Pain Measurements in Local Cryotherapy

Journal/Book: Xlth World Congress of the International Federation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation September 16-20 1992 Dresden Germany Books of Abstracts.. 1992;

Abstract: Cryotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of musculosceletal pain. However quantitative experimental data for the evaluation of different therapeutical methods are poor. One of the reasons is the lack of experimental and clinical pain measurement methods which are based on an adequate stimulus. Two for physical therapy investigations adapted pain models will bei introduced and their usefulness for the evaluation of cryotherapeutical effects will be demonstrated. 1) Transcutaneous electrical pain threshold (EPT) measurement in normal joint tissue. Method: Monopolar EMG needles are inserted into the left and right humeroradial joint tissue of healthy test persons. They deliver (I/min) an linear increasing electrical stimulus (0 5 ms rectangular impulses 285 Hz). The stimulus is interrupted by the test person at the beginning of a painful sensation which is similar to joint pain in patients. The attained value in mA is defined as EPT. One side is treated by cryotherapy the contralateral side serves as control. 2) Pressure pain threshold (PPT) measurements in patients with musculo-sceletal pain. Method: An electromechanical device developes a linear increasing pressure (e.g. 1 k cm-2 s-1) on tender points of patients with musculo-sceletal pain. The pressure is interrupted by the test person at the beginning of painful sensation the attained value in kg is defined as the PPT. The effects of local cryotherapy (ice bag cold air stream cold N2 gas) on EPT and PPT will be demonstrated. hl

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