Stabbing or dull? Burning? Throbbing? Constant or intermittent? How bad on a scale of 1 to 10? If you've ever tried to describe an ordinary …
Tag: pain
Pain and the brain: How love, fear, and much more affect the experience of pain
The old maxim “pain is just a feeling” is more true than we thought. In his address for last fall's Stanford Back Pain Education Day, …
Research reveals circuit that clarifies how stress exacerbates pain and meditation eases it
Everyone loves endorphins — those naturally occurring chemicals in the body that are commonly credited with the euphoric highs caused by running or sex or …
Pain hits poor, less educated Americans much harder, new study finds
Researchers have known that people who are poorer and less educated experience more chronic pain. But a new analysis shows that gap is even bigger …
Targeting protein may help researchers improve pain medication
For many people, living with chronic pain is a way of life. Unfortunately, existing pain medications aren't always effective and can be addictive, which has …
Existing drug found to limit some side effects of opioids in mice
David Clark, MD, PhD, believes that opioid painkillers are not only a safety concern for patients — with risks of addiction and possible overdose — …
Yes, chronic pain and joy can coexist
In May 1998, in a moment of inattention, I torqued my knee during a modern dance class. A small mistake but one that turned out …
Researchers discover “brain signature” for fibromyalgia using brain scans
Millions of people suffering from fibromyalgia often experience widespread musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbances, headaches and mood disorders. Many also struggle to even get a diagnosis, …
Is pain in the brain? A pain psychologist discusses alternative to opioids
A few years ago, I began experiencing significant pain. It emanated from my rotator cuff and spiraled down my right arm. It was sharp, persistent …
Shifting the focus from opioids to life beyond pain: A Q&A with pain expert Beth Darnall
Deaths from prescription painkillers and opioids in the United States have reached epidemic proportions in recent years. Stanford pain psychologist Beth Darnall, PhD, has seen …
The opioid crisis: Medicine X panelists explore the complexity of managing chronic pain
Saturday’s Medicine X session on the opioid crisis focused on how best to manage the chronic pain felt by millions of Americans every day. The …
Stanford’s free Back Pain Education Day returns
Pain is the pits and, in the U.S., one of the most common forms of disabling discomfort is back pain. To address this widespread problem, Stanford …
Chronic pain is correlated with major depression — for sufferer and spouse, study finds
Chronic pain — pain that lasts longer than three months — debilitates over 100 million Americans and costs the United States over half a trillion …
“Designer compound” packs morphine’s painkilling punch, without its risk
Scientists at four institutions including Stanford have designed a compound that appears to pack all the painkilling power of morphine but lacks that drug’s most lethal property: …
Containing the pain: Youth use photovoice to capture their experiences
If you’ve ever been in extreme or extended pain, you know how difficult it can be to put the experience in words. How then can …
Stanford study: Battle the opioid epidemic one surgery at a time
Surgery can lead to increased risks of chronic opioid abuse, according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. But this increased risk is slight, …