Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Pain, Grip Strength and Function in Patients with Lateral Epicondylitis.

Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is a common and often extremely painful musculoskeletal condition. Several non-operative interventions with varying success rates have been described. Systematic reviews suggest that there is no clear and effective cure for pain symptoms in the first six weeks of treatment. There is a strong need for an intervention which is appropriate for patients and ensures effective short-term pain relief without increasing the risk of recurrence. The electrical stimulation using galvanic current is seen to be safe and effective in reducing pain, improving grip strength and promoting functional activities in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis.METHODSFifteen patients with lateral epicondylitis were selected. Electrical stimulation using galvanic current was applied for a period of 30 seconds at each point 3 times for 10 days. Pain, pain-free grip strength and functional status were measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), hand dynamometer and Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). Measurements were taken before and after treatment. Data was subjected to statistical analysis.RESULTSMean improvement was observed for pain (NPRS), pain free grip strength and functional status (PSFS) (5.8±0.9, P=0.001), (32.6±2.6, P=0.001) and (5.2±1.7, P=0.001) respectively.CONCLUSIONSApplication of electrical stimulation using galvanic current was effective in reducing pain, improving grip strength and functional status in patients with lateral epicondylitis

Evaluating Full Cup Study, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and Visual Analogue Scale in Assessing Pain after Surgical Removal of Lower Third Molar

@#The objectives of this study is to evaluate the suitability of full cup test (FCT), numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), and visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess pain after surgical removal of lower third molar and to identify which of these three pain scales is the easiest to use. A total of 50 patients, age between 18 to 30 years who underwent minor oral surgery for removal of impacted third molar were sampled in Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya. The patients were provided with forms containing three pain scales and they were required to mark each pain scales – FCT, NPRS and VAS daily for three consecutive post-operative days. The forms were collected a week later when patients came back for review. The validity between NPRS with VAS, FCT with NPRS and FCT with VAS were tested using Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results showed that the correlation coefficient values for each pair were very high and significant. The findings when comparing Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 and the combination for those three days showed no significant differences. No evidences indicated that the findings for Day 1 were more superior in comparison with other days. In conclusion, FCT was as valid as NPRS and VAS. The pain scale which was claimed to be the easiest to use by patients was NPRS, followed by FCT and VAS. However, further studies are needed to investigate the reliability and sensitivity of FCT.

A Comparative Study Between Different Pain Rating Scales in Patients of Osteoarthritis.

Study was conducted to assess the sensitivity and simplicity of various pain rating scales in patients of osteoarthritis with chronic pain so that most appropriate scale can be identified. Scales included were Wong- Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale (WBS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Faces Pain Scale- Revised (FPS-R), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS). Patients were asked to indicate their pain on these scales and comment about the simplicity of scales. Median mark for WBS, NRS, FPS-R, VAS and VRS was 10, 10, 10, 9.1 and 10 respectively. P value between WBS, NRS, FPS-R, VAS and VRS was insignificant. Most simple, easy to answer scale (83%) was WBS followed by FPS-R (17%). We conclude that all the scales are sensitive for assessment of the chronic osteoarthritis pain and are not different from each others. The most simple and preferred pain rating scale is WBS for the regional population.

Effect of dexamethasone on posttonsillectomy pain / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

Objective:To assess the effect of a course of intravenous dexamethasone on pain after tonsillectomy.Method:Sixty patients who underwent tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. Postoperatively, 30 patients in experimental group received anti-inflammatory drug and dexamethasone for 4 days, and the other 30 patients in control group received anti-inflammatory drug and placebo. Degree of postoperative pain was measured with visual analogue scale in the patients more than 12 year old and with Wong-Baker faces pain scale in the patients less than or equal to 12 year old. The measurement was made twice daily for 5 days.Result:During the postoperative period, the scale value was decreasing every day in the all patients.But the value in experimental group was less than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion:Dexamethasone given in this regime reduces postoperative pain and odynophagia after tonsillectomy.

Measurement of acute pain after eye surgery in children

This study was performed to assess the degree of acute pain in children following eye surgery using a Face Pain Rating Scale (FPRS), with a validity and reliability test employing a Numeric/Word Graphic Rating Scale (NWGRS). The degree of pain was obtained at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 hours after surgery using the FPRS and NWGRS. The changes in pain intensities were analyzed using a RM-ANOVA, while the relationship between the FPRS and NWGRS was analyzed by a Pearson coefficient in SPSS/WIN. Two third of the children experienced pain equal to, or greater, than moderate to severe, and about one fifth of the subjects expressed the most severe pain at 2 hours after surgery. At 4 hours after surgery, 95.3% of the children still complained of pain, and 8 hours after surgery, 82.8% of the patients experienced 'a little bit' or 'a little more' pain or discomforts. At 1 day after surgery, only 34.4% of children were free of pain. A high correlation between the FPRS and NWGRS was identified over 5 time-points (.887 < r < .735). The gender, type of the surgery and past operation experience had no effects on the degree of pain. Our results suggest that FPRS is a reliable and valid measurement for acute pain assessment in Korean children following eye surgery, and warrants application in the integrated clinical protocol, including non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of acute pediatric pain reduction following surgery.

Effect of Therapeutic Exercises on Shoulder Dysfunction in VDT-related female Office Workers / 예방의학회지

Visual display terminal(VDT) is popular in majority of office in modern countries. Musculoskeletal pain due to repetitive work with VDT is a serious industrial accident at present. In recent studies, shoulder pain in VDT users is the most common problem in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of exercises on shoulder dysfunction in VDT-related female office workers. Of the l19 patients with shoulder dysfunction, 32 patients entered into the study. 16 patients(Group I) were not prescribed exercises, other 16 patients (Group II) performed throughout the specific shoulder exercises such as pendular exercises(forward, backward and circumduction) and sidelying external rotation exercises with weights. After 3 months of exercises, the two groups were compared in term of the pain rating scale, disability questionnaire score and range of motion score. The results were summarized as follows ; l. The pain rating scale in Group I before and after 3 months were not differenced significantly(p value=0.784) and in Group II, the scale before and after exercises were differenced significantly(p value=0.0005). 2. The disability, questionnaire scores in Group I before and after 3 months were not differenced significantly(p value=0.437) and in Group II, the scores before and after exercises were differenced significantly(p value=0.0002). 3. The ROM scores of the affected shoulder in Group I before and after 3 months were not differenced significantly(p value=0.876) and in Group II, the scores before and after exercises were differenced significantly(p value=0.0017). In conclusion, that the specific shoulder exercises on shoulder dysfunction in VDT-related female office workers are encouraged.