Pain News Network

Pain News Network Pain News Network is an independent, non-profit online news source for information and commentary about chronic pain and illness. and over 200 other countries.
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It is estimated that 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain and about 50 million in the United States. Although chronic pain is a common experience, many pain sufferers feel isolated and misunderstood by their doctors, co-workers, family and friends. Many also go untreated or under-treated by the healthcare system. In 2019, your donations helped PNN reach nearly 1.8 million people in the U.S.

At least six Ohio nursing homes have been caught dumping their patients at homeless shelters. It's a disturbing trend fo...
04/24/2026

At least six Ohio nursing homes have been caught dumping their patients at homeless shelters. It's a disturbing trend for older nursing home residents when they lose their insurance or are difficult to care for.

By Crystal Lindell A woman at a Columbus, Ohio nursing home who was suffering from a painful leg fracture, diabetes, and other health problems was dumped by the staff at a homeless shelter because she drank a beer in her room. That’s according to a 2023 inspector’s report by the Centers for Me

The Department of Justice is reclassifying medical ma*****na as a Schedule III controlled substance, which allows for me...
04/23/2026

The Department of Justice is reclassifying medical ma*****na as a Schedule III controlled substance, which allows for medical use under federal law. The move however stops short of legalizing recreational use.

By Pat Anson In a major shift in U.S. drug policy, the Department of Justice is legalizing medical ma*****na at the federal level by moving it from an illegal Schedule I controlled substance to a less restrictive Schedule III status, which allows for some medical use. Medical ma*****na

Does taking opioids with cannabis improve pain relief? Not according to a small and deeply flawed study, that combined a...
04/22/2026

Does taking opioids with cannabis improve pain relief? Not according to a small and deeply flawed study, that combined a low dose of hydromorphone with dronabinol, a cannabis-based medicine.

By Pat Anson Combining a low dose of opioids with a cannabis-based medicine did not improve acute pain for people with arthritis, according to results of a small clinical study published in the journal Anesthesiology . Animal studies have suggested that the two drugs might have a synergistic

What non-pharmacological therapy works best for chronic low back pain? According to a new study, physical therapy is bet...
04/22/2026

What non-pharmacological therapy works best for chronic low back pain? According to a new study, physical therapy is better at improving physical function than cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. But no therapy provides much pain relief.

By Pat Anson Physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness are often recommended as non-pharmacological treatments for chronic lower back pain. The World Health Organization even calls them first-line treatments in a 2023 guideline for low back pain that discourages the

A survey of medical cannabis patients in Germany found a significant reduction in their use of opioids and other prescri...
04/20/2026

A survey of medical cannabis patients in Germany found a significant reduction in their use of opioids and other prescription drugs. Side effects from those medications went away, while quality of life and productivity improved.

By Pat Anson  A new survey of cannabis users in Germany found a significant reduction in their use of painkillers, sleep medications, anti-depressants and other prescription drugs after starting medical cannabis treatment. Over 3,500 cannabis patients participated in the online survey, pu

President Trump has signed an executive order directing his administration to speed up the review of psychedelic drugs f...
04/19/2026

President Trump has signed an executive order directing his administration to speed up the review of psychedelic drugs for medical disorders. Although the order focuses on mental health, psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms have shown promise as treatments for chronic pain.

(Editor’s Note: President Trump has signed an executive order directing his administration to speed up the review of psychedelic drugs for medical disorders. Although the order focuses on treating mental health conditions, psychedelics such as psilocybin mushrooms have shown promise as t

Patients are often told to "get a second opinion" if they don't like a diagnosis or a doctor that's treating them. But P...
04/17/2026

Patients are often told to "get a second opinion" if they don't like a diagnosis or a doctor that's treating them. But PNN's Crystal Lindell says seeing another doctor isn't always practical or even advisable.

By Crystal Lindell The first thing I did when I started dealing with debilitating chronic pain was go to the emergency room. The second thing I did was follow up with a local primary care physician. But when nothing improved after a few months and multiple appointments with the doctor, I did what

Doctors are more likely to use negative words like "uncooperative" and "noncompliant" in the medical charts of patients ...
04/16/2026

Doctors are more likely to use negative words like "uncooperative" and "noncompliant" in the medical charts of patients with sickle cell disease. The practice may stem from their need for opioid pain medication.

By Crystal Lindell Sickle cell patients are more likely than other patients to have negative descriptions in their medical charts, such as “noncompliant” and “noncooperative,” according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open . The results are concerning because prior research has sho

People who live with chronic pain are about twice as likely to smoke ci******es as "healthy" people. Some use smoking as...
04/16/2026

People who live with chronic pain are about twice as likely to smoke ci******es as "healthy" people. Some use smoking as a coping mechanism or distraction, while other get some temporary pain relief.

By Pat Anson  Cigarette smoking in the U.S. has fallen dramatically over the last few decades, from 45% of the adult population in the 1960’s to less than 10% in 2024. The decline was steep and across the board for both men and women, and for every age group. But while fewer Americans are

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Pain News Network is an independent non-profit online news service that provides daily, in-depth coverage about chronic pain and pain management. Our mission is to raise awareness about chronic pain, and to connect and educate pain sufferers, caregivers, healthcare providers and the public about the pain experience.