Study Examines How Older Adults Experience Pain Throughout The Day
A new study examined how well older adults remember their levels of pain, mood, and fatigue compared to real-time reports collected throughout the day.
Researchers at UF, including Yenisel Cruz-Almeida recorded 26 participants who used a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment to record their pain, mood and fatigue three times a day for two weeks. On the 15th day, they recalled their average levels.
Findings showed that greater fluctuations in pain intensity led to less accurate recall, even when accounting for peak and end pain levels and number of painful areas. Interestingly, this effect did not apply to mood or fatigue, suggesting that memory distortions are particularly linked to pain variability.
Learn more in the article, “Real-time and recollected ratings of pain, mood, and fatigue in older adults” which is available in PAIN Reports!
A Study Surrounding Placebos Could Lead to New Treatment Methods
Can a placebo you know is a placebo help with pain when combined with mindfulness?
A new study involving researchers from across the nation including Roger Fillingim, is exploring whether pairing mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with an open-label placebo (OLP), a placebo taken without any deception, can better relieve chronic pain compared to either treatment alone.
This first step is all about seeing if the study approach works smoothly, so researchers can move on to a bigger trial. If successful, it could open up new, non-opioid ways to manage chronic pain!
Learn more about the pilot and feasibility study, “Combining mindfulness intervention and open-label placebo treatment for chronic pain: a protocol for a feasibility study” here!