CBS NEWS – A report finds when it comes to treating pain, meditation may provide drug-free relief. The study in the Journal of Neuroscience used a heated probe to inflict pain on a group of volunteers. Participants said meditation reduced the pain by as much as 24-percent. SOURCE – Journal of Neuroscience/MedDay/CBS
The latest research appears to support the link between the Zika virus and the birth defect microcephaly, which has been on the rise in South America. A study in The Lancet estimates the risk of microcephaly is about one in every 100 women infected with Zika during the first trimester of pregnancy. That number is based on a previous outbreak in French Polynesia. Microcephaly causes abnormally small heads and often brain damage. SOURCE – The Lancet/MedDay/CBS
Hoping to curb the epidemic of opioid abuse, the CDC released new recommendations for doctors treating chronic pain. The guidelines include three key principles. First – that non-opioid therapy is preferred. When opioids =are= used, they should be in the lowest effective dosage. And finally that providers are cautious and monitor patients closely. SOURCE – Centers for Disease Control/MedDay/CBS
