David Bregger had never heard of kratom before his son, Daniel, 33, died in Denver in 2021 from using what he thought was a natural and safe remedy for anxiety.…
Tag: pain
New Drug Aims to Block Pain Without Addiction Risks
Summary: Chronic pain affects millions, but opioid medications bring high risks of dependence and side effects. Researchers have now pinpointed specific neurons in the amygdala that make pain feel unpleasant,…
What You Expect Shapes How Much Pain You Feel
Key Questions Answered Q: How do expectations influence pain perception?A: Expectations shaped by external cues (like visual signals) and those shaped by treatment information (like placebo explanations) both reduce pain,…
Old Injuries Rewire the Brain to Feel Fear and Pain Forever
Quick Q&A Q: Can past injuries increase sensitivity to future pain or stress?A: Yes — this study shows that old injuries can prime the brain to overreact to new stressors,…
Pain Perception in Babies Develops in Stages After Birth
Summary: A new study shows that the networks responsible for processing pain in infants develop gradually, with emotional and cognitive pain responses maturing only after birth. Researchers scanned the brains…
1 in 4 children suffers from chronic pain − school nurses could be key to helping them manage it
Joint pain, headaches, stomachaches, fibromyalgia – the list sounds like an inventory of ailments that might plague people as they age. Yet these are chronic, painful conditions that frequently affect…
Depression May Signal Chronic Pain Years Before It Starts
Summary: Middle-aged and older adults who experience chronic pain often show worsening symptoms of depression up to eight years before the pain begins. A large-scale study found that depressive symptoms…
Emotional Regulation Offers a New Path to Relief
Summary: A new study shows that improving emotional processing can significantly reduce chronic pain and improve quality of life. Researchers developed Pain and Emotion Therapy, an online intervention teaching emotional…
Negative Expectations Worsen Pain More Than Positive Ones Ease It
Summary: New research shows that negative expectations, known as nocebo effects, exert a stronger and longer-lasting impact on pain perception than positive expectations, or placebo effects. In a two-session study,…
From Anxiety to Alzheimer’s, Music Makes a Difference
Summary: Music therapy is proving to be a powerful adjunct treatment for a range of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, movement disorders, and mental health issues. Research highlights how…
