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avid
29th November 2014, 18:37
For what it's worth....
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141126132639.htm

Summary:
A way to block a pain pathway in animal models of chronic neuropathic pain has been discovered by researchers, suggesting a promising new approach to pain relief.
In research published in the medical journal Brain, Saint Louis University researcher Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D. and colleagues within SLU, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other academic institutions have discovered a way to block a pain pathway in animal models of chronic neuropathic pain including pain caused by chemotherapeutic agents and bone cancer pain suggesting a promising new approach to pain relief.

The scientific efforts led by Salvemini, who is professor of pharmacological and physiological sciences at SLU, demonstrated that turning on a receptor in the brain and spinal cord counteracts chronic nerve pain in male and female rodents. Activating the A3 receptor -- either by its native chemical stimulator, the small molecule adenosine, or by powerful synthetic small molecule drugs invented at the NIH -- prevents or reverses pain that develops slowly from nerve damage without causing analgesic tolerance or intrinsic reward (unlike opioids).
An Unmet Medical Need
Pain is an enormous problem. As an unmet medical need, pain causes suffering and comes with a multi-billion dollar societal cost. Current treatments are problematic because they cause intolerable side effects, diminish quality of life and do not sufficiently quell pain.
The most successful pharmacological approaches for the treatment of chronic pain rely on certain "pathways": circuits involving opioid, adrenergic, and calcium channels.
For the past decade, scientists have tried to take advantage of these known pathways -- the series of interactions between molecular-level components that lead to pain. While adenosine had shown potential for pain-killing in humans, researchers had not yet successfully leveraged this particular pain pathway because the targeted receptors engaged many side effects.

A Key to Pain Relief
In this research, Salvemini and colleagues have demonstrated that activation of the A3 adenosine receptor subtype is key in mediating the pain relieving effects of adenosine.
"It has long been appreciated that harnessing the potent pain-killing effects of adenosine could provide a breakthrough step towards an effective treatment for chronic pain," Salvemini said. "Our findings suggest that this goal may be achieved by focusing future work on the A3AR pathway, in particular, as its activation provides robust pain reduction across several types of pain."
Researchers are excited to note that A3AR agonists are already in advanced clinical trials as anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents and show good safety profiles. "These studies suggest that A3AR activation by highly selective small molecular weight A3AR agonists such as MRS5698 activates a pain-reducing pathway supporting the idea that we could develop A3AR agonists as possible new therapeutics to treat chronic pain," Salvemini said
Ok - any 'new' news is good, for those clutching at straws. Hopefully some sort of breakthrough?
I have recently suffered second-degree burns to both legs, and the olde-fashioned methods seem to have worked for me. Keep it open, dry it out, and keep it clean. Colloidal silver, and aloe vera is wondrous! Straight from the plant is even better!!!

However - for those who are in dire straits - please research into this pain-relief research more.
Avid

Spiral of Light
29th November 2014, 21:56
Thanks for sharing this new pain relief method, Avid, and yes, it is good news. Too many are hooked on narcotics, and many find no relief at all.

For what it's worth, I recently tried acupuncture for chronic pain, and was amazed by the results. I've been going for acupuncture treatment once a week for several weeks now and have been able to cut way back on anti-inflammatory medication.

Gatita
2nd December 2014, 15:04
What's very frustrating, is that many insurance plans don't cover alternative pain relief options. I have chronic back pain, which I'm trying to resolve without long term opiates. It's quite possible that chiropractic care and/or acupuncture would help. Those options aren't covered by my insurance plan. The cost, in human lives, of opiate abuse is staggering. The government response is to make it more difficult for legitimate pain clinics to function. I lost my nephew to an accidental overdose. He became addicted after shoulder surgery that left him with chronic pain. Had his pain been properly treated and resolved, he might still be alive. But it was easier for a pill mill doctor to just keep giving him pills.

Cat