Nostalgia Evokes Many Things. Even Pain Relief, Scientists Show

The longing and wistfulness of nostalgia can make a person feel many different things. Amidst the memories, both happy and sad, you might even find a unique form of pain relief.   The observation is not new. Beyond boosting wellbeing and improving physical comfort, nostalgia has previously been shown to lessen perceptions of pain. Yet … Read more

Doctors Prescribing Opioids in Good Faith Should Not Be Prosecuted

On March 1 the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could have an enormous impact on American medicine. The case, which involves combined appeals from two doctors, Xiulu Ruan and Shakeel Kahn, is intended to resolve an important question that has had a chilling effect on both pain and addiction care. If … Read more

Chronic pain: Map of pain neurons may lead to more effective treatments

An analysis of gene activity in pain neurons could help identify the most promising drug targets and reveal how pain pathways differ between men and women Health 16 February 2022 By Jason Arunn Murugesu A dorsal root ganglion, a cluster of nerve cell bodies, seen under a microscope JOSE CALVO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY A map of … Read more

A Common Over-The-Counter Drug Could Treat Long COVID, Case Study Reports

Two patients with long COVID in California have almost completely alleviated their symptoms by taking daily antihistamines, according to a newly published case report. While the evidence is anecdotal, the remarkable results aren’t without precedent, and the authors hope the stories they have detailed can give patients hope and point researchers in the right direction … Read more

We Just Got a Major Clue on How CGRP Contributes to Migraine in Our Nerve Cells

In the last few years, the deeply frustrating medical area of chronic migraine prevention has been revolutionized thanks to the discovery that a protein called calcitonin gene-related peptide, or CGRP, plays a role in the condition.   While several drugs containing antibodies that block or bind the protein have now entered the market and are helping … Read more

North America Could Expect Over 1 Million More Opioid Deaths by 2029

A new analysis from researchers at Stanford University and the scientific journal, The Lancet, has revealed a large number of Americans and Canadians are still becoming addicted to prescription opioids each year.   Without “urgent interventions“, the members of the Stanford-Lancet Commission estimate this deepening disaster could claim the lives of up to 1.2 million people … Read more

How The Venom of The King Baboon Spider Could Help Us Better Understand Chronic Pain

If you ever come across a king baboon spider (Pelinobius muticus), which lives primarily in Tanzania and Kenya, keep your distance: Its bite and the associated venom aren’t fatal but do produce a lot of pain and itchiness that can last for days.   Scientists think they have worked out why the spider’s venom is … Read more

Endometriosis Drug Shows Promise in Preliminary Phase 3 Trial Results

A new drug with the potential to treat endometriosis-associated pain with very few side effects is getting closer to official approval. Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition and the leading cause of pelvic pain worldwide. With no known cause or cure, many patients have run out of options and are living with chronic and unrelenting symptoms.   … Read more

Babies: Mother’s smell helps infants bond with strangers

Maternal body odour signals to babies that they can safely build relationships with other adults, a trait that may have evolved so that mothers can share the load of child rearing Humans 10 December 2021 By Alice Klein A mother and daughter fizkes/Shutterstock Babies are more socially receptive to unfamiliar women when they can smell … Read more