Pain Archive

Short-term (acute) pain occurs for various reasons, like a sports or exercise injury, a broken bone, a medical procedure, or a household accident. Many times the pain goes away or diminishes on its own or with a combination of rest and over-the-counter remedies. But if ignored, the pain may progress to longer and potentially more serious chronic pain that requires stronger medication, physical therapy, and other treatments.

Costochondritis, which is caused by inflammation of the cartilage between the ribs and the breastbone, causes chest pain that's often mistaken for a heart problem.

Treating pain is the most common reason offered by the millions of Americans who use products that contain cannabinoids. However, there's good evidence that a placebo provides very similar pain relief. But why?

Women are twice as likely as men to develop plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of chronic heel pain. Pain is worst in the morning and eases over the course of the day. Older adults, some athletes, and people who are overweight or obese are likelier to develop plantar fasciitis. Mainstay treatments include stretches, medication, night splints, and supportive shoes. Emerging treatments include injections of botulinum toxin (Botox), platelet-rich plasma, or fat.

Concussions occur when the brain bumps or twists inside the skull after a blow to the head. Signs of concussion include headache, eye pain or fatigue, neck pain or stiffness, imbalance, impaired depth perception, difficulty remembering, or sleep pattern changes.

Weight-loss surgery has many proven benefits. Now, data from a study of people who had bariatric surgery and were followed for several years suggests that it also improves pain and physical function.

The CDC's 2016 guidelines for prescribing opioid medications aimed to reduce deaths from overdose. Recent revisions to these guidelines aim for refinement while emphasizing safety and the importance of finding the best treatment solution for each person.

Many people say they feel joint pain that arrives with cold or damp weather. While research hasn't confirmed why, changes in barometric pressure can place pressure on joints that may lead to aches.

Relying on pain pills for persistent aches, pains, and soreness can come with side effects and increase the risk of drug dependency. A solution is to try any of several available drug-free therapies to help manage and even treat common types of pain, such as physical and massage therapy, yoga, acupuncture, and therapies that help change your perception and reaction to pain.

Certain medications are safer and more effective than others for treating spine pain in older adults, according to a recent study. Among these are the over-the-counter drugs acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil) and some nerve pain drugs, muscle relaxants, and antidepressants.