The black mamba snake is one of the deadliest reptiles in the world — but it may just have become a pain patient’s best friend
Pain
Acupuncture May Offer Real Relief for Chronic Pain
Some people swear that regular sessions of acupuncture help relieve their back pain and headaches. And now there’s evidence they may be right.
Could an Addiction-Proof Painkiller Finally Be on the Horizon?
New research on a drug that boosts the pain-relieving effect of opioids, while cutting their addictiveness, hints tantalizingly at non-addictive treatment options for pain patients
Methadone: A Major Driver of Prescription Painkiller Overdose Deaths
Methadone accounts for nearly 1 in 3 prescription painkiller overdose deaths in the U.S., even though only 2% of prescriptions for opioid painkillers are for this drug, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control …
Can Aspirin Help Ward Off Skin Cancer?
An aspirin a day could keep skin cancer away, according to a new report in the journal Cancer.
Can Brain Freeze Solve the Mystery of Migraines?
Researchers say they’ve figured out what causes brain freeze — the mind-numbingly painful headache you get while eating ice cream or some other cold food.
Are Over-the-Counter Bug Bite Treatments Useless?
Mosquitoes, chiggers, fleas — oh my! As warmer days approach, so do the biting bugs, which means plenty of itching and irritation to go around.
For Sinus Infection, Don’t Bother with Antibiotics
Sinus infections are drippy and painful — an all-around headache, quite literally. When symptoms arise, patients often rush to the doctor for a prescription, usually an antibiotic, to put an end to the suffering.
How Massage Helps Heal Muscles and Relieve Pain
Massage may work as well as drugs like aspirin or Advil in easing pain from intense exercise.
Men vs. Women on Pain: Who Hurts More?
A large new California study finds an unexpectedly clear difference between the genders.
Birth Control Pills Provide Real Relief from Menstrual Pain
A new, long-term study finds that the pill really does help with painful periods.
Super-Duper Hydrocodone? An Open Letter to Big Pharma
A powerful and addictive new painkiller is coming down the pike. Can this be anything but an unmitigated disaster?
Controversial Study Linking Virus to Chronic Fatigue Is Retracted
The journal Science is retracting a contentious 2009 paper linking chronic fatigue syndrome to a mouse retrovirus called XMRV.