February 24, 2017 Strict limits on opioid prescribing risks the ‘inhumane treatment’ of pain patients Turning voluntary guidelines about prescribing opioids for chronic pain into strict policy will deny these medications to people who truly need them.
February 24, 2017 Is your back 'killing you'? Why you shouldn't ignore it It seems the old saying “my back is killing me” may not be an exaggeration after all.
February 24, 2017 Pregnant opioid users need treatment, not jail, pediatricians say Every 25 minutes, a drug-addicted baby is born in the U.S. To try to protect the youngest victims of the nation's opioid epidemic, Tennessee enacted a law that sent new mothers to jail for substance abuse, while other states employ existing child-abuse laws to punish prenatal drug users and remove their children.
February 23, 2017 Online treatment reduces chronic knee pain from arthritis A web-based program of exercise and coping skills training improves both function and pain in arthritic knees, a new study suggests.
February 22, 2017 Opioids unnecessary for dental work, doc says From 1999 to 2010, fatalities from opioid overdose have quadrupled with many of these cases involving teens, according to a JAMA study.
February 17, 2017 Prescription-drug monitoring cuts doctor-shopping for painkillers State programs that require physicians to check drug registries before writing prescriptions appeared to slash the odds of doctor-shopping for opioid pain relievers, a new study found.
February 17, 2017 More US seniors taking multiple mind-altering drugs The number of older adults taking at least three prescriptions for psychotropic drugs - which includes opioids, antidepressants, antipsychotics and tranquilizers - has roughly doubled over the past decade, a recent U.S. study suggests.
February 16, 2017 Weak thigh muscles tied to knee osteoarthritis in women Women with weaker thigh muscles may be more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis, a recent study suggests.
February 16, 2017 Wide variation in willingness of ER doctors to prescribe painkillers A national comparison of emergency room physicians has uncovered a broad range of prescribing patterns for painkillers, and high-volume prescribers may be encouraging long-term use of the drugs among their elderly patients.
February 15, 2017 Don't reach for pills for most chronic low back pain People should try non-drug treatment options like massage or stretching for most cases of chronic low back pain before choosing treatment with over-the-counter or prescription drugs, according to new guidelines.
