Browse Pain Articles by Topic

Acupuncture to Treat Low Back Pain in Older Adults

A multisite, three-arm, parallel-group randomized clinical trial of older adults in the United States with chronic low back pain found improvement in both pain and disability with the addition of acupuncture treatment compared to usual medical care alone.

Gabapentin and the Risk of Dementia in Adults with Chronic Pain

In a retrospective cohort study, gabapentin prescription in adults with chronic low back pain was associated with increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, particularly in non-elderly adults.

Suzetrigine Tablets (Journavx)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved suzetrigine, a first-in-class, non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe pain.

Interventions for Pain During Office Endometrial Biopsy

In this randomized controlled trial, the use of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation during endometrial biopsy did not clinically significantly reduce pain compared to placebo (median [interquartile range], 50 mm [20 mm to 80 mm] vs. 60 mm [40 mm to 100 mm]; P = 0.039), but was associated with increased satisfaction with the procedure.

Pain Control in Older Adults

Many older adults experience pain, but there are limited guidelines to appropriately manage their pain. Additionally, assessment of pain control in older adult patients can be difficult because of impairments in cognition, hearing, and sight. Increasingly, acute care providers are challenged to manage pain in this unique population. This article will discuss the epidemiology and etiology of pain in the older adult population, the pathophysiology, tools for diagnosing pain in older adults with cognitive impairment, and appropriate multimodal pain management for older adult patients.

Can Antidepressants Help Patients Manage Chronic Pain?

Antidepressant medications have been widely used for treating a variety of chronic pain disorders, but strong evidence to support their efficacy is lacking. Some patients may respond, but available data do not help us determine which agents may be helpful in a specific type of chronic pain condition.

Walk! A Long-Term Observational Investigation of Knee Osteoarthritis

The results of an observational study of more than 1,000 individuals age 50 years and older with knee arthritis revealed regular walking for exercise correlated with fewer reports of new knee pain and slower disease progression, as verified by radiographic evidence at eight-year follow-up.

Antidepressants for Chronic Pain: Do They Work?

Antidepressant medications have been widely used for treating a variety of chronic pain disorders, but strong evidence to support their efficacy is lacking. Some patients may respond, but available data do not help us determine which agents may be helpful in a specific type of chronic pain condition.

Pain Researchers Are Engaging Patients as Partners

Pain researchers would benefit by enacting a comprehensive approach to patient engagement, perhaps engaging people with lived experience of chronic pain in developing study recruitment materials.

Do Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Cause More Chronic Pain?

Acute inflammation may protect against the development of chronic pain through neutrophil activation. Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may blunt that response and contribute to chronic pain.