30 May 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Blocking Intracellular Glutamate May Halt Neuropathic Pain

Chronic Pain News, Peripheral Neuropathy, Therapies & Treatments, , , ,
Experiments to block receptors deep within spinal neurons, metabotropic glutamate 5 receptors (mGluR5), may open the door to more effective treatments for neuropathic pain. Understanding how the body processes pain is essential to understanding how to better treat it. Aiding in that understanding has been intense research on one of the key players that transmit nociceptive information through the body. G-protein-couple receptors (GPCRs) play a critical role in various bodily functions, including as a mediator of neuroplasticity underlying chronic pain.  One specific receptor, metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor (mGluR5), is heavily abundant in the dorsal horn (DH),1,2 prime real estate for…
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16 May 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Stem Cells for Personalized Pain Therapy Testing

Chronic Pain News, Regenerative medicine, , , ,
Using patient-derived stem cells, researchers create laboratory neuron models that reflect a patient’s response to a pain drug. Pain can be tough to take, and it’s also difficult to study: rodent models for pain do not necessarily translate to human pain conditions and expression of disease-causing mutations in cell lines may not precisely mimic the physiology of human pain disorders. Now, researchers have developed a new way to test pain—and, potentially, other sensory-targeting medications. Edward Stevens and James Bilsland of the Pfizer’s U.K.-based neuroscience and pain research units and their colleagues have shown that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived…
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09 May 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Full-length Protein Involved in Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain Conditions, Chronic Pain News, , , ,
Researchers Map Full-length Protein Involved in Chronic Pain, with Hopes for Future Therapies Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researchers have discovered the full-length structure of a protein named Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid subtype 2 (TRPV2), with implications for the development of new treatments for chronic pain and cancer. The paper, “Structure of the full-length TRPV2 channel by cryo-EM,” was published in Nature Communications. Researchers led by Dr. Vera Moiseenkova-Bell had previously established the link between TRPV2’s molecular mechanism in a study published in December 2015 in Molecular and Cellular Biology, titled “Nerve Growth Factor Regulates Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 2 via Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Signaling…
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25 Apr 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Allodynia: Root of Chronic Pain Identified

Chronic Pain Conditions, Chronic Pain News, , ,
Okazaki, Japan - When we are in pain, we reach for painkillers as we try to "turn off" the pain. Unfortunately, this does not always work, and this problem has prompted researchers around the world to seek the "main switch" that can promptly and effectively conduct this switching off. Pain comes in many forms; one is allodynia, which is pain that is greatly amplified by even the slightest sensations, such as light, touch, or warmth. Current treatments to alleviate allodynia are limited. The spinal cord and glial cells, which provide support and insulation between neurons and are the most abundant…
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11 Apr 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Inherited Neuropathy: New Cause Identified

Chronic Pain Conditions, Chronic Pain News, Peripheral Neuropathy, , , , ,
Neurology researchers link mutations in myelin protein to Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease, an inherited neuropathy. PHILADELPHIA - Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) is in the family of inherited neuropathy, of the peripheral nervous system, affecting approximately one in 2,500 Americans. Its most common iteration, CMT1, comes in many forms, most of which have to date been linked to a small set of causative genes. New research from the department of Neurology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recently spanned the globe to uncover a new genetic cause of CMT1. Their findings are published online…
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21 Mar 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Nutrition and It’s Importance in Pain Management

Chronic Pain News, Lifestyle Tips for Chronic Pain, , , ,
Nutrition is a critical, yet often overlooked, component of chronic pain management. Food choices—how you nourish your body—and the amount of food consumed can determine how you feel and how your body reacts. Many painful conditions (carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, fibromyalgia, gout, migraines, headaches and more) can be improved by choosing anti-inflammatory foods and spices. Chronic pain can make life seem out of one’s control; the ability to control pain through nutrition can be a powerful, useful tool. It’s important to note that individuals who are overweight typically suffer from increased pain levels and don’t…
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29 Feb 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain News, ,
Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is a noninvasive stretching and manipulative technique. MUA may be performed to offer relief from chronic and recurrent back pain and other types of pain that have not responded to long-term conservative (ie, nonsurgical) care. MUA breaks up adhesions (internal scar tissue that can result from injury or surgery) and may help restore more normal range of motion and reduce pain. It is used to treat back, neck and joint pain, as well as muscle spasms and long-lasting pain syndromes. Adhesions can grow around spinal joints and nerve roots, and inside surrounding muscles, resulting in restricted…
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08 Feb 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Central Nervous System May Contribute to DPN

Chronic Pain News, Peripheral Neuropathy, , ,
One of the key contributors to peripheral nerve disease in patients with diabetes is the central nervous system (CNS), a new report suggests. Published in the journal Pain, the study, conducted by Dr Solomon Tesfaye of Sheffield (UK) Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and colleagues found changes within the central nervous system (CNS) were associated with the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), according to a press release. According to the release, about 25% of people with diabetes have symptoms of DPN, including progressive and severe pain and insensitivity to trauma, leading to an increased risk of foot ulcers, infections and…
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01 Feb 2016
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Headache Relief Fast Tracked

Chronic Pain News, Therapies & Treatments, , ,
A migraine headache, tension headaches, sinus headaches, cervicogenic headaches, and ice cream headaches all have three things in common. Headaches never seem to end. Just as we wrap up one year the next years' nagging issues come back roaring headaches being one of them. Regardless of which type of headaches you get they are miserable. Some feel tension headaches are worse than migraines, while some commiserate that sinus headaches are the worst.The safest thing to understand is all headaches hurt. Alas help is on the horizon. A new headache treatment procedure that combines two particularly effective methods is showing promise.…
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19 Oct 2015
By webadmin@macmdaz.com

Short Circuit Chronic Pain with Technology

Chronic Pain Conditions, Chronic Pain News, ,
More than 100 million people in the United States have chronic conditions that won't go away. Many fail to get relief from pills, shots and surgery, while others trade the sensation for unwanted side effects. These side effects can include such things as drowsiness or digestive problems. Unfortunately, too many can become addicted to medications while trying to relieve their condition. As part of a comprehensive treatment plan, a variety of technologies offer new hope to people living with chronic illnesses. "Pain is one of the most challenging things to treat because its source can be elusive," says Richard Rosenquist,…
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