This Treatment Could Alleviate Chronic Pain Without Opioid Medications
Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have been working on a new way to treat chronic pain -- and it just might help curb the rampant abuse of opioid medicines prescribed for pain management. Using a wireless device, the researchers demonstrated in lab rats how electrically stimulating an area hidden deep in the brain could relieve long-term pain. The method could offer a new way to alleviate chronic pain without the negative side effects of opioid medications, said Dr. Yuan Bo Peng, a psychology professor at the university and a corresponding author of the new research. Each day, more tha...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - April 5, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
A monthly shot for opioid addiction: An option for some
On average, 44 people in the United States die every day from an overdose of opioid prescription painkillers. These drugs — such as Vicodin, Percocet, codeine, and morphine — reduce the brain’s recognition of pain by binding to certain receptors in the body. With continued use, a person can develop a physical dependence on these drugs, such that withdrawal symptoms occur if the drug is stopped. These drugs can also cause a “high.” Both of these effects contribute to addiction — that is, the loss of control around the use of a drug, even though it causes harm to the person. Addiction to opioid painkillers is the...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - April 1, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Wynne Armand, MD Tags: Addiction Behavioral Health Mental Health Source Type: news
Couterfeit street Norco tablets linked to deaths and overdose cases in Sacramento
The Sacramento County Division of Public Health has received reports from local hospital emergency departments of at least 12 poisoning overdoses within the last 48 hours associated with ingestion of street Norco tablets that may be contaminated... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews - March 31, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Source Type: news
‘Black box’ addiction warnings added to common prescription painkillers
The US Food and Drug Administration will add its strongest warning labels to prescription opioids, such as Vicodin and Percocet, highlighting the risks of addiction, abuse, overdose and death. (Source: the Mail online | Health)
Source: the Mail online | Health - March 23, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
FDA adds boldest warning to most widely used painkillers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators will bolster warning labels on the most widely used prescription painkillers, part a multi-pronged federal effort to reverse an epidemic of abuse and death tied to drugs like Vicodin and Percocet. (Source: U.S. News - Health)
Source: U.S. News - Health - March 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Short-Acting Opioids Get New Boxed Warning
(MedPage Today) -- FDA strengthens risk labeling for drugs such as Vicodin (Source: MedPage Today Psychiatry)
Source: MedPage Today Psychiatry - March 22, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news
Fast-Acting Opioids Get New Boxed Warning
(MedPage Today) -- FDA strengthens risk labeling for drugs such as Vicodin (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)
Source: MedPage Today Public Health - March 22, 2016 Category: American Health Source Type: news
FDA Orders Warnings on Narcotic Painkillers
Immediate-release versions of addictive meds such as Oxycontin, Percocet and Vicodin to be affected (Source: WebMD Health)
Source: WebMD Health - March 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
FDA Orders Warning Labels on Prescription Narcotic Painkillers
Immediate-release versions of addictive meds such as Oxycontin, Percocet and Vicodin to be affected
Source: HealthDay
Related MedlinePlus Page: Pain Relievers (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Source: MedlinePlus Health News - March 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
FDA Orders Warning Labels on Prescription Narcotic Painkillers
Immediate-release versions of addictive meds such as Oxycontin, Percocet and Vicodin to be affected (Source: U.S. News - Health)
Source: U.S. News - Health - March 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
FDA adds strongest warning to widely-used painkillers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health regulators will bolster warning labels on the most widely used prescription painkillers, part a multi-pronged federal effort to reverse an epidemic of abuse and death tied to drugs like Vicodin and Percocet. (Source: U.S. News - Health)
Source: U.S. News - Health - March 22, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
CDC's tough new painkiller guidelines surpass Portland standard
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s controversial opioid prescribing guidelines, released earlier this week, go further than the standard adopted by Portland-area health systems late last year.
The recommendations call for doctors who prescribe painkillers such as OxyContin or Vicodin to start with the lowest effective dose. They should also carefully weigh the benefits and risks before increasing the dose to 50 morphine-milligram equivalents, while 90 is in the red zone. The Portland… (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)
Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines - March 17, 2016 Category: Biotechnology Authors: Elizabeth Hayes Source Type: news
CDC Aims to Curb Painkiller Prescriptions
WASHINGTON (AP) — Prescription painkillers should not be a first choice for treating common ailments like back pain and arthritis, according to new federal guidelines designed to reshape how doctors prescribe drugs like OxyContin and Vicodin.
Amid an epidemic of addiction and abuse tied to these powerful opioids drugs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging primary care doctors to try physical therapy, exercise and over-the-counter pain medications before turning to painkillers for chronic pain. Opioid drugs include medications like morphine and oxycodone as well as illegal narcotics like heroin.
The ...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - March 16, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: General News Medications & Pharmacology Source Type: news
CDC Aims to Curb Painkiller Prescriptions
WASHINGTON (AP) — Prescription painkillers should not be a first choice for treating common ailments like back pain and arthritis, according to new federal guidelines designed to reshape how doctors prescribe drugs like OxyContin and Vicodin.
Amid an epidemic of addiction and abuse tied to these powerful opioids drugs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging primary care doctors to try physical therapy, exercise and over-the-counter pain medications before turning to painkillers for chronic pain. Opioid drugs include medications like morphine and oxycodone as well as illegal narcotics like heroin.
The ...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - March 16, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: General News Medications & Pharmacology Source Type: news
New CDC Guidelines Seek Doctors' Help In Fighting Opioid Epidemic
In an effort to curb America's deadly opioid crisis, federal health officials are urging doctors to largely avoid prescribing highly addictive painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin when treating patients for chronic pain. The new guidelines, issued Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are directed at primary care providers, who issue about half of all opioid prescriptions. Since 1999, such prescriptions and sales have quadrupled in the United States, a boom that the CDC said has "helped create and fuel" the current epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose. In 2012 alone, doctors han...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - March 16, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
