Auditory distraction and VR reduce pain during burn dressing changes in adults receiving morphine
Can music or VR help ease the agony of burn dressing changes?
A single-center RCT in 60 adults undergoing burn dressing changes found both auditory distraction and VR significantly reduced pain severity…
Listening to music or watching nature scenes on a headset reduced pain and improved breathing during burn dressing changes just as well as m…
Narrative review describes bidirectional relationship between sarcopenia and pain in older adults
Why do muscle loss and chronic pain feed off each other in older adults?
A narrative review synthesizes evidence on the connection between sarcopenia and pain in aging populations.
Older adults with chronic pain often lose muscle strength, while losing muscle makes pain worse, creating a dangerous cycle fueled by aging …
VR application reduced pain and increased comfort after thyroid or parathyroid surgery in small RCT
Can a 15-minute nature video help ease pain after neck surgery?
A randomized controlled trial of 69 patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery found that a 15-minute VR application immediately red…
A 15-minute nature video in VR helped patients recovering from neck surgery feel less pain and more comfortable right after the session.
Mini-review summarizes AI applications for cancer pain assessment and management
Review explores how artificial intelligence might help manage cancer pain
A mini-review summarizes recent AI applications in cancer pain management, including assessment, opioid decision-making, and remote monitori…
Half of cancer patients face moderate-to-severe pain, and new AI tools could help manage it better, though real-world challenges remain befo…
Health education programs added to fibromyalgia care reduce pain and improve quality of life in meta-analysis
Can learning about fibromyalgia help ease the pain? A review suggests it might
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 7 randomized controlled trials in fibromyalgia patients found that adding health education programs…
Learning about fibromyalgia significantly reduces pain and improves daily life when added to standard medical care, according to a new revie…
Meta-analysis finds opioid-free anesthesia improves postoperative recovery versus opioid anesthesia
Could avoiding opioids during surgery help patients recover better?
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (n=1733) found opioid-free anesthesia improved quality of recovery (SMD 0.46), reduced resc…
Avoiding opioids during surgery helps patients recover faster with less pain medication and fewer nausea symptoms, though the real-world imp…
TEAS reduces preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in meta-analysis of 1026 surgical patients
Could a gentle electrical pulse help calm nerves before surgery?
A meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1026 adults undergoing surgery found transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimula…
A gentle electrical pulse applied to the skin reduced preoperative anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure while also lowering postoperative…
Opioid-sparing PCA non-inferior to opioid PCA for pain after total knee arthroplasty
Opioid-sparing pain control after knee replacement shows similar pain relief with less nausea
A randomized controlled trial of 98 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty found an opioid-sparing PCA regimen (ketorolac and nefopam) …
A new pain method after knee replacement works just as well as standard care but cuts nausea from 35% down to 12%.
Combined Versus Deep Serratus Anterior Plane Block Shows No Difference in VATS Postoperative Pain
Study finds similar pain relief from two nerve block techniques after chest surgery
A single-center RCT in 60 patients undergoing elective VATS found no significant differences in 24-hour opioid consumption, rescue analgesia…
After chest surgery, patients got similar pain relief and used similar amounts of pain medicine whether they received one nerve block or a c…
Perineural dexamethasone extends analgesia duration in upper limb surgery blocks versus bupivacaine alone
Can a common steroid make pain relief from arm surgery last longer?
A double-blinded RCT in 90 ASA I/II patients undergoing upper limb procedures found adding 4 mg perineural dexamethasone to bupivacaine sign…
Adding a tiny amount of common steroid dexamethasone to arm surgery numbing shots nearly doubled pain relief time to over 20 hours with few …
Telemedicine-Assisted Buprenorphine Induction Non-Inferior to Standard Care for OUD Retention
Can starting addiction treatment by video work as well as in-person visits?
A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial in 138 adults with opioid use disorder in India found telemedicine-assisted buprenorphine indu…
Patients starting opioid addiction treatment via video calls stay in care just as well as those with in-person visits during the first week.
Mobile App with Contingency Management Improves Pain Outcomes in Adults with NF1
Can a phone app help adults with NF1 manage their chronic pain?
A randomized trial in 108 adults with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and chronic pain found that the iCanCope mobile app plus contingency manageme…
Adults with NF1 who used a phone app with rewards reported less pain interference and greater confidence in managing their chronic pain comp…