Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 487
To compare the efficacy of subcutaneous carbon dioxide insufflations, and sham-ultrasound for treating patients with acute non-specific neck pain in general practice.
A total of 126 consecutive patients (mean age: 45 ± 13.5 years) reporting non-specific neck pain < 7 days were randomised to subcutaneous carbon dioxide insufflations (experimental group) or 5 min sham-ultrasound (display of 0.2 W/cm2 but no delivery of sound waves). Both interventions were administered by two persons in a randomised order. Patients, therapists and investigator were masked to sham-treatment. Main outcome measure was duration of neck pain analysed by time to event analysis. Non-response, on-demand analgesics, and the McGill Pain Questionnaire were secondary outcome measures.
Twenty-seven of 63 patients (43%) became pain-free during the 28-day observation period in the experimental group, and 29 of 63 (46%) in the control group. Mean pain duration was 23 days in the experimental group, and 22 days in the control group (P = 0.77; log rank test). Nine of 63 experimental persons (14%) discontinued treatment due to non-response, and 10 of 63 (16%) persons of the control group (P = 1.0; Fisher’s exact test). Other outcome measures also did not differ between groups.
Subcutaneous carbon dioxide insufflations are not better than sham-ultrasound for treating patients with acute non-specific neck pain. Non-specific effects might play an important role in the treatment of acute non-specific neck pain, though self-limitation cannot be excluded.
