Cannabis and psilocybin – used under supervision – have the potential to work better than current pain treatments, but the research into both has long been hindered by federal legislation.
A recent Four Corners episode questioned the use of surgically implanted devices called spinal cord stimulators for chronic back pain. Here’s what the evidence says.
Women are disproportionately affected by pain in terms of how common it is and sensitivity, but also in how their pain is viewed, treated, and even researched.
Endometriosis can cause severe chronic pain.
Drazen Zigic/ Shutterstock
Jasmine Hearn, Manchester Metropolitan University and Stella Bullo, Manchester Metropolitan University
Endometriosis affects 10% of women in the UK.
The Government of Canada recently announced more than $1.6 million for endometriosis patients and research, the largest single investment in endometriosis care in Canada for the last 20 years.
(Shutterstock)
Endometriosis often means years of severe pain, lost productivity and dismissed symptoms before getting a diagnosis — followed by ineffective treatment. New funding aims to change this pattern.
Approximately 16 million U.S. adults have chronic back pain.
Olena Ruban/Moment via Getty Images
Yoni Ashar, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
An intriguing therapy that shifts what people perceive as the source of their pain could aid in pain management.
Endometriosis pain can be so severe that it impairs a person’s ability to keep up with school, succeed at work or have a satisfying sex life.
Kinga Krzeminska/Moment via Getty Images
Health care providers often dismiss endometriosis pain as ‘all in your head’ − which can delay a correct diagnosis and treatment for years.
Doctors have struggled to find the balance between effective pain management and the very real addiction risks that come with prescription pain medication.
BackyardProduction/iStock via Getty Images Plus
A new therapy aims to undo some of the harmful and restrictive patterns patients have been taught to ‘protect’ their back from pain. Instead, they’re learning to trust and move their body again.
Pain has long been subjectively measured, leading to frustrations for patients and doctors alike. Identifying neural biomarkers of pain could improve diagnosis and lead to better treatments of chronic pain conditions.
‘Sensitisation’ can affect anyone, but some people may be more prone to it than others due to genetic factors, environmental factors or previous experiences.
New research shows the way a person with chronic pain responds to limitations to the activities or goals they value can impact their mental wellbeing – even more so than their pain levels.
There are some possible health issues with the drugs, including cardiovascular risks.
wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus