Nondrug approaches effective for treatment of common pain conditions: back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and severe headaches and migraine – NIH Review
Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN
UPDATED on 4/23/2019
- Teva is stopping a Phase 3 study evaluating Ajovy as a cluster headache treatment after a futility analysis showed the migraine drug is unlikely to reduce the number of attacks, the Israeli drugmaker said Tuesday.
- The trial discontinuation will expand the opportunity for Eli Lilly’s Emgality to differentiate itself with a new indication in episodic cluster headaches. A Lilly spokesperson said the drugmaker expects a Food and Drug Administration decision in the second quarter for its supplemental application, which received priority review designation last month.
- These types of medicines, called CGRP inhibitors, entered the preventive migraine space last year with three launches within a few months. Teva is carrying on Ajovy development with a Phase 2 study in post-traumatic headache, while Lilly is evaluating its drug in Phase 3 studies for preventing migraines in adolescents.
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https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/teva-ajovy-cluster-headache-phase-3-lilly-emgality/553252/
The researchers reviewed 105 U.S.-based randomized controlled trials, from the past 50 years, that were relevant to pain patients in the United States and met inclusion criteria. Although the reporting of safety information was low overall, none of the clinical trials reported significant side effects due to the interventions.
The review focused on U.S.-based trial results on seven approaches used for one or more of five painful conditions — back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and severe headaches and migraine — and found promise in the following for safety and effectiveness in treating pain:
- Acupuncture and yoga for back pain
- Acupuncture and tai chi for osteoarthritis of the knee
- Massage therapy for neck pain with adequate doses and for short-term benefit
- Relaxation techniques for severe headaches and migraine.
Though the evidence was weaker, the researchers also found that massage therapy, spinal manipulation, and osteopathic manipulation may provide some help for back pain, and relaxation approaches and tai chi might help people with fibromyalgia.
“These data can equip providers and patients with the information they need to have informed conversations regarding non-drug approaches for treatment of specific pain conditions,” said David Shurtleff, Ph.D., deputy director of NCCIH. “It’s important that continued research explore how these approaches actually work and whether these findings apply broadly in diverse clinical settings and patient populations.”
Read more about this report and find graphics at nccih.nih.gov/pain_review.
About the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH): NCCIH’s mission is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care. For additional information, call NCCIH’s Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit the NCCIH Web site at nccih.nih.gov. Follow us on Twitter(link is external), Facebook(link is external), and YouTube.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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