Researchers have discovered one of the most bizarre side effects of the novel coronavirus: The pathogen can inhibit a protein involved in pain signaling, effectively acting as a pain reliever. The spike protein that the virus uses to infect cells can also bind to a protein called neuropilin-1 that mediates pain. This process explains why …
For several years in a row now, life expectancy in the United States has seen a small but steady decline. This unfortunate trend has been largely blamed on the opioid crisis sweeping the nation, claiming many lives. The overall dip was small but noticeable, and the latest life expectancy report from the CDC suggests that …
If you’ve ever had your wisdom teeth removed you know how painful the days immediately following the surgery can be. Over-the-counter painkillers are often not powerful enough to offset the intense aching, and for decades, dentists have prescribed opioid painkillers to keep wisdom teeth patients comfortable during the brief recovery process. Now, as America’s opioid …
As the United States continues to struggle with a rising number of opioid addicts who were previously prescribed powerful painkillers due to a variety of ailments, the medical community is stuck between a rock and a hard place. As pain medication, opioids are incredibly potent, but they’re also highly addictive, and alternatives are hard to …
It’s no secret that the US is in the midst of an opioid crisis. Addiction statistics and overdose rates have climbed so high that they’re actually beginning to affect overall life expectancy for US citizens, leaving health officials scrambling to manage the huge number of opioid prescriptions that are handed out from coast to coast. …
