Pain Archive

Sometimes low back pain becomes a chronic problem, lasting more than three months. This can be difficult to treat. A 2026 study of 749 adults with chronic low back pain found that treatment with physical therapy provided modest benefits over cognitive behavioral therapy.

Chronic pain typically fluctuates during the day and some research suggests that it worsens at night, potentially interfering with sleep. If pain keeps you awake at night, trying these strategies may help you sleep better.

There are other conditions besides arthritis that can make walking difficult and even painful, such as peripheral artery disease, chronic venous insufficiency, lumbar spinal stenosis, and diabetic neuropathy.

A 2026 study of people with carpal tunnel syndrome found that wearing a rigid wrist splint provided minimal improvement and did not improve symptoms better than wearing a soft bandage for 12 weeks. Rates of surgery within one year were also similar.

The cause of most neck pain is strained or sprained muscles, ligaments, and tendons. First-line therapy is rest, ice, heat, pain relievers, and possibly limited use of a neck collar.

A cervical artery dissection is a tear in one of the arteries in the neck that carry blood to the brain. Although rare, it is one of the most common causes of stroke in people under age 50.