Pain Management News & Features
Opioids and Surgery: How to Know Your Usage Risk Going In
- FDA Approves New Drug for Rare Joint Tumor
February 18, 2025 — The FDA has approved vimseltinib, a new oral drug for a rare, noncancerous tumor of the joints known as tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT). It is intended for adults with symptomatic TGCT when surgery could worsen their condition.
- FDA Approves New Treatment for NF1-Related Tumors
February 12, 2025 — The FDA has approved a pill for a rare disorder called neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Mirdametinib, sold under the brand name Gomekli, is for adults and children ages 2 and older who have nerve tumors (plexiform neurofibromas) that cause symptoms and can't be fully removed with surgery.
- Do Toe Spacers Work?
An old invention is gaining new attention for improving foot health and relieving pain.
- FDA Approves New Non-Opioid Pain Treatment
January 31, 2025 — The FDA has approved suzetrigine (Journavx), a new non-opioid oral drug for acute pain in adults – the first new class of non-opioid pain medicine approved in over 20 years.
- Nearly a Quarter of Americans Endured Chronic Pain Last Year
December 17, 2024 — New CDC data shows that in a survey, 24% of adults said they had pain most days or every day during the past three months.
- Put a Pin in It: Acupuncture for Chronic Pain
November 13, 2024 — Acupuncture is getting more popular because it can relieve pain – especially chronic pain – by improving circulation, regulating the nervous system, reducing inflammation, and boosting endorphins. With its potential to reduce opioid dependence, acupuncture is being seen more as a safe nondrug solution.
- The Surprisingly Simple Act that May Help You Recover Post-Op
October 20, 2024 — An early review of 35 studies found that listening to music can lower pain, anxiety, and heart rate after surgery, potentially helping you get better faster.
- Small Things, Big Reactions Part 2: Why Ouchies Hurt So Much
October 8, 2024 — It’s just a little hangnail, or papercut, or mouth sore — so why does it ruin your whole day?
- Medical Marijuana Uses: Talking With Your Doctor
Find out what you and your doctor should know about the uses of medical marijuana and how to talk about it.
- How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Your State
Learn more about medical marijuana, which conditions are approved for it, and how to get a medical marijuana card in your state.
- How Much Do You Know About Your Feet Arches?
Everyone's feet are different. Knowing your foot arch type will save you a lot of pain.
- What Olympians Can Teach the Rest of Us About Pain
June 28, 2024 — Research shows elite athletes experience pain differently than everyday people. Here’s why, and how we can learn to deal with adversity and chronic pain every day.
- Which NSAID Is Right for You? Here's What to Know
March 19, 2024 — Popular over-the-counter pain and inflammation drugs have been a revelation for people with pain, swelling, or even just run-of-the mill headaches. But these drugs, known as NSAIDs, which include Advil, Motrin, and others, are not all the same and come with some serious health risks if overused. Here’s how to make heads or tails of these commonly used drugs.
- Cannabinoids Are Common: Why So Many Use CBD, Delta-8, Others
January 8, 2024 — Some take them to manage pain, others to help improve their sleep. Known more commonly as CBD, delta-8, CBG and CBN, these products have flooded the marketplace.
- Alivio del dolor crónico: nuevos tratamientos
Gracias a los nuevos avances en los medicamentos y la tecnología, hoy día tenemos mejores soluciones para el alivio del dolor crónico.
- Researchers Locate Signals in Brain Related to Chronic Pain
May 23, 2023 — Using surgical implants inside the brain, scientists have recorded for the first time electrical patterns that occur when a person is feeling chronic pain, a new study in Nature Neuroscience concludes.
- Chronic Pain More Common Than Many Top U.S. Ailments
May 17, 2023 — A person’s risk of developing chronic pain is higher than the risk of developing some of the most common diseases in the U.S., such as diabetes, depression, or high blood pressure, a new study shows.
- Hypnosis Can Be Powerful Therapy – But Will It Work for You?
May 16, 2023 — More and more data backs up hypnotherapy as a treatment for pain, anxiety, and more. But would it work for you? Here’s what to know.
- Opioid Prescriptions From ER Visits Continue To Decline, CDC Says
January 23, 2023 — Significantly fewer patients are being prescribed opioids when being discharged from hospital emergency departments, according to new analysis from the CDC.
- Actress Shailene Woodley Takes Scoliosis in Stride
Actor Shailene Woodley shares her story of how she copes with scoliosis.
- Opioid Addiction: Getting Robbed While Getting Help
March 14, 2018 — Trying to overcome drug addiction is difficult enough, but America's opioid epidemic has led to an explosion in treatment centers and clinics that might have dubious practices.
- Beyond Opioids: The Future of Pain Management
March 14, 2018 — The federal government as well as the drug industry are pumping millions of dollars into research to find pain medication that works as well as opioids but aren't addictive.
- Q&A: What Should We Be Doing About the Opioid Crisis?
March 14, 2018 — Kennedy has also tried to draw the connection between addiction and mental health. While in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kennedy sponsored legislation that requires insurance companies to treat mental illness, depression and addiction the same as they treat illnesses of the body. The bill, known as the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, was signed into law in 2008.
- Opioids: A Crisis Decades In the Making
March 14, 2018 — A simple letter to the editor in 1980 opened the way for America's opioid crisis.
- Q&A: What Are We Doing About the Opioid Crisis?
March 14, 2018 — Scientists at the NIH, the nation’s chief medical research agency, are working on solutions for addressing the public health crisis by investigating new and better ways to prevent opioid abuse, to treat opioid use disorders and to manage pain.
- Checking Patient's Drug History May Help Curb Opioid Abuse
May 22, 2017 — Sharpest declines seen in states like New York with strict rules for doctors
- Does Your Knee Injury Need Surgery?
Does your knee injury need surgery? Find out when it’s time to consider it and when you might not need it.
- Why Does Acupuncture Work?
It’s used to treat everything from pain to menstrual cramps. Is acupuncture effective?
- What Does a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Do?
What does a doctor of osteopathic medicine do? Find out what a DO focuses on when she takes care of you.
- Can Supplements Help With Pain?
If you’re living with chronic pain, you may have already tried the usual treatments. Could supplements offer an alternative?
- Painkillers: 7 Warning Signs of Addiction
Many people worry that taking narcotic painkillers will lead to addiction. There are usually warning signs along the way, like the ones listed here.
- Ground Zero in Colorado's Pot Rush
Denver pot shops are at the center of Colorado’s marijuana rush.
- Medical Marijuana: What the Research Shows
What does the scientific research into the effects of marijuana show?
- 7 Ways to Prevent Foot Pain
Take these steps to prevent foot pain, bunions, blisters, and ingrown toenails.
- 7 Age-Related Pains and How to Ease Them
Know which type of pain you’re more likely to have at different times in life, and how to ease each one.
- Pain Medication: Are You Addicted?
Many people fear becoming addicted to pain medications. WebMD explains what addiction is, what it isn't, and how it can affect your pain treatment.
- When Your Pain Medication Isn't Working
WebMD reports on what else you and your doctor might consider if your pain medication isn't working.
- Pain Doctor, Pain Patient
WebMD talks to pain management specialist and chronic pain patient Howard Heit, MD, FACP, FASAM.
- WebMD 5: What You Need to Know About Pain
An expert answers five basic questions about pain, including why you're really aching and what's ahead for treatment.
- Propofol: Expert Q&A
WebMD talks to anesthesiologist/pain specialist John Dombrowski, MD, about the use and abuse of propofol.
- Exercise and Pain Relief
Learn how the right kind of supervised exercise can help ease pain in your back, knees, hips and shoulders and bring movement back to your life.
- Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach
Can cognitive behavioral therapy help manage chronic pain? Find out if CBT is right for you.
- Exercise Injuries Below the Belt
Sports and exercise injuries are common when you are active. Guard against injuries below the belt with these tips.
- OTC Pain Relief: Understanding Acetaminophen
Taking acetaminophen for fever or pain relief is generally safe and effective. But it can be harmful if not taken correctly. Know the benefits and risks of acetaminophen and how to use it safely.
- OTC Pain Relief: Beware of Double-Dosing
Taking too much of over-the-counter pain relievers can lead to liver damage, stomach bleeding, and kidney disease. Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from an accidental overdose.
- OTC Pain Relief: Understanding NSAIDs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are over-the-counter medications that can be used to reduce fever, relieve mild aches and pains, and reduce inflammation. Learn how these pain relievers work and how to take them safely.
- Chronic Pain: Does Vitamin D Help?
WebMD investigates the theory that a deficiency of vitamin D can cause chronic pain and if you should discuss vitamin D with your doctor.
- Managing Pain After Surgery
WebMD discusses post-surgery pain including tips for preparation before surgery and how to manage pain after surgery.
- What's Your Pain Tolerance?
WebMD investigates what factors influence your pain tolerance including gender, athleticism, mental health, and even hair color.