In the quest to suppress pain, are we blocking our bodys own ability to heal? Thats one of the key questions explored at recent scientific meetings, including theInternational Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) World Congress on Pain, which I attended in September, and theInteragency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) meetinga few weeks ago, where I serve as chair.

While the discussions at both meetings were wide ranging, the conversations on the relationship between pain and healing were especially compelling. At both meetings, attendees heard from Luda Diatchenko, M.D., Ph.D., of McGill University. During her talks at bothIASPandIPRCC, she presented provocative findings from her research on the connection between the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and chronic pain after an injury. Herresearch, leveraging data from UK Biobank, found that the risk of acute pain turning into chronic pain increases when NSAIDs are used in the acute stage.

Martina Schmidt, Ph.D.
November 29, 2022

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) depends on the willingness of research scientists to participate as peer scientific reviewers of grant applications. We recruit a large number of reviewers from different scientific disciplines and backgrounds for this service, which is voluntary.

Peer review of grant applications is a fundamental part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants process. It helps ensure that the science we support is of the highest quality and that applications are evaluated in a fair, unbiased way.

TODAY! November 30, 2022, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. ET; Virtual

This technical assistance webinar will provide information for those interested in applying for a funding opportunity announcement tosupport a collection of research networksthat promote multidisciplinary mechanistic studies of music-based interventions (MBIs) for pain or Alzheimers disease and Alzheimers disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD). Register now.

December 13, 2022, 2:00 p.m.-3:15 p.m. ET; Virtual

Stress and adversity experienced during early development can exert a profound and persistent imprint on our physiology, brain, and health across the lifespan. This can lead to long-term health outcomes such as substance use, depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Stress and adversity may be transmitted from one generation to the next; however, protective experiences may prevent or mitigate these effects. Dr. Laura Stroud will provide examples of findings from her laboratory and of ongoing studies at the NIH-funded COBRE Center for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR) and the Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at The Miriam Hospital, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. The focus in this work is elucidating pathways and interventions to foster resilience. Other topics will include intergenerational transmission of maternal experiences and behaviors in fetuses and babies; the importance of understanding and intervening during sensitive periods; and the need for understanding the broader exposome. The critical need to build resilience and mitigate health inequities at structural and community levels will also be discussed.

This lecture series is presented by NCCIH and supported by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health with a generous gift from Bernard and Barbro Osher

Registration is now open.