Pain

Three new opioid analgesics that purport to offer benefits that current products lack come with marketing messages that ring both contradictory and redundant.

Brown eyes, blue sclera; stress tests when a patient can’t stress; CRPS type I vs CRPS type II: can you answer these quiz questions?

Tinnitus and hearing loss in HIV infection; allodynia in which pain conditions; aphthous ulcers. . . 5 questions here to challenge your diagnostic and clinical IQ.

What does this chest film tell you about the cause of flank and abdominal pain? We invite you to answer this and 4 other questions about cocaine, opioids, a skin lesion, and hypertension.

Controversy around FDA approval of an extended-release formulation of the opioid hydrocodone includes well-founded concerns about abuse but also exposes enduring ignorance about opioid analgesics in general.

Benzodiazepines and opioids; visual hallucinations; solid food dysphagia . . . can you answer this week’s quiz questions?

Optimal therapy of neuropathic pain? Optimal anticoagulation with a mechanical aortic valve? What’s the significance of a positive Hoffman sign? See if you can answer these and 2 other of our quiz questions.

The concomitant prescribing of opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines is not supported by science. So why is it still a common practice?

Pain may be an ongoing problem even after successful treatment for cancer; effective pain management, however, may be overlooked.

Pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. It may be a part of a disease, or it may be the disease itself. Here, test your knowledge of this troubling diagnostic challenge.

Headache and nausea have bothered this 28-year-old for 3 days. Over-the-counter analgesics do not help. She reports the headache lessens during the day. What more do you need to know?

There are no guidelines on how to differentiate iatrogenic opioid abuse triggered by treatment for legitimate pain from illicit use. And yet, theories abound.

Patients with pain respond strongly to both the positive and negative content we convey and may misinterpret our meaning. Their perceptions may have lasting impact on self-care, and it's not always positive.

Recent travel to the Caribbean is the key clue that led to the diagnosis of dengue fever, which caused maculopapular rash, fever, headaches, and body aches.

Here, 3 slide shows that were the most popular of our weekly offerings in 2013. Have a go at the quiz questions and see how well you do.

Injuries and overuse often are the cause of knee disorders, but chronic conditions also create problems. This week’s photo quiz offers several presentations to test your knowledge.

The use of vitamin D decreases pain in women who have type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression, according to a recent study, and more research is in the works.

The news is particularly auspicious for older patients who are at greater risk for NSAID-related events.

Pain has a wide variety of presentations, often making the diagnosis a significant challenge. Test your knowledge of signs and symptoms in this week's photo quiz.

The hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination is moved to Schedule II from III while single-agent extended-release hydrodocone is approved without a tamper-resistant mechanism.

A 46-year-old man with a history of HIV infection presents to the emergency department for left flank pain. A lateral x-ray film of the patient’s lumbar spine is shown. What is the diagnosis?

A 22-year-old young woman presents with complaints of severe pain in all the toes on both feet. She reported going hiking when the daytime temperature unexpectedly dropped. She describes persistent pain and mild pruritus in her toes. What is the diagnosis?   

The use of general anesthesia to speed opioid detox without the discomforts of withdrawal has no scientific support.

Chronic pain affects more Americans than diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and cancer combined. Here are some facts and figures about pain for you to consider.

Has this teen been abused? Cast your votes and see if you’ve answered this and the 4 other questions in this week’s quiz correctly.

New opioid labeling restricts the type of patient who should be prescribed long-acting/extended release formulations.

Rhabdomyolysis is linked to infection in up to 31% of cases. However, only 19 cases of rhabdomyolysis related to E coli infection have been reported.