LONDON (Reuters) - Treating the immune system can dramatically ease the suffering of people with chronic pain from an injured limb or following an amputation, a finding that could change the way such pain is treated, scientists said on Monday. Researchers from the University of Liverpool said a dose of a blood product called intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG) significantly reduced pain in ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Even under Canada's system of universal healthcare, low-income women are less likely than their wealthier counterparts to receive epidural pain relief during childbirth, a new study finds. The findings mirror those of studies from the U.S. and other countries, and suggest that factors other than health insurance are at work, according to the researchers ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older adults who take powerful prescription painkillers known as opioids face an increased risk of bone fractures, especially at moderately high medication doses, a new study finds. Opioids are powerful narcotic pain medications that include morphine, oxycodone (Oxycontin and other brands) and hydrocodone (Vicodin and others). The drugs work well against severe pain in the short ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A modern twist on traditional acupuncture may bring some pain relief to people with knee arthritis, at least in the short term, a small study suggests. The study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the effects of electro-acupuncture among 40 adults with knee osteoarthritis -- the common "wear-and-tear" form of arthritis in which the cartilage cushioning ...