Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 146
Chronic pain has been identified as a disease that is difficult to treat. Hydrotherapy, leeches and phytomedicine have been shown to be effective. A further promising method is rhythmic embrocation, an anthroposophical technique that uses rhythmic movements of the dermis for applying oily substances to the skin. Aim of the study: Evaluation of therapeutic effects of rhythmic embrocation with Solum Öl.
In a prospective observational study 105 patients with chronic pain were treated three times (T1–T3) within 24 days with rhythmic embrocation with Solum Öl (PPA: n = 99). The main active constituents per 10 g of Solum Öl are aqueous peat extract (1:5) 1.96 g and Lavandulae aetheroleum 0.5 g. Outcome parameters were measured before the first and after each of the three treatments: mood Scale (Bf-S); Pain Perception Scale (affective and sensory PPS). Standard statistical methods were used; effect sizes (ε) were also calculated.
Patients were mainly female (89%), mean duration of chronic pain (low back pain): 8.8 years, one dropout due to urticaria. Bf-S was reduced from 25.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.8–28.1] before T1–13.3 (95% CI 11.7–15.0) after T3; sensory PPS from 18.8 (95% CI 17.7–19.8) to 15.2 (95% CI 14.1–16.4); and affective PPS from 29.8 (95% CI 27.9–31.7) to 21.2 (95% CI 19.4–23.0) (all P < 0.01; affective PPS ε = 0.86; Bf-S, ε = 0.81; sensory PPS, ε = 0.56).
The high values of the effect sizes show that repeated rhythmic embrocation with Solum Öl improves mood, coping of pain (affective PPS) and pain perception (sensory PPS) in patients with chronic pain.
