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.

A new analysis of urine drug tests over the years shows that the illicit use of prescription opioids has declined dramat...
02/23/2026

A new analysis of urine drug tests over the years shows that the illicit use of prescription opioids has declined dramatically. Stimulant use is growing and so are positive tests for kratom.

By Pat Anson The illicit use of prescription opioids by patients undergoing addiction treatment has fallen dramatically over the past decade, according to a new analysis by Millennium Health.  The drug testing company analyzed nearly 1.7 million urine samples collected from patients dia

There's a right way and a wrong way to taper off medication. PNN's Crystal Lindell recommends against going cold turkey....
02/20/2026

There's a right way and a wrong way to taper off medication. PNN's Crystal Lindell recommends against going cold turkey. Your chances of being successful are much better if you slowly taper yourself.

By Crystal Lindell The problem with tapering off a medication is that, before you even start, you first have to get past all the cultural messaging that tells you that going cold turkey is the morally superior method. Often framed as a worthy struggle that “cleanses” the body of an addictive dru...

Do you worry about a loved one with chronic pain having suicidal thoughts? Dr. Thomas Rutledge, a VA psychologist, has t...
02/19/2026

Do you worry about a loved one with chronic pain having suicidal thoughts? Dr. Thomas Rutledge, a VA psychologist, has tips on how to recognize the symptoms and reduce su***de risk.

By Dr. Thomas Rutledge Su***de is a cause of death that haunts the living in perpetuity. After a su***de event, those left behind are tormented by questions: "Could I have done something?"  "What did I miss?" "How could this happen?" "Was it my fault?&

Chronic pain is like a thief. When you least expect it, it can sneak up on you and steal your time. See how PNN's Crysta...
02/18/2026

Chronic pain is like a thief. When you least expect it, it can sneak up on you and steal your time. See how PNN's Crystal Lindell lost Tuesday to a pain flare.

By Crystal Lindell Chronic pain is a thief. It steals your health, relationships, money, motivation, and time. This week, so far, it has taken one full day away from me. My Tuesday was stolen. That’s when my fiancé and I were supposed to go visit his relatives, who live about 2 hours away. But as

Moderate cannabis use appears to increase brain volume and improve cognitive function in middle aged and older adults, a...
02/17/2026

Moderate cannabis use appears to increase brain volume and improve cognitive function in middle aged and older adults, according to a large new study. Cannabis users performed better in learning, processing speed, and short-term memory than non-users.

By Pat Anson As cannabis use grows among older adults, researchers are beginning to focus on the effects – good and bad — on aging brains. A recent study found that 18.5% of Americans adults aged 50 to 64, and 5.9% of adults over the age of 65 reported using cannabis products in the past year.

Scientists have found a way to change fentanyl molecules so the drug doesn't suppress breathing as much, yet is still an...
02/16/2026

Scientists have found a way to change fentanyl molecules so the drug doesn't suppress breathing as much, yet is still an effective pain reliever. It could pave the way for a new generation of synthetic opioids with lower risk of causing an overdose.

By Pat Anson Scientists at Scripps Research have found a way to change fentanyl’s molecular structure to reduce the risk of overdosing, while at the same time preserving its pain-relieving properties.  The findings, published in the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters , suggest that

Eating is not a simple task when you have chronic pain or a chronic illness. Shopping for food, preparing it, cooking, a...
02/16/2026

Eating is not a simple task when you have chronic pain or a chronic illness. Shopping for food, preparing it, cooking, and cleaning up after a meal can be exhausting. If you're tired of settling for cereal, PNN's Crystal Lindell has some tips to make meals easier.

By Crystal Lindell One of the biggest hurdles many people with chronic pain face is finding something to eat. It’s literally a daily challenge that has to be solved. Personally, it’s something I struggled with even before I started having chronic pain in my right ribs. Finding food three times a

Have you heard of microcurrent therapy? It's like a TENS device, but uses even less electricity -- not to relieve pain -...
02/12/2026

Have you heard of microcurrent therapy? It's like a TENS device, but uses even less electricity -- not to relieve pain -- but to stimulate the body's natural healing properties. PNN's Madora Pennington says it worked on some of her nagging injuries.

By Madora Pennington If you suffer from chronic muscle or soft tissue pain, a physical therapist or doctor may have recommended you get a TENS unit. A traditional  TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)  device sends a low-voltage current through an injured area of t

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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.