pain management
Conversations on neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is a common component of a wide range of chronic pain states that can have profound negatives impacts on physical, psychological and social activities. By Debbie Rigby, advanced …
‘All a bit strange:’ pharmacist uncovers fake scripts
A Victorian pharmacist’s thorough detective work proved to be the undoing of a nurse who forged 62 scripts for painkillers A former nurse has appeared before the Victorian Civil and …
Prescribers need to kick ‘opioid-first’ habit
A new standard of care will help hospital pharmacists reduce inappropriate supply of opioids, stakeholders say Thousands of Australians at risk from long-term reliance on opioid analgesics following short-term use …
Thought leadership: Pain and the functional medicine pharmacist
Functional medicine provides an opportunity for pharmacists who are looking to extend their role beyond the dispensary and toward fee-for-service consultations in clinic rooms, writes pharmacist and functional health coach …
Children’s pain: Suffer little children
Despite its prevalence, children’s pain is poorly understood, often ignored and under-treated, say pain experts in a new report. Undertreated, unrecognised or poorly managed pain in childhood leads to important …
Women’s pain: Lifting the lid on pelvic pain
By asking women how many days per month they suffer pain, you can differentiate between dysmenorrhoea alone (2–3 days) and complex central pain sensitisation (most days), says gynaecologist and pelvic pain …
Musculoskeletal health: Back to basics
Low back pain is leading cause of disability in the world, yet common treatments like paracetamol are ineffective, a wide-ranging review of the evidence has found Pharmacists will be no …
Musculoskeletal health: MSK survey helps make the invisible visible
Many people are experiencing pain seven days a week affecting their ability to work and function, a musculoskeletal health survey finds.1 Living with a musculoskeletal condition is negatively effecting the …
Musculoskeletal health: Supportive shoes reduces knee pain in severe OA
Wearing stable, supportive footwear reduces knee pain significantly in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, according to results of a randomised, controlled trial1 presented at the OARSI 2021 World Congress. Clinical …
Chronic pain and opioids: How to talk tapering
Knowing how to begin patient conversations about opioid tapering can be challenging so NPS MedicineWise offers some practice tips to get the conversation off on the right footing. Use the …
Chronic pain and opioids: Carers must be opioid aware
With opioid literacy an ongoing problem, Carers Australia is urging pharmacists to play a more active role in identifying carers of people relying on opioids for pain relief, and to …
Shingles needs a shake-up
A campaign aims to make Australians shingles-aware — and one group says pharmacists could help. A new campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the signs, symptoms and risk …