Swabs Containing Tea Tree Oil and Chamomile Oil Versus Baby Shampoo in Patients With Seborrheic Blepharitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: The comparison of the efficacy of swabs containing tea tree oil and chamomile oil and baby shampoo (BS) in the treatment of seborrheic blepharitis was aimed. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, active control, multicenter clinical trial included patients with seborrheic blepharitis using block randomization (BS, n=23; swabs, n=26). Patients were treated with BS or swabs for 8 weeks followed by 4 weeks of treatment withdrawal. Change in Blepharitis Symptom measure (BLISS), Demodex count, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, Schirmer test, tear breakup time (TBUT), noninvasive TBUT (NI-TBUT), corneal staining, and meibography at different visits (baseline, fourth, , and 12th week) were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Patients in both groups showed similar baseline parameters (P>0.05). Patients using swabs showed significantly lower BLISS scores compared with patients using BS at the 4th, 8th, and 12th week visits (3.6±6.1 vs. 6.3±4.5 P=0.011; 1.1±2.8 vs. 6.6±6.7, P<0.001; 0.9±2.8 vs. 5.7±6.6, P=0.002, respectively). Patients using swabs showed improvement in OSDI scores after 8 weeks of treatment compared with the baseline visit (P<0.001). Despite a similar Demodex reduction effect in both treatment arms even after 4 weeks of treatment (P<0.001), both treatment modalities did not show any effect on the other parameters. CONCLUSION: Although both swabs and BS showed efficacy for the treatment of seborrheic blepharitis in terms of the Demodex reduction and symptomatic improvement, swabs may provide better symptomatic improvement. Four weeks of treatment discontinuation may not cause any recurrence in the symptoms or Demodex infestation.

THE EFFECT OF BODY AWARENESS THERAPY AND AEROBIC EXERCISES ON PAIN AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PATIENTS WITH TENSION TYPE HEADACHE.

BACKGROUND: This study is to investigate the effect of Body Awareness Therapy (BAT) and Aerobic Exercises on pain and quality of life in patients with Tension-Type Headache (TTH). MATERIALS AND METHOD: Sixty individuals with TTH diagnosis who referred Neurologist were incorporated into study. The individuals were randomly grouped into 3 as BAT (n=20), aerobic exercise (n=20) and control group (n=20). Pain severity of the individuals was evaluated by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and pain diary, disability with ache; by Pain Disability Index (PDI) and Headache Impact Tests (HIT) and quality of life was evaluated by SF-36. Subsequent to first assessments, 3 sessions of 60 minutes per week throughout 6 weeks totally. RESULTS: When the groups were compared at the end of the study, a significant decrease was observed in VAS, PDI and HIT values in the individuals in the BAT and aerobic exercise groups. With the individuals in group BAT and aerobic exercise all parameters of quality of life were observed to be increased significantly. CONCLUSION: BAT and aerobic exercise programs to be applied on TTH patients were concluded to be important in decreasing the pain, in increasing the quality of life and in reducing pain-related daily constraints of the individuals.

Effect of manual lymph drainage on removal of blood lactate after submaximal exercise.

[Purpose] It has been well-established that exercise-induced muscle damage occurs following intense exercise. Massage is commonly used to manage muscle damage resulting from exercise. However the effect of massage after exercise is still not clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of manual lymph drainage on muscle damage and on the removal of blood lactate following submaximal exercise (SE), as part of a solution to the challenging problem in sports medicine of muscular recovery after exercise. [Subjects and Methods] Eighteen healthy male students, with moderate exercise training, were randomly assigned to either receive manual lymph drainage (MLD) or serve as controls. Both groups were subjected to a graded exercise test, performed on a treadmill ergometer, to determine each subject's individual anaerobic threshold (IAT). Seven days later, all subjects were made to run for 30 minutes on the same treadmill ergometer, at a running speed equivalent to the IAT. One group received MLD treatment, while the control subjects received no treatment. [Results] Following an increase immediately after exercise, lactic acid (LA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) serum levels dropped rapidly and significantly at the end of MLD application and two hours after SE in the subjects receiving MLD. The course of creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin levels was comparable, and with myoglobin showing a significant difference at 2 h after SE, and CK at 24 h after SE. [Conclusion] Manual lymph drainage after SE correlated with a more rapid fall in LA and of the muscular enzymes of LDH, CK and myoglobin, and may have resulted in an improvement in the regenerative processes elicted by structural damage to the muscle cells.

Short term effects of classic massage compared to connective tissue massage on pressure pain threshold and muscle relaxation response in women with chronic neck pain: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of classic massage (CM) and connective tissue massage (CTM) on pressure pain threshold and muscle relaxation response in women with chronic neck pain. METHODS: Participants included 45 female volunteers (ages between 25 and 45 years) presenting to the Köroglu State Hospital Neurosurgery Polyclinic who had experienced neck pain for 3 to 6 months. The volunteers were randomly assigned to 2 groups (CM or CTM to the thoracic spine and the neck). Each treatment was carried out for 1 session. Outcome measures were obtained before and after treatment, which included pressure pain threshold that was measured with an algometer and muscle relaxation response that was evaluated with electromyography biofeedback (EMG-BF). RESULTS: Pressure pain threshold of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was significantly different for the CM (P < .05) group. The EMG-BF values were significantly different for the CTM group (P < .05). Comparing the results of CM and CTM, EMG-BF averages favored the CTM group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: For the group of women with chronic neck pain that were included in this study, 1 treatment of CTM demonstrated relaxation responses and 1 treatment of CM demonstrated pain reduction.

The use of extracorporeal magnetic innervation for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in older women: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a major health problem that has substantial and important effects on health-related quality of life. In recent years, extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) has become a preferred method of treatment in urinary incontinence. This study presents the effects of ExMI treatment on pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary symptoms, incontinence conditions and quality of life of older women with SUI. METHODS: A total of 13 patients between the ages of 61 and 69 (mean 65.23 ± 2.8 years) were treated for SUI with ExMI. The following parameters were investigated: urinary symptoms, pelvic floor electromyographic (EMG) activity, 1-h pad test, incontinence conditions utilizing visual analog scale (VAS) and quality of life using Turkish version of the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and the Incontinence Quality of Life Instrument (I-QoL). All assessments were conducted at baseline and at the end of the study. Treatment lasted for 20 min, twice a week and for a total of 6 weeks. RESULTS: The urinary symptoms and incontinence conditions decreased after the ExMI treatment sessions. The pad test results indicated a reduction in urine loss (p = 0.016). EMG values were improved (p = 0.005). Scores of I-QoL, UDI-6 and VAS were reduced after the treatment, respectively (p = 0.002), (p = 0.002) and (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal magnetic innervation can be considered as it is an alternative, non-invasive and painless treatment method with good compliance for treatment of SUI in older patients.

Comparison of manual lymph drainage therapy and connective tissue massage in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed and compared the effects of manual lymph drainage therapy (MLDT) and connective tissue massage (CTM) in women with primary fibromyalgia (PFM). METHODS: The study design was a randomized controlled trial. Fifty women with PFM completed the study. The patients were divided randomly into 2 groups. Whereas 25 of them received MLDT, the other 25 underwent CTM. The treatment program was carried out 5 times a week for 3 weeks in each group. Pain was evaluated by a visual analogue scale and algometry. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Nottingham Health Profile were used to describe health status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: In both groups, significant improvements were found regarding pain intensity, pain pressure threshold, and HRQoL (P < .05). However, the scores of FIQ-7 (P = .006), FIQ-9 (P = .006), and FIQ-total (P = .010) were significantly lower in the MLDT group than they were in the CTM group at the end of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: For this particular group of patients, both MLDT and CTM appear to yield improvements in terms of pain, health status, and HRQoL. The results indicate that these manual therapy techniques might be used in the treatment of PFM. However, MLDT was found to be more effective than CTM according to some subitems of FIQ (morning tiredness and anxiety) and FIQ total score. Manual lymph drainage therapy might be preferred; however, further long-term follow-up studies are needed.

Short and long-term results of connective tissue manipulation and combined ultrasound therapy in patients with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the short-term and 1-year follow-up results of connective tissue manipulation and combined ultrasound (US) therapy (US and high-voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation) in terms of pain, complaint of nonrestorative sleep, and impact on the functional activities in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS: This is an observational prospective cohort study of 20 female patients with FM. Intensity of pain, complaint of nonrestorative sleep, and impact of FM on functional activities were evaluated by visual analogue scales. All evaluations were performed before and after 20 sessions of treatment, which included connective tissue manipulation of the back daily, for a total of 20 sessions, and combined US therapy of the upper back region every other session. One-year follow-up evaluations were performed on 14 subjects. Friedman test was used to analyze time-dependent changes. RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed that pain intensity, impact of FM on functional activities, and complaints of nonrestorative sleep improved after the treatment program (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Methods used in this study seemed to be helpful in improving pain intensity, complaints of nonrestorative sleep, and impact on functional activities in patients with FM.