Push-Button Pain Meds Curb Need for Opioids After C-Section: Study

MONDAY, Oct. 15, 2018 -- Letting women who've had a cesarean section dispense and control pain medication through a catheter reduces their use of addictive oral opioid painkillers, researchers report.

Their study included 576 women who had planned C-sections. In such cases, it's common to inject a local anesthetic and a small dose of morphine into the spinal fluid. The morphine provides about 18 hours of pain relief after surgery, but significant pain may continue for several days.

Three New Genes Linked to Chronic Back Pain

MONDAY, Oct. 1, 2018 --

New research pinpoints three genes responsible for skeletal development that appear to be connected to chronic back pain.

An Expert's Guide to Avoiding Back Pain

THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 2018 -- Back pain is a common problem in the United States, but there are ways to protect yourself, an expert says.

"The back is a complex structure with many delicate parts, but with good judgment and healthy lifestyle habits -- including proper lifting, good posture and exercise -- it's possible to avoid common back pain caused by strained muscles," said Dr. Lawrence Lenke. He is director of spinal deformity surgery at the Spine Hospital at New York-Presbyterian in New York City.

Brain Scans Suggest Pain of Fibromyalgia Isn't Imaginary

THURSDAY, Oct. 4, 2018 -- People with fibromyalgia have widespread inflammation in their brains, new research reveals.

"Finding an objective neurochemical change in the brains of people who are used to being told that their problems are imaginary is pretty important," explained senior study author Marco Loggia. He is associate director of the Center for Integrative Pain Neuroimaging at Harvard Medical School.