Windy, Humid Days Could Bring More Pain

THURSDAY, Oct. 24, 2019 -- Your great granddaddy may have been right about the weather worsening his arthritis.

People with chronic pain conditions are more likely to suffer pain on humid and windy days, according to a study that used smartphones to assess pain-weather connections.

Tougher Rules on Opioids After Surgery Doesn't Mean More Pain for Patients

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 30, 2019 -- Patients' pain management wasn't compromised after Vermont implemented new rules that aimed to reduce the use of opioid painkillers after surgery, a new study shows.

The new rules, introduced in July 2017, require doctors to explain to patients the risks and benefits of opioids (such as OxyContin), outline non-opioid painkiller alternatives, and educate them on the safe disposal of unused opioids.

'Alarming' Number of Lupus Patients Use Opioids for Pain: Study

TUESDAY, Oct. 1, 2019 -- One in three people with lupus uses opioid painkillers even though there is little evidence that they reduce the pain of rheumatic diseases, a new study finds.

"Rheumatic diseases, such as lupus, are a leading cause of chronic pain," said lead author Emily Somers. She's an associate professor of rheumatology, environmental health sciences, and obstetrics and gynecology at Michigan Medicine, in Ann Arbor.

'Nerve-Release' Surgery Helped Ease One Man's Tough Migraines

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 2, 2019 -- Chronic migraine headaches plagued Adam Pressley from childhood, and by his 30s they had become a near-daily occurrence.

Pressley, 31, had tried everything to stop them: blood pressure drugs, antidepressants, seizure medications, and even quarterly injections of Botox.

What Are the Risks of Pain Relief Alternatives to Opioids?

MONDAY, Oct. 7, 2019 -- With so much attention focused on the dangers of opioid painkillers, it's easy to forget that even "safe" over-the-counter products carry some dangers.

If you don't think twice about reaching for a pill to relieve aches and pains, especially medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, you need to know about the wide-ranging cautions surrounding their use, especially if you take them on a regular basis and over a long period of time.