Category: Pain Management

The brain science behind acupuncture

There are those who believe acupuncture to be a bunch of mumbo jumbo. I’m convinced it works, though. Acupuncture was first performed thousands of years ago, and it’s still being done today. That alone should tell you there’s somethin…

Are clinicians complicit in the Fentanyl epidemic?

I have a friend. He is non-medical, just a person who knows a lot of people. He grew up on the rough side of town. He has lost five friends or relatives this past year, he tells me. All to Fentanyl overdoses. Most were young, in their twenties or thirt…

Genetics, opioids, and addiction [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Amy Baxter, a clinical associate professor of emergency medicine and CEO of Pain Care Labs, to unravel the complexities of this critical topic. We’ll explore the interconnectedne…

Medical and legal aspects of codeine cough syrup [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join us for an insightful podcast discussion with L. Joseph Parker, a research physician. In this episode, we delve into the fascinating world of promethazine with codeine cough syrup, its …

Cannabis compounds in fracture pain relief and healing

In a recent study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, it was found that two compounds found in cannabis, cannabidiol, and cannabigerol, may not just ease the pain of fractures but also speed up fracture healing. The study, titled &#8…

Opioid regulations: a patient advocate’s insights [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Richard A. Lawhern, a patient advocate. We delve into the critical issues surrounding U.S. policy for the regulation of prescription opioid pain relievers and the challenges faced by c…

Rethinking U.S. opioid policy

I write widely as a subject matter expert on U.S. policy for the regulation of prescription opioid pain relievers and of clinicians who employ them in managing their patients’ chronic pain. Because I am a patient advocate and the spouse of a chro…

Physicians behind bars: the consequences of medical misjustice

In 1985, Mr. Charles McCrory was on trial. Charles had found his wife dead, and her family was convinced that he was responsible, despite the fact that Charles denied any involvement and just wanted to grieve in peace. There was no real evidence agains…

A breakthrough in chronic pain detection?

Recently, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reported that they may have found the holy grail of pain management. They accomplished this by performing “the first-in-human, long-term direct brain measurement of …

Balancing medical ethics in opioid treatment

What is a legitimate medical reason to prescribe an opioid medication today? For pain or addiction? Who decides which patients are worthy of treatment? This question is not just of academic interest. Any prescribing medical provider today must constant…