Treatment of pain

About my blogs

I discuss topics related to pain management in an accessible way for anyone who wants to know more about this fascinating and still poorly understood area of medicine, including health care professionals, patients, and students.

My purpose is solely educational and non-profit. While I aim to make best use of the available scientific evidence, the content of the blogs reflect primarily my personal opinion.

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Michele Curatolo

Feb 6
3 min

Do antidepressants reduce pain or not?

Antidepressants can relieve pain independent of the presence of depression, likely due to their effect on the pain inhibitory system.

141 views0 comments

Michele Curatolo

Nov 16, 2022
3 min

Placebo for pain: from enemy to friend

The placebo effect relies on patient’s expectation that a treatment will help. It is a welcome way to enhance pain relief.

118 views0 comments

Does an injury lead to long-term opioid use?

Michele Curatolo

Sep 15, 2022
2 min

Does an injury lead to long-term opioid use?

Acute injury rarely results in long-term use of opioids.

57 views0 comments

Epidural steroids: Long-term improvement, but ...

Michele Curatolo

Jul 20, 2022
4 min

Epidural steroids: Long-term improvement, but ...

Epidural steroid injections in older adults: study with 2-years follow-up shows that patients improve, but unlikely due to the injection.

405 views0 comments

$Acute back pain after osteoporotic fractures: Which medication?$

Michele Curatolo

Jul 6, 2022
2 min

Acute back pain after osteoporotic fractures: Which medication?

Acute back pain after osteoporotic vertebral fractures is a public health issue. Choosing a medication that limits harm is challenging.

165 views0 comments

Neck pain and headache: Can stem from the C1-2 joint

Michele Curatolo

Jun 22, 2022
2 min

Neck pain and headache: Can stem from the C1-2 joint

Pain at the upper neck and headache can stem from the C1-2 joint. Steroid injection or surgery can be effective

114 views0 comments

Prognostic nerve blocks: meaningful or meaningless?

Michele Curatolo

May 12, 2022
4 min

Prognostic nerve blocks: meaningful or meaningless?

Prognostic nerve blocks to predict the effect of a subsequent treatment may be meaningful or not, depending on the nature of the procedure.

541 views0 comments

Improve your sleep, mood and physical function, and you may have less pain

Michele Curatolo

Apr 27, 2022
2 min

Improve your sleep, mood and physical function, and you may have less pain

In chronic pain, improvement in sleep, psychological and physical functioning may precede reduction in pain.

165 views0 comments

Adding a procedure to current treatment of chronic pain

Michele Curatolo

Apr 13, 2022
3 min

Adding a procedure to current treatment of chronic pain

A recent study used a pragmatic approach to demonstrate that adding a hip injection to current treatment improves pain for 6 months.

228 views0 comments

Better nutrition, less pain: Turn your pantry into a potent tool for better health and less pain

Heather Tick

Mar 15, 2022
4 min

Better nutrition, less pain: Turn your pantry into a potent tool for better health and less pain

"You change your body chemistry each time you eat". Evidence for associations between diet and pain are growing.

170 views0 comments

Why would an anesthetic nerve injection produce long-term pain relief?

Michele Curatolo

Jan 5, 2022
4 min

Why would an anesthetic nerve injection produce long-term pain relief?

Local anesthetics have a short duration of action, so why would they work in chronic pain?

711 views0 comments

Opioid escalation after surgery in patients with opioid use disorder

Michele Curatolo

Dec 29, 2021
3 min

Opioid escalation after surgery in patients with opioid use disorder

Definition According to the American Psychiatric Association, opioid use disorder is a condition in which there is uncontrolled use of...

234 views0 comments

When patients with chronic pain want a procedure, but doctors do not recommend it

Michele Curatolo

Dec 15, 2021
3 min

When patients with chronic pain want a procedure, but doctors do not recommend it

Not an uncommon situation that can cause disappointment, frustration, and even anger.

276 views0 comments

About my blogs

To know about new blogs, you can subscribe here --> Your data will not be shared

To know about new blogs, you can subscribe here -->
Your data will not be shared