Hypnobirthing: scant evidence self-hypnosis reduces pain during childbirth

The latest celebrity-endorsed health trend is the bizarre-sounding practice of “hypnobirthing”. Backed by the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba and, reportedly, Kate Middleton, women are using self-hypnosis to help them stay calm and ease pain during labour. Some even use it to replace epidurals and other traditional pain relief methods during childbirth. With these celebrity endorsements, it’s no wonder […]

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Heel pain: To jab or not to jab?

New La Trobe University research has found cheaper orthotics might prevent the need for steroid injections for plantar fasciitis—a condition causing heel pain that affects one in 10 people aged over 50. Lead Researcher and Associate Lecturer in Podiatry at La Trobe, Glen Whittaker, describes the plantar fascia as a thick band of fibrous tissue that connects the bottom of […]

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Persistent headache or back pain ‘twice as likely’ in the presence of the other

People with persistent back pain or persistent headaches are twice as likely to suffer from both disorders, a new study from the University of Warwick has revealed. The results, published in the Journal of Headache and Pain, suggest an association between the two types of pain that could point to a shared treatment for both. The researchers from Warwick Medical […]

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New opioid speeds up recovery without increasing pain sensitivity or risk of chronic pain

Morphine and other opioid-based painkillers are very effective at treating pain initially, but studies have shown that the drugs can make patients more pain-sensitive, prolonging their discomfort and increasing their risks of developing chronic pain. A new type of opioid developed by researchers at Tulane University and the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System doesn’t have this side effect and […]

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Cancer pain can be eased by palliative radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is, along with chemotherapy and surgery, one of the three main components of cancer treatment. It is often misunderstood and carries negative connotations. As radiation oncologists and assistant professors at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and the University of British Columbia, we frequently work to dispel patients’ concerns about radiation —concerns that radiation treatment will […]

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Aggressive behavior brings emotional pain to the sadist

People with sadistic personality traits tend to be aggressive, but only enjoy their aggressive acts if it harms their victims. According to a series of studies of over 2000 people, these actions ultimately leave sadists feeling worse than they felt before their aggressive act. The research appears in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, published by the Society for Personality and […]

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