Cone snails, such as Conus magus, or the magical cone, are predatory marine mollusks that use venom to paralyze their prey. The venom has properties that make it potentially useful to humans, too. Scientists have derived a compound called ziconotide from the venom of C. magus that has painkilling power up to three orders ofContinueContinue reading “Snail venom speeds pain relief”
Tag Archives: pain
Perioperative morphine prolongs postoperative pain
Morphine is often used to treat pain after surgery. Although it is an effective painkiller, it can also work against itself by exciting glial cells in the brain, thus intensifying pain. To evaluate the potential for perioperative administration of morphine to prolong postoperative pain, a research team from the University of Colorado Boulder, led byContinueContinue reading “Perioperative morphine prolongs postoperative pain”
Taking the bite out of TMJD pain
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) is characterized by severe jaw pain associated with chewing or biting down. There is no effective treatment for the disorder, which affects more than 10 million Americans. TMJD can arise from trauma, but for many cases, the underlying cause is not known, hindering attempts to develop therapeutic strategies. A study byContinueContinue reading “Taking the bite out of TMJD pain”
Getting to the root of itch
Neuroscientists have wondered for years whether the signals for itch and pain—two distinct sensations that are both mediated by primary sensory neurons with cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglion or trigeminal ganglia—are transmitted by the same neurons or whether specific neurons are dedicated to each. Some studies have shown that itch-sensing neurons also respondContinueContinue reading “Getting to the root of itch”
Pure oxygen for pain relief
Chronic pain affects about 76 million people in the US and is usually treated with analgesic drugs (such as morphine, ibuprofen, etc.). But because these medications do not provide complete or sustained relief, alternative solutions for chronic pain management are greatly needed. In the search for alternatives, Yangmiao Zhang and Raymond M. Quock (Washington StateContinueContinue reading “Pure oxygen for pain relief”
Snake venom points out a new pain pathway
Natural toxins, such as snake venom, are used by various organisms for protection against potential predation. These toxins work by creating irritation, disease or pain in predators. Their mechanisms of action are of interest to researchers because they may elucidate new or poorly understood biological processes, such as those involved in pain sensation, nerve activationContinueContinue reading “Snake venom points out a new pain pathway”
Pain receptor turns up the heat
In the US alone, almost 50 million people suffer from chronic pain. Treatment options are largely limited to opioids (like morphine) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin), which carry risks of addiction, dependency or organ damage. But the recent elucidation of a new pain pathway may lead to the development of new treatment options. LabContinueContinue reading “Pain receptor turns up the heat”
Coral compound fights neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is chronic pain that can arise from nerve damage resulting from inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). People worldwide suffer from neuropathic pain, which can include hyperalgesia (heightened pain sensation, such that mildly uncomfortable stimuli are perceived as severely painful) and allodynia (‘misplaced’ pain, such that nonpainful stimuli are perceived as painful).ContinueContinue reading “Coral compound fights neuropathic pain”
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