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning doctors and chronic pain sufferers on its website that a powerful painkiller injection cartridge manufactured by Hospira, Inc. may contain more Hydromorphone than the 1 milliliter dose printed on its label. Hospira initiated a voluntarily recall of a lot of the injectable painkiller after receiving two complaints [...]

Proposed Medicare Cutoff of TENS Coverage Draws Congressional Interest

May 15, 2012
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A powerful California Congressman has injected himself into the debate over a non-narcotic pain relief treatment that has been used for over three decades to treat chronic pain. Rep. Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, wants to know why the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to [...]

Survey Finds Many Suffering Needlessly from Neuropathic Pain

May 15, 2012
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A national survey of peripheral neuropathy patients found that over half took at least two years before they received the right diagnosis from their doctors. Many also receive inadequate pain care and go through distressing life changes. Peripheral neuropathy affects over 20 million Americans, making it one of the most common chronic diseases and a [...]

Marijuana Relieves Pain of Multiple Sclerosis

May 15, 2012
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Patients with multiple sclerosis can get relief from pain and muscle tightness by smoking marijuana, according to a new study in California. But the benefits from smoking pot came with  side effects – patients in the study had shorter attention spans and reported they were getting “too high” or dizzy. The study is being published [...]

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