Chronic Pain

A new experimental painkiller has shown promise in dulling or eliminating pain without the addictive qualities exhibited by today's most popular opioids. The drug also sidesteps common opioid side effects like constipation and sedation.

Nerve or neuropathic pain has long been a tricky condition to treat effectively. However, a new study has comprehensively evaluated current drug and non-drug therapies to provide up-to-date guidelines to inform treatment options.

An extremely popular nerve pain drug commonly given to those suffering from low-back issues has been linked to impaired mental health including dementia and mild cognitive impairment. The risk was present after six or more prescriptions were filled.

A study has found people living with chronic pain tend to be more perfectionistic, less self-compassionate and – depending on the measure – less confident in their ability to cope. These traits may intensify suffering, but also point to new avenues for relief.

A squishy cartilage-like material has been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge. It can be loaded up with either long-term or short-term pain killers that are released when the material senses chemical stress from arthritis.

The first-ever neuroimmune modulation implant has been approved for people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. It's a potentially life-changing technology that zaps chronic pain with daily one-minute electrical pulses to the vagus nerve.

People with fibromyalgia will soon have access to a new drug that treats the chronic pain condition's most elusive trigger: Poor sleep. Tonmya, a non-opioid under-the-tongue tablet, is the first FDA-approved drug for fibromyalgia in more than 15 years.

A newly discovered compound from a bright orange fungus found lodged on trees only in the mountains of Taiwan has been found to not only effectively block inflammation signals, but it can also press pause on the proliferation of cancer cells.

Scientists have developed a non-opioid oral painkiller known as ADRIANA, the world's first α2B-adrenoceptor antagonist – which hasn't been targeted for analgesics before. It's provided powerful pain relief without sedation or risk of addiction.

A current weight-loss and diabetes drug has become a surprise candidate for effective migraine treatment, with a new study showing that the GLP-1 receptor agonist provided significant relief to sufferers of these debilitating, severe headaches.

By age 50, you have a 50/50 chance of your gut being primed for developing diverticulitis, a painful condition that sends 200,000 Americans to hospital each year. But the good news is, you can reduce your risk with even just one lifestyle tweak.

Water-based exercise not only improved muscle strength in people with chronic low back pain, but it also improved quality of life, according to a new study. Aquatic therapy could be a viable alternative for those who fear moving or exercising due to pain.

Researchers have analyzed clinical trial data and ranked 12 different non-drug physical therapy treatments for knee osteoarthritis, based on their effectiveness in reducing pain and stiffness, and improving physical function.

In the ongoing search to find an intervention that does away with opioids, a new game-based system has shown huge promise in tackling chronic neuropathic pain. Using a game and a headset, it "trains" patients to rewire brain signals to relieve pain.

A paradigm shift in the way we treat spinal injuries is now in sight, with the world's first regenerative cell therapy approved for a Phase I clinical trial. It's a historical milestone that could reverse what has, until now, been an incurable injury.

A new study found that non-invasive in-ear electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve safely and effectively reduces osteoarthritis-related knee pain. It opens the door to innovative, quality-of-life-improving treatment.

Clinical trials of a minimally invasive treatment for degenerated spinal discs have produced impressive results, significantly reducing back pain severity and improving function. It may mean delaying surgical intervention or preventing it altogether.

What if the key to reducing your chronic pain was not in tackling the symptoms, but in regulating your emotions? A study shows that retraining your brain to deescalate negative emotions could be an effective therapy for persistent pain.