Cannabis for chronic pain: the stand-off In the UK, the standing of cannabis as a member of the analgesic pharmacopeia is somewhat nebulous, and there are strong opinions on both sides about whether there is enough evidence for its effectiveness.…
Signs, symptoms and management of pancreatitis Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Learn about the signs, symptoms and management strategies for both types.…
Antidepressants mostly ineffective at reducing pain, finds meta-analysis While researchers found evidence that some antidepressants work for some pain conditions, they said their findings showed the need for "a more nuanced approach" when prescribing antidepressants for pain.…
Should we be genetic testing before prescribing analgesics? Managing pain is difficult because there are various factors that can influence how it is perceived, but pharmacogenomic testing may be able to help fine tune pharmaceutical interventions.…
Treatment with transdermal unlicensed medication for complex regional pain syndrome — is there enough evidence?'Case-based learning: management of complex regional pain syndrome with a transdermal unlicensed medication' describes the successful treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CPRS) with an extemporaneous topical formulation and a positive patient outcome. However, while the observations are note…
Case-based learning: management of complex regional pain syndrome with a transdermal unlicensed medication This case study considers the use of unlicensed topical medications for chronic pain when commercial medications are unsuccessful.…
Management of postoperative pain How to effectively manage pain following surgery to promote recovery, reduce the risk of side effects and dependency, and make best use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures.…
Prescribing of cannabis-based medical products increased almost ten-fold in 2021 Despite the increase in the private healthcare sector, data on the number of cannabis-based medical products prescribed on the NHS were so low they could not be reported.…
Long-term opioid prescribing rates rose by almost a third during the COVID-19 pandemic Exclusive: "Worrying" NHS data show a dramatic escalation in the number of patients prescribed opioids for longer than three months.…
What is ‘chronic primary pain’ and why is NICE guidance on it causing controversy? New guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has defined pain with no identifiable underlying cause as ‘chronic primary pain‘, but there are concerns the guideline could adversely affect patient care.…
