Spider venom-- new tool in the pain management toolbox?

Spider bites can be painful, right? And they can become infected, which leads to a whole host of problems worse than the original bite. But believe it or not, some of the substances contained in some varieties of spider venom may actually provide a new way to treat some forms of chronic pain.

Brian Stallard, a writer at Nature World News, recently wrote an article about this very topic. He cites an article in the British Journal of Pharmacology that describes research in this area. The journal authors have found that some persons are genetically deficient in the ability to block certain pain channels, resulting in widespread pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia. The venom components under study seems to block these pain channels, resulting in some relief from the widespread pain.

While this research is still in its infancy, it shows promise for development of a whole new class of painkillers. They also offer hope to those who suffer from these disorders, which have limited treatment options and are poorly understood at present.

Take a moment to think about it...I remember when botox came into the marketplace. True enough it is used for cosmetic purposes...but the medical uses of botox have also become commonplace. Have hope, my friends!

Sources: Nature World News; Wikimedia

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Living with Chronic pain hits the big screen!

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