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Blocking an Aging Protein Helps Joints Heal Themselves, Offering New Hope for Osteoarthritis
Researchers at Stanford Medicine, working with collaborators from the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, have discovered a promising new way to help worn-out joints heal themselves. By blocking a protein that increases with age, the scientists were able to restore healthy cartilage in aging and injured knees—first in mice and then in human cartilage samples. Instead of using stem cells, the treatment works by “re-energizing” existing cartilage cells so they behave more like they did when the body was younger. The findings raise hope that, in the future, simple injections or even pills could help slow, stop, or reverse osteoarthritis, potentially reducing the need for painful joint replacement surgeries.
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Why Chronic Pain Can’t Be Explained by Biology Alone
Chronic pain is often assumed to be something doctors can measure directly in the body, but our findings show that pain is far more complex. While biological markers can help predict who may develop certain medical conditions linked to pain, they do not reliably explain how much pain a person feels or how widely it spreads in the body. Instead, the day-to-day experience of chronic pain is shaped mainly by psychosocial factors such as stress, mental health, sleep, work demands, lifestyle, and social support. We also found that when biological risk and psychosocial risk occur together, the likelihood of developing painful conditions increases dramatically. These results support a biopsychosocial model of pain and highlight the need for treatment approaches that address both the physical causes of disease and the psychological and social factors that influence how pain is experienced.
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High-THC Cannabis May Offer Only Modest, Short-Term Relief for Chronic Pain
Cannabis products that contain more THC may slightly reduce chronic pain for some people, especially those with nerve-related pain—but the relief is usually small and short-lived. A large review of studies found that while higher-THC products can modestly lower pain levels, they also increase the risk of side effects like dizziness, sleepiness, and nausea. Products with little or no THC, including CBD-only options, did not appear to ease pain at all. Overall, the findings suggest that cannabis is not a cure for chronic pain and that any potential benefit must be weighed carefully against its downsides, especially since long-term effects are still not well understood.
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Stem Cell–Based “Pain Sponge” Uses Nerve Cells to Calm Inflammation and Protect Arthritic Joints
There has been a development for an experimental, non-opioid therapy that uses lab-grown pain-sensing nerve cells to reduce inflammation and protect joints in osteoarthritis. Called SN101, the treatment is made from stem cells that are carefully transformed into pain-detecting neurons. Instead of blocking pain signals like most pain medications, these cells act like a “sponge,” absorbing inflammatory molecules inside the joint without sending pain messages to the brain. Early preclinical findings suggest this approach not only eases chronic pain but may also help slow cartilage damage, offering a potential new way to treat joint pain while addressing the disease itself rather than just masking symptoms.
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The Hidden Link Between Chronic Pain and High Blood Pressure
Chronic pain and high blood pressure are both common health problems, and new research suggests they may be closely connected. A large long-term study found that people living with ongoing pain—especially severe or widespread pain—were more likely to develop high blood pressure over time, even after accounting for age, lifestyle, medications, and other health factors. The risk increased as pain became more severe or affected more parts of the body, and depression played an important role in linking pain and hypertension. Experts say chronic pain may keep the body in a constant state of stress, raising blood pressure and affecting sleep and mental health. These findings highlight the importance of taking chronic pain seriously, screening for it routinely, and improving how pain is measured and treated—not only to reduce suffering, but also to protect long-term heart health.
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