Scientists Spot Chronic Pain 'On/Off' Switch

Scientists Spot Chronic Pain 'On/Off' Switch

U.S. researchers say they've identified a protein in nerve cells that acts as a kind of gatekeeper for chronic pain.


This enzyme, called protein kinase G (PKG), is turned on and activated in response to injury or inflammation. Once activated, PKG triggers other processes that generate pain messages that are sent to the brain. As long as PKG is switched on, pain persists. Turning PKG off relieves pain.


"We're very optimistic that this discovery and our continued research will ultimately lead to a novel approach to pain relief for the millions suffering from chronic pain," researcher Richard Ambron, professor of cell biology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said in a prepared statement.

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Great news!

I surely hope the method to turn the PKG comes quick. My daughter has been in constant chronic pain since last December after she was rear-ended by a car going 65 mph. Nothing has helped. Maybe this PKG thingy is going overtime for her. I hope we watch this information so we can determine if those in the know are trying to genuinely come up with a deactivator - or whether we just get a new and improved addictive pain medication in response to this new knowledge.

Originally posted by Valhall
...or whether we just get a new and improved addictive pain medication in response to this new knowledge.

Hopefully not.

Sorry to hear that your daughter's situation has not improved much...

Hope for the best...

Geez, wouldn't this be great if this is the drug to be looked at in the study trial I am trying to get into. At least it soundsl like a new approach to the situation.

I know nothing yet and am waiting for a call now that I have qualified, but I'm not going to participate if it doesn't at least have a new angle as oppossed to being just another combo of the same old approaches that don't work.

Good news either way.

YIKES - this thread really makes me wonder should anyone be voluntering for drug trials?

What went wrong here? I'd certainly like to know.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I agree with you there, but then that is why drug company's pay these people, there is a risk involved, however small it maybe, trouble is people forget these risks until it is too late as in the cases with these guys.

They were not forced into it, they volunteered and what has happened is horrible and i feel really bad for how it has turned out for them.

Originally posted by ringyramjet
I agree with you there, but then that is why drug company's pay these people, there is a risk involved,

Hmmmm.... I'm being screened to take part in a clinical trial here in the US. I would be thrilled if it were for this (I have no clue yet what the drug is suppossed to do), but I doubt this one is ready for human testing yet.

But so far there has been no mention of money if I am accepted into the clinical trial. I am doing it because I have been assured there will be thorough medical screening (lab work, etc.) prior to and during the trials and this will be medical screening I cannot get otherwise, let alone for free. Actually, my hope is they will find something to preclude me prior to the study commencing, and then at least I have something to go on in pursuing what is causing my problems. If not, and I am lucky enough to not get a placebo, maybe I will land an effective treatment.

My questions (I can back out at any time) I expect answered first is what exactly does this drug do that outhers out there don't. I'm not going to mess with another version of a drug that has the same old take of everything else out there. I will also ask if complications develop can I expect medical treatment of that to continue at no cost to me.

Am I covering all the bases? What else would one ask to take a risk like this?

I'm hoping it's true as well I've taken every pain killer you can think of,right now Lorcets don't even effect me,gets so bad that I'm glad I've gotten rid of all firearms in my house

What I find most promising about this is that it actually targets a new take on the cause of chronic pain. I do think in some people it becomes a vicious cycle and have noticed myself that flares of pain cannot be stopped unless the pain is totally halted.

Most current remedies give temporary relief, but the remnants of pain are still there. They just build right back up again when the medication doesn't bring it to a halt. Taken a step further, getting something that stops it ends the cycle. So I really think there is something to this new treatment and it can't come soon enough.

I hope it pans out, and I hope it is also effective for fibromyalgia. My daughter suffers from this, and it's so sad that nothing has been completely effective for her.

Val I hope your daughter can benefit from such great news.

Byrd this will be great for people that suffer fibromyalgia, I am surprised that Sofi has no gotten on this one yet . . .

Fibromyalgia is one of those diseases that has been so wrong diagnosed and miss treated.

I cannot believe that it was a time when it was thought to be a woman's mental state of mind.





[edit on 3-8-2006 by marg6043]

Originally posted by Byrd
I hope it pans out, and I hope it is also effective for fibromyalgia. My daughter suffers from this, and it's so sad that nothing has been completely effective for her.

The clinical trial I am pre-pre screened for is actually for Fibro. Though this is a diagnosis I have, I do not believe Fibro is a stand alone dis-ease, I do believe it is caused by "something" and they haven't nailed it down yet, and my problems do go beyond Fibro.

However, if I get accepted for the trial and they will tell me what is different (what is the target) of this drug as oppossed to what is already out there that obviously doesn't work, hopefully I will be able to share at some point.

At least, as Marg has pointed out, Fibro is taken seriously now (I've had it for 15 years) but of course what good is that if they don't know what to do about it.

I have a miriad of things that do help, both prescription and natural, but the prescriptions are not "protocol" so no one will give them to me in FL (this was not a problem in NY) and the "alternative" things are costing me a fortune.

It would be something if this trial is for the "pain switch" but I doubt that one is ready for human trials yet.