Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Pain Management for October 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Few Changes in Employer-Sponsored Insurance 2013-2014
MONDAY, Oct. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Private sector employer-sponsored health insurance offerings were similar in 2013 and 2014, with <3.5 percent of employers dropping coverage and 1.1 percent adding coverage, according to a report published online Oct. 26 in Health Affairs.
Occipital Nerve Stimulation Effective for Chronic Migraine
FRIDAY, Oct. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic migraine (CM), peripheral nerve stimulation of the occipital nerves reduces the number of headache days, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Pain Practice.
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Useful Tips Offered for Addressing Negative Patient Reviews
FRIDAY, Oct. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In an article published in Medical Economics, five tips are presented to address negative patient reviews.
Lower Costs for Pregabalin in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain
THURSDAY, Oct. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP), the adjusted cost per patient is lower for treatment with pregabalin than gabapentin, according to a study published online Sept. 27 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Surgeon Experience Influences Post-Op Mobilization Orders
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patient characteristics and surgeon factors influence surgeons’ postoperative weight-bearing orders after hip fracture repair, according to research published online Oct. 6 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Multiple Factors Tied to Spinal Op Fulfillment of Expectations
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing lumbar and cervical spine surgeries, multiple variables are associated with fulfillment of expectations after surgery, according to a study published in the October issue of The Spine Journal.
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Open-Label Placebo Treatments Can Ease Chronic Low Back Pain
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients who knowingly took a placebo pill while undergoing traditional treatment for lower back pain had less pain and disability than those who received traditional treatment alone, according to a study published online Oct. 13 in Pain.
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Lower Bone Density Seen in Heavy Users of Cannabis
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Heavy cannabis users have lower bone density compared to cigarette smokers, according to a new study published online Sept. 1 in The American Journal of Medicine.
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Lower Monthly Premiums for Narrow-Network Plans
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Narrow-network health insurance plans have lower monthly premiums than larger-network plans, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
CDC: Complementary Health Use Up With Musculoskeletal Pain
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Use of complementary health approaches is significantly higher for U.S. adults with musculoskeletal pain disorders, according to a report published online Oct. 12 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Statistics Reports.
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DEA Halts Move to Ban Controversial Herbal Kratom
FRIDAY, Oct. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Bowing to public pressure, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has halted a move to ban a plant called kratom, which experts say could help battle the nation’s opioid epidemic.
Acupuncture May Cut Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms
THURSDAY, Oct. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Half of women treated with acupuncture report a decline in the frequency of menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS), according to a study published online Sept. 26 in Menopause.
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Placebo Effect Seen in Chiropractic Tx of Migraine
TUESDAY, Oct. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Real and sham chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy (CSMT) are equally likely to ease patients’ migraine pain, according to a study published online Oct. 2 in the European Journal of Neurology.
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Copay Assist Programs Creating Problems in Health Care Markets
TUESDAY, Oct. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Despite offering assistance to individuals who cannot afford expensive medications, copay assistance programs create broader problems in health care markets, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Oct. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Health Care System Is One of the Least Efficient Worldwide
MONDAY, Oct. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. health care system is one of the least efficient worldwide based on a Bloomberg index that assesses life expectancy, health care spending per capita, and relative spending as a share of gross domestic product, according to a report published by Bloomberg.
Strategies Presented for Managing Physician Burnout
FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Effective strategies for managing physician burnout include mindfulness and stress-management training, according to a review published online Sept. 28 in The Lancet.
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DEA Planning to Cut Production of Opioid Medication
THURSDAY, Oct. 6, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says it has mandated significant cuts in the production of Schedule II opiate and opioid medication.
Opioid Use Disorder, Heroin Use Up Among Young Adults
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Young adults in the United States are more likely to become addicted to prescription opioids than they were in years past, and they’re also more likely to use heroin, according to a study recently published online in Addictive Behaviors.
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Doctors Spending in Excess of $32,000 on Health IT
TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Doctors are spending more than $32,000 per year on health information technology (IT), according to an article published in Medical Economics.
New AMA Module Helps Identify Physician Distress
MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A new resource has been developed to help physicians identify distressed colleagues and help them to access care, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Lower Infection Risk for Coiled Versus Noncoiled Leads
MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Percutaneous leads used for neurostimulation of the peripheral nervous system have a much lower risk of infection with a coiled design compared to noncoiled leads, according to a review published online Sept. 27 in Pain Practice.
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