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StanfordPain

@stanfordpain.bsky.social
197 followers 430 following 165 posts

Predicting, preventing, and alleviating pain—while reshaping how the world understands it. Follow for pro-patient insights and research that matters. Follows/Engagement ≠ Endorsement

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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Treatments that may be appropriate for different chronic pain conditions 🔽
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Having experienced childhood trauma does not mean someone is less likely to benefit from behavioral pain treatment for chronic low back pain, new research suggests.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
What if the real goal isn't simply less pain, but more life? For many people with chronic pain, what they want most is to regain a sense of control and reconnect with activities, relationships, and goals that pain has disrupted.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Not all chronic back pain is the same, and neither is the treatment. Depending on what's causing your pain, your doctor may recommend therapies that: • Block pain signals • Relieve pressure on spinal nerves • Treat painful vertebrae • Stabilize the SI joint
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Researchers found that spinal cord astrocytes undergo major metabolic changes after injury, and abnormal fat processing may be one mechanism that helps pain persist and become chronic. bit.ly/4yQjsDp
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Water-based exercise didn't build bigger muscles than standard care in a recent study, but it may improve muscle health in ways that land-based treatment doesn’t. If traditional exercise feels challenging, aquatic therapy may be another option to explore.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Belonging isn't a luxury. It's part of health.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Two people can sustain the same spinal cord injury and end up with very different pain outcomes.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Sleep is not just a victim of chronic pain—it is often a driver of it. Learn how sleep and pain are connected, why improving sleep can help reduce pain, and practical strategies backed by research. stanford.io/4fHUQo6
stanford.io
Better Sleep, Less Pain: What Research Shows About the Sleep-Pain Connection Chronic Pain and Sex: Why Intimacy Changes, and What Can Help
Story by Alexis Nash | Medically reviewed by Drs. Heather King and Kristen MacKenzie
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
"So much of the fear of opioid tapering is about losing control." That's the challenge Stanford Medicine researcher Dr. Beth Darnall set out to address.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
"The overall trend is briefer, technology-assisted, and personalized feedback," says Stanford's Dr. Beth Darnall, commenting on two new randomized trials examining shorter, more scalable cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) models for chronic pain. Read the article: wb.md/4gK2ctI
wb.md
Shorter, Scalable CBT Models Ease Chronic Pain in Two RCTs
Two randomized clinical trials suggest that brief, virtual, and self-directed CBT models can reduce pain interference and expand access to evidence-based chronic pain care.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Can a single class help people living with a rare connective tissue disorder better manage chronic pain? In a new open access study led by Dr. Luzmercy Perez, researchers evaluated a one-session telehealth pain relief class, Empowered Relief®, in adults with Marfan syndrome and related conditions.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Women shouldn’t have to prove their pain is serious to receive care.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Not everyone with chronic pain taking daily opioids should taper their medication.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Want better outcomes after surgery? Brief interventions can help surgical patients meaningfully improve their surgical recovery without adding medication. Source: bit.ly/4bbIZ0a
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
If your tests are normal but you’re still in pain, the story isn’t over—it’s just deeper.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
By using AI to analyze movement and behavior, researchers found a way to tell whether a drug is actually relieving pain or simply making animals too sleepy to respond. More here: bit.ly/4eNojNg
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Does your jaw click or pop? It's more common than you might think. About 30% of adults report clicking or popping in the jaw joint, and many experience these sounds without pain. However, pain, locking, or difficulty moving the jaw should be evaluated.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Medicine has traditionally been taught to treat what can be clearly seen or measured. But pain doesn’t always work that way, and pain education needs to evolve to reflect that.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Chronic pain conditions affect 24% of the US population and account for the greatest cause of disability.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
One of the biggest mistakes pain clinicians can make is assuming their patients experience pain the same way they would. Full Soulture episode: bit.ly/4woNNIG
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Believe pain patients the first time.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
People who walked around 100 minutes per day lowered their risk of chronic low back pain by 23%, one study found. Interestingly, speed mattered less than consistency. You do not need to move perfectly to benefit. Walk when you can. Every bit helps. Source: bit.ly/3VVwT2K
bit.ly
Walking Can Prevent Back Pain From Coming Back
A program that included 30 minutes of walking 5 days a week doubled the length of time between backache episodes, researchers say.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Pain without answers is one of the hardest things to live with.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
People living with pain deserve compassion from doctors, not skepticism.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Pain that limits your relationships, movement, and daily life is not minor.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Why doctors and patients living with pain need a shared language Full episode: bit.ly/3PM86PM
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Central sensitization explained, and why it doesn’t mean pain is “all in your head.” As Dr. Alopi Patel notes, central sensitization can play a major role in chronic pain, but it’s not the only possible cause. Whatever the source, pain is real and deserves to be validated.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
“If fellows leave fellowship thinking pain medicine is only about doing injections, then I feel like I haven’t done my job as an educator.” Stanford’s Dr. Meredith Barad shares her perspective on the future of pain medicine in a new interview with ASRA Pain Medicine. bit.ly/4tODevX
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Quality of life should be a medical outcome, not an afterthought.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
5 supplements commonly discussed in chronic pain care & their potential benefits: 1. Vitamin D: muscle + immune health 2. Vitamin B12: nerve health + fatigue 3. Magnesium: muscle relaxation + nerve function 4. Zinc: antioxidant support 5. Turmeric: anti-inflammatory support
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Closing the chart isn’t the same as helping the patient.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
One of the hardest parts of pain is grieving the life you had before it. Chronic pain can take away routines, hobbies, movement, confidence, relationships...pieces of who someone feels they are. Hear the full Soulture podcast with Dr. Sean Mackey: bit.ly/4woNNIG
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Pain is a message, not just a location. It is created by the brain after the nervous system processes information from the body.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
From whole foods to processed snacks, what’s on your plate may help quiet pain—or make it harder to ignore. stanford.io/4wmuvnl
stanford.io
Nutrition, Nutraceuticals, and Chronic Pain: How Food and Supplements Can Help
The hidden conversation between your diet, your inflammation, and your pain
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
“You’re lucky to be alive. Some pain is expected. Suck it up and deal with it.” That’s how post-mastectomy pain has been treated for years, says Dr. Sean Mackey. It remains underrecognized and undertreated. Read more: bit.ly/48w8dVT
bit.ly
These women had their breasts removed to thwart cancer. Then came the pain.
Post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, is estimated to afflict tens of thousands of U.S. women each year. It is not well understood.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Pain doesn’t have to be life-threatening to be life-altering.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Surgery is already a big event. For patients with chronic pain, it can feel even more uncertain. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) takes a different approach—one that treats patients as partners, with a shared plan for what to expect before, during, & after surgery. stanford.io/48osdK1
stanford.io
What ERAS Means for You if You Live With Chronic Pain
You’re part of the team guiding your recovery before, during, and after surgery
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Two people can feel the same heat, and report very different pain. New research shows the spinal cord encodes temperature, while the brain shapes the experience of pain.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Are you 18–23 and living with ongoing pain? You may be eligible to join the national PROGRESS study, an online research study focused on teaching pain relief skills—at no cost. • No in-person visits • No medication changes • All pain types welcome See if you qualify: stanford.io/41oXjxe
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Too many women are taught to live with pain instead of being treated for it.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Minimally invasive spine interventions are expanding options for chronic pain care. This article explores how these procedures work, who they may help, and how they fit into a broader treatment plan. stanford.io/411FCnj
stanford.io
Minimally Invasive Spine (MIS) Interventions: A New Approach to Treating Chronic Pain
Alexis Nash
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
For many people, musculoskeletal pain is part of daily life—flaring, easing, and shifting over time. This article explores what’s behind it, and how small changes in movement, sleep, and stress can make a difference. stanford.io/4uz8ZdX
stanford.io
Understanding Musculoskeletal Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and What Can Help
Struggling with back, knee, shoulder, or joint pain? Learn why musculoskeletal pain happens, common triggers, and practical strategies to reduce discomfort, improve movement, and support better sleep
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
In lab studies of short, experimental pain (not chronic pain), tolerance can shift based on context—even who’s watching. Men tolerated more when an attractive woman was present, suggesting social pressure can influence how pain is expressed. Full @hubermanlab.com episode: bit.ly/4hmwiS7
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Pain may be more than a symptom in breast cancer, a new study says. Nerves that sense pain can release chemicals that help tumors grow and spread. Read on: bit.ly/472BTJA @vivtawfik-mdphd.bsky.social
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
What people living with chronic pain wish others understood 1. “Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.” 2. “I am in pain all the time. You can’t see it on my face because I hide it.”
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Women’s pain is often labeled “stress,” “anxiety,” or “hormones.” Too often, that ends the conversation instead of starting the investigation.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
A normal scan doesn’t mean nothing is wrong. It means we need a better explanation for the pain.
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
5 Things to Know About IV Ketamine for Severe Headaches
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StanfordPain @stanfordpain.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
When people hear “pain psychology,” they often think... • “Are you saying it’s all in my head?” • “So this is just stress?” • “Does this mean my pain isn’t real?” The science says the opposite. Learn why: stanford.io/4ss25FN
stanford.io
Why Psychology Matters for Pain Relief in 2026
Pain psychology for chronic pain: explore self-empowerment and practical coping tools proven to improve daily life
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