RELIEF: PAIN RESEARCH NEWS, INSIGHTS AND IDEAS

Stopping the Transition to Chronic Pain
At NeuPSIG 2019, plenary speaker A. Vania Apkarian showed that it’s possible to identify and treat those who are at risk of developing chronic pain by targeting the brain’s limbic system.

The Countdown Is On: The Most Popular Content on RELIEF in 2019
A two-part feature article on differences between the sexes in the pain system takes the number one spot.

The Experience of Chronic Pain: Many Dimensions, Lots of Uniqueness
At the 2019 North American Pain School, psychologist and pain researcher Robert Edwards focused on how psychological factors contribute to chronic pain.

Understanding Pain Through Lived Experience
Childhood cancer changes the pain experience for survivors and parents.

Men and Women, Male and Female Animals: What’s the Deal with Sex Differences in Chronic Pain?
Researchers are identifying the biological basis for differences between the sexes when it comes to the development of chronic pain, both in people and in rodents. The payoff for a better understanding could one day be huge for patients.

Opioids Can Heighten Pain Through an Immune System Protein
A new study shows how opioids can actually increase pain. The relevance of the findings to people with persistent pain remains uncertain.