]> Subscribe to the latest newsworthy research about Pain as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=11 en ababb@aan.com kwiersma@aan.com Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:29:54 GMT Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:39:38 GMT AXON RSS Extension http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss ababb@aan.com Channel Feedback http://www.aan.com/rss/?event=feed&channel=11 http://www.aan.com/rss/images/channels/channel_11_s.jpg 144 144 Subscribe to the latest newsworthy research about Pain as soon as it is published in <em>Neurology</em>^&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. <em>Neurology</em> is the world's most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal. false 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_92.pdf EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008 Media Contacts: Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Guideline: Surgery May Be Considered for Extreme Face Pain ST. PAUL, Minn. - A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds surgery may be considered for people who suffer from extreme, electric shock-like pain in their face and do not respond well to drugs. The guideline on treating trigeminal neuralgia is published in the August 20, 2008, online issue of Neurology&reg;, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "There are very few drugs with strong evidence of effectiveness in treating trigeminal neuralgia," said guideline author Gary Gronseth, MD, with the University of Kansas in Kansas City and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "If people fail to respond to these drugs, physicians should not be reluctant to consider referring the patient for surgery. Often surgery is considered a last resort and patients suffer while the well-intentioned physician tries other medications with limited effectiveness." Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that causes extreme, stabbing pain throughout the face. The pain normally doesn't last more than a few seconds or a minute per episode, but the episodes can last for days, weeks, or months and then disappear for months or years. The intense pain can be triggered by shaving, applying makeup, brushing teeth, eating, drinking, talking, or being exposed to the wind. It is more common in women than in men. The guideline recommends the drug carbamazepine be offered as a first-line treatment for people with trigeminal neuralgia. The guideline also says oxcarbazepine should be considered. "If patients don't respond well to carbamazepine or one or two other drugs, it is reasonable to consider surgery that targets the root of the trigeminal nerve," said Gronseth. "People with trigeminal neuralgia should be aware of the availability of surgical treatments and discuss these options with their physicians." The guideline also recommends that physicians consider sending all patients with trigeminal neuralgia for MRI or trigeminal reflex testing since up to 15 percent of patients have an underlying structural cause of the disorder, such as a tumor. The guideline was developed in partnership with the European Federation of Neurological Societies. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_92.pdf ababb@aan.com Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:00:00 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf Media Contacts: Angela Babb, ababb@aan.com, (651) 695-2789 Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (651) 695-2738 AAN Launches New Book Series to Help Patients and Caregivers ST. PAUL, Minn. - Following up on the success of Neurology Now&reg;, the free and award-winning patient and caregiver magazine of the American Academy of Neurology, the Academy has announced plans to launch a new series of books for neurology patients and caregivers in 2009 to be called Neurology Now Books&trade;. The Academy has expanded its publishing division, AAN Press, to publish this new book series. Titles planned to publish in the Neurology Now Books&trade; series include coping with multiple sclerosis, brain tumors, and taste and smell disorders in the first year. A fourth publication is also planned for late next year. "With one in six people now affected by a neurologic disorder, there's tremendous demand for the latest information on how to best meet the needs of this fast-growing population of patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will fulfill this growing demand," said Lisa M. Shulman, MD, Editor of Neurology Now Books&trade;, and a neurologist with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "With the experience the Academy has had in publishing Neurology Now&reg; magazine, it's sought to advance patient care and has developed an appreciation for the needs and concerns of neurology patients and caregivers. Neurology Now Books&trade; will continue to further our mission of improving patient care and public understanding of disorders of the brain and nervous system," said Shulman. Each issue of Neurology Now&reg; magazine reaches nearly one million readers. It is the only consumer magazine in the country devoted to the management of the range of neurologic disorders. The magazine offers information on treatment and cutting-edge research for such neurologic disorders as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, migraine, Parkinson's disease and more. For information on receiving a free subscription to Neurology Now&reg; magazine, visit www.neurologynow.com. AAN Press through Demos Medical Publishing published an earlier series of books for neurology patients and caregivers that will continue to be available for purchase via the AAN Store&trade;. Other AAN Press publications are Neurology&reg;, the most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal, Neurology Now&reg; magazine, and Neurology Today&reg;. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_94.pdf ababb@aan.com Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:04:51 GMT 1 http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1854.pdf The HPV vaccine does not increase the risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 to May 2, 2009. Guillain-Barré is a disorder that causes muscle weakness and tingling that can progress to paralysis. Although it can be life-threatening, most people recover with few remaining problems. The disorder often occurs after an infection; the body's immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. The vaccine was approved in June 2006 for use in girls and women age 9 to 26 to prevent infection with human papilloma virus (HPV) types that are the most common cause of cervical cancer. More than 16 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed. For the study, researchers examined data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There were 36 cases of Guillain-Barré reported after HPV vaccination in the United States from 2006 to 2008. The disorder occurred within six weeks after vaccination in 75 percent of the people. In 20 of the people, or 60 percent, HPV was the only vaccine they received at the time, while 16 people, or 40 percent, received the HPV vaccine along with other vaccines. "Our results show that Guillain-Barré is not occurring more often after HPV vaccination than it does in the general population," said study author Nizar Souayah, MD, of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "However, the fact that most of these cases occurred within six weeks of vaccination does warrant careful monitoring for any additional cases and continued analysis." The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, narcolepsy, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com. The AAN 61st Annual Meeting, the world's largest gathering of neurology professionals, takes place April 25 to May 2, 2009, in Seattle. Visit www.aan.com/am for more information. Study authors are available for interviews. Please contact Jenine Anderson, janderson@aan.com or Jay Mac Bride, jmacbride@aan.com. To access 2009 AAN Annual Meeting abstracts available February 25, 2009, visit http://www.aan.com/go/science/abstracts. Late-breaking abstracts will be featured in press release at the 2009 AAN Annual Meeting in Seattle. http://www.aan.com/rss/index.cfm/getfile/AAN_1854.pdf ababb@aan.com Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:00:00 GMT