http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/neuropathy/ Latest medical research on neuropathy including methods to ease pain, and new studies on nerve regeneration. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/neuropathy/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm Transplanting embryonic cells into adult mouse spinal cord can alleviate persistent pain. The research suggests that reduced pain results from successful integration of the embryonic cells into the host spinal cord. The findings open avenues for clinical strategies aimed not just at treating the symptoms of chronic debilitating pain, but correcting the underlying disease pathology. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm Chronic pain, by definition, is difficult to manage, but a new study shows how a cell therapy might one day be used not only to quell some common types of persistent and difficult-to-treat pain, but also to cure the conditions that give rise to them. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515203056.htm Nearly half of all diabetics suffer from neuropathic pain, an intractable, agonizing and still mysterious companion of the disease. Now researchers have identified an unexpected source of the pain and a potential target to alleviate it. Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515203056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153109.htm Researchers have found a previously unknown mechanism through which pain is signaled by nerve cells -- a discovery that could explain the current failings in the drug development process for painkillers and which may offer opportunities for a new approach. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104738.htm Health professionals commonly say, "Don't look and it won't hurt" before administering an injection, but is there any scientific basis for the advice? A group of German investigators has found that, in fact, your past experience with needle pricks, along with information you receive before an injection, shape your pain experience. Mon, 14 May 2012 10:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm Why diabetics suffer from increased pain and temperature sensitivity is a step closer to being understood and effectively treated. Sun, 13 May 2012 14:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113523.htm Scientists have confirmed that mutations of a gene are responsible for some cases of a rare, inherited disease that causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness: spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance, also known as SMA-LED. Thu, 10 May 2012 11:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430124715.htm Neuropathic pain is the culprit behind many cases of chronic pain, resistant to common drugs. A new drug inhibits the transmission of pain signals throughout the body, protecting against not only neuropathic pain but also epileptic seizures, new study suggests. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430124715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104343.htm Chronic pain sufferers who learn to dwell less on their ailments may sleep better and experience less day-to-day pain, according to results of research conducted on people with chronic face and jaw pain. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423103724.htm Patients coping with the complex pain disorder fibromyalgia often have difficulty sleeping, and a new study reports that despite the negative quality of life implications, poor sleep is not a significant predictor of fibromyalgia pain intensity and duration. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423103724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423103715.htm Researchers have exploited the molecular mechanism behind acupuncture resulted in six-day pain relief in animal models. They call this new therapeutic approach PAPupuncture. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423103715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422232409.htm Engineers have developed a method of assisting nerves damaged by traumatic accidents to repair naturally, which could improve the chances of restoring sensation and movement in injured limbs. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422232409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162210.htm Chronic pain affects about 76 million people in the U.S. and carries an economic burden of nearly $100 billion annually. The most frequently used medications, narcotic and non-narcotic analgesic drugs (e.g., morphine, ibuprofen, etc.), do not provide complete or sustained relief of chronic pain. Scientists are currently seeking alternative solutions for chronic pain management. One possible solution is hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422162210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417143842.htm Scientists have created a genetically modified mouse that mimics key features of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an inherited neuromuscular disease affecting approximately 150,000 people in the United States. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417143842.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120404102539.htm Everyone knows how it feels to bite into a hot chili pepper or burn the roof of one’s mouth with a hot drink. This activates nerve cells that relay the potential threat to the brain, which then causes the person in question to perceive pain. Over 14 years ago, researchers discovered the first receptor molecule that reacts to heat as well as to capsaicin, the active substance in chili extracts. At the time it was believed that science had come a big step closer to understanding the emergence of pain and its treatment with medicine. The disappointment was great when it was found several years later that laboratory mice from whom the gene of this receptor had been artificially removed still perceived pain. Despite repeated attempts to explain the causes of this observation, it has remained a mystery until now. Researchers have now deciphered basic mechanisms governing the perception of pain. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120404102539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120326132539.htm Gene that encodes crucial pain receptor may be the key to individualizing therapy for a major health problem. Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120326132539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120313185850.htm Pain is an important physiological function that protects our bodies from harm. Pain-sensing nerves transduce harmful stimuli into electrical signals and transmit this information to the brain via the spinal cord. A team of scientists has found a novel road-block in the pain pathway, which could be used to treat chronic pain. Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120313185850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222093506.htm Pain? Just turn it off! It may sound like science fiction, but researchers have now succeeded in inhibiting pain-sensitive neurons on demand, in the laboratory. The crucial element in their strategy is a chemical sensor that acts as a light-sensitive switch. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:35:35 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222093506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221125018.htm Scientists have taken a step forward toward the goal of repairing nerves in such patients more effectively. In a new study, researchers report that a surprising set of cells may hold potential for nerve transplants. Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120221125018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154141.htm Researchers have found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm A new study identifies specific cell-stress signaling pathways that link injury of the optic nerve with irreversible vision loss. The research may lead to new strategies that will help to protect vulnerable neurons in the retina after optic nerve damage and diseases. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm Scientists believe a new procedure to repair severed nerves could result in patients recovering in days or weeks, rather than months or years. The team used a cellular mechanism similar to that used by many invertebrates to repair damage to nerve axons. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121238.htm In patients undergoing hip replacement surgery, using a special wound catheter to infuse local anesthetic directly into the hip joint provides significant and lasting improvements in postoperative pain control, according to a new study. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131121238.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123174830.htm Researchers found more efficient diagnostic tools are not always used. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123174830.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122152447.htm Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective. But scientists, using a new approach known as metabolomics, have now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a small-molecule byproduct of cellular membranes in the nervous system. In their new study, the scientists found that DMS is produced at abnormally high levels in the spinal cords of rats with neuropathic pain and appears to cause pain when injected. The findings suggest inhibiting this molecule may be a fruitful target for drug development. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122152447.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113204933.htm Medical researchers have discovered a previously unknown effect of opioids. The study shows that opioids not only temporarily relieve pain, but at the right dose can also erase memory traces of pain in the spinal cord and therefore eliminate a key cause of chronic pain. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113204933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103856.htm Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, have the potential to protect nerves from injury and help them to regenerate, new research suggests. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120111103856.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153133.htm Drawing on X-ray crystallography and experimental data, as well as a software suite for predicting and designing protein structures, a researcher has developed an algorithm that predicts what has been impossible to generate in the laboratory: the conformational changes in voltage-gated sodium channels when they are at rest or actively transmitting a signal in muscle and nerve cells. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153133.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205191728.htm Acupuncture may help ease the severe nerve pain associated with certain cancer drugs, suggests a small preliminary study. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205191728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205081643.htm Researchers have now studied in detail what sportsmen and women know from experience: The head plays a key role in tiring endurance performances. They have discovered a mechanism in the brain that triggers a reduction in muscle performance during tiring activities and ensures that one’s own physiological limits are not exceeded. For the first time, the study demonstrates empirically that muscle fatigue and changes in the interaction between neuronal structures are linked. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205081643.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130100451.htm The most poisonous substance on Earth -- already used medically in small doses to treat certain nerve disorders and facial wrinkles -- could be re-engineered for an expanded role in helping millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and other diseases, scientists are reporting. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:04:04 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130100451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122113205.htm Researchers have discovered how one of the most common household painkillers works, which could pave the way for less harmful pain relief medications to be developed in the future. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122113205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115175809.htm New research uses the latest genetic tools to explore how stress alters brain function, leading to anxiety, depression, and other stress-related mood disorders. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115175809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073936.htm Researchers have uncovered clear links between erectile dysfunction (ED) and peripheral neuropathy. This study of 90 patients shows that men with more severe symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, which can be caused by disease, trauma or illness, had greater self-reported ED and required more aggressive treatment. The findings underline the importance of clinicians carrying out neurophysiological tests on patients with ED, particularly in the pelvic area. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111115073936.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114095717.htm Researchers from Norway have uncovered an association between sleep problems and increased risk of fibromyalgia in women. The risk of fibromyalgia increased with severity of sleep problems, and the association was stronger among middle-aged and older women than among younger women. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114095717.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125642.htm A neuroscientist says a protein that regulates nerve cells and assists in overall brain function may be key to preventing the long-term damage of stroke and hopes her work leads to the development of an effective therapeutic intervention. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125418.htm A chemical component of the marijuana plant could prevent the onset of pain associated with drugs used in chemotherapy, particularly in breast cancer patients. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003131423.htm When a motor nerve is severely damaged, people rarely recover full muscle strength and function. Combining patient data with observations in a mouse model, neuroscientists now show why. It's not that motor nerve fibers don't regrow -- they can -- but they don't grow fast enough. By the time they get to the muscle fibers, they can no longer communicate with them. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003131423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003131417.htm Researchers have now identified a way to accelerate the regeneration of injured peripheral nerves in mice such that muscle function is restored in situations where it normally would not be. It is hoped that these data might one day translate into strategies that increase the rate of nerve growth to enhance functional recovery in patients after peripheral nerve damage. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003131417.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125401.htm Kentucky women who smoke heavily may experience more chronic musculoskeletal pain, suggests a new study. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928105911.htm Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based anticancer drug that's made enormous headway in recent years against colorectal cancer, appears to cause nerve damage that may be permanent and worsens even months after treatment ends, according to a new study. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928105911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151739.htm Researchers have identified a communication breakdown between nerves and muscles in mice that may provide new insight into the debilitating and fatal human disease known as spinal muscular atrophy. Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110926151739.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120050.htm Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), also known as Morbus Sudeck, is characterised by "disinhibition" of various sensory and motor areas in the brain. A multidisciplinary research group has now demonstrated for the first time that with unilateral CRPS excitability increases not only in the brain area processing the sense of touch of the affected hand. In addition, the brain region representing the healthy hand is simultaneously "disinhibited." Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120050.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919113842.htm Neuroticism -- the tendency to experience negative emotions -- significantly affects brain processing during pain, as well as during the anticipation of pain. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919113842.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103211.htm A new imaging technique could help doctors and researchers more accurately assess the extent of nerve damage and healing in a live patient. Researchers aimed lasers at rats' damaged sciatic nerves to create images of the individual neurons' insulating sheath called myelin. Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913103211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908145101.htm A gene responsible for regulating chronic pain, called HCN2, has been identified. Chronic pain comes in two main varieties. The first, inflammatory pain, occurs when a persistent injury (e.g. a burn or arthritis) results in an enhanced sensitivity of pain-sensitive nerve endings, thus increasing the sensation of pain. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908145101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824091149.htm Cluster headache has a substantial detrimental effect on quality of life. New invasive procedures, such as hypothalamic deep brain stimulation and bilateral occipital nerve stimulation, may help patients with chronic refractory headache, according to new research. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 09:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824091149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816171731.htm Neuroscientists have identified a natural protection mechanism in some of the brain's nerve cells during the onset of stroke. The findings could be used to develop treatments to protect other nerve cell types responsible for speech and movement. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816171731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810101604.htm A review of national U.S. data from 1996 through 2007 reveals a sharp uptick in the use of computed tomography, or CT, scans to diagnose illnesses in emergency departments, a new study finds. The rate of CT use grew 11 times faster than the rate of ED visits during the study period. Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810101604.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110804123913.htm By working with individuals suffering from a severe disorder that causes sensory neurons to degenerate, researchers have discovered how a specific genetic mutation causes their patients' condition, which in turn has revealed more information about the mechanisms in our bodies which enable us to sense pain. Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110804123913.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802112831.htm Researchers have developed a mouse model for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy, a hereditary disease of the peripheral nervous system. They also found a potential therapy for this incurable disease. The treatment not only halted the damage to the nerves and the atrophy of the muscles, it even succeeded in reversing the symptoms. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802112831.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801160308.htm While deformities of the lesser toes (all toes other than the big toe) can be very painful, there are numerous surgical and nonsurgical treatments for these conditions that are usually quite effective. A new review shows that because lesser toe deformities are often treatable, and can be symptoms of other conditions, early assessment and treatment by an orthopedic surgeon is important. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801160308.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727131421.htm A new study finds that practicing yoga reduces the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain in women with fibromyalgia. The study is the first to look at the effects of yoga on cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia. Participants' saliva revealed elevated levels of total cortisol following a program of 75 minutes of hatha yoga twice weekly over the course of eight weeks. Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727131421.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713131411.htm Researchers bridged a spinal cord injury and biologically regenerated lost nerve connections to the diaphragm, restoring breathing in an adult rodent model of spinal cord injury. The work restored 80 to more than 100 percent of breathing function. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713131411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711131318.htm Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and death in the United States. New research has now identified a way to exploit one of the brain's self-repair mechanisms to protect nerve cells and enhance brain repair in rodent models of stroke. The authors of the research suggest that this approach could provide a nontoxic treatment for stroke. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711131318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705211016.htm There is no evidence that Botulinum toxin injections reduce chronic neck pain or associated headaches, says a group of scientists who reviewed nine trials involving a total of 503 participants. Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:10:10 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110705211016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623174240.htm Blood vessels and supporting cells appear to be pivotal partners in repairing nerves ravaged by diabetic neuropathy, and nurturing their partnership with nerve cells might make the difference between success and failure in experimental efforts to regrow damaged nerves, researchers report in a new study. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623174240.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623130338.htm In a case study that illustrates the need for people with diabetes to be cautious of foot injuries and to protect themselves from pets, a woman with numbness in her feet caused by diabetic neuropathy slept through a traumatic episode in which her Jack Russell terrier chewed off part of her slightly infected big toe, according to a new article. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623130338.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622125656.htm Scientists have found that mutations of a single gene are linked to 30 percent of cases of unexplained neuropathy. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622125656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613121958.htm New research in mice suggests that adult stem cells from immune system tissue in the smell-sensing region of the human nose (human olfactory ecto--mesenchymal stem cells [OE-MSCs]) could provide a source of cells to treat brain disorders in which nerve cells are lost or irreparably damaged. Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110613121958.htm