Showing papers on "Pain assessment published in 1983"

Painful bone metastasis: efficacy of radiotherapy assessed by the patients; a randomized trial comparing 4 Gy x 6 versus 10 Gy x 2

Abstract: Fifty-seven patients with painful bone metastases were randomized to receive 4 Gy in 6 fractions over 3 weeks with 2 fractions per week or 10 Gy in 2 fractions with an interval of one week. Pain intensity was assessed by scoring the consumption of analgesics combined with patient self-evaluation on a visual analogue scale. Treatment results were identical in the two treatment groups, with satisfactory pain control in about 48% of the patients. In other studies with physician evaluation of pain control, better results have invariably been reported, suggesting some degree of observer bias. A review of the literature as well as the results of this study indicates that within wide ranges no optimal radiation schedule or dose exist for reducing pain in bone metastases. Therefore short courses of treatment using moderate doses should be preferred for the convenience of the patients.

Randomised double-blind trial on the immediate effects of naloxone on classical Chinese acupuncture therapy for chronic pain.

Abstract: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that acupuncture therapy and acupuncture analgesia are both endorphin mediated. Thirty consecutive patients, all with pain at the time of treatment, were chosen. Classical acupuncture was used on seventeen patients; ear acupuncture was combined with classical Chinese acupuncture on eight patients, and ear acupuncture alone was used in five cases. No electrical stimulation of any sort was used. Pain was assessed by the patients on a visual scale of 0 to 100 before and after acupuncture therapy. Immediately following the post-acupuncture pain assessment, the patient was injected intravenously with a 1 ml. injection of 400 micrograms of Naloxone or a 1 ml. injection of 0.9% Sodium Chloride on a randomised double-blind basis. The effect on pain relief was noted immediately and after thirty minutes. No significant change in pain relief already obtained was noted after Naloxone in any patient. This does not support the hypothesis that acupuncture therapy is mediated by endorphin.