RESUMEN
AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of pain memory distorsion using different quantitative pain scales. METHODS: A retrospective study on 2333 patients treated in a Pain Therapy Centre from 1994 to 2000 was carried out. VAS and NRS scores have been evaluated, as referred by patients, at the beginning and at the end of treatment. Moreover pain relief has been evaluated by means of correlation between initial and final pain. RESULTS: Patients do not remember initial pain correctly, using both VAS and NRS. CONCLUSION: Pain memory distorsion is related to pain intensity variation during treatment rather than present pain, and it is inversely related to the initial pain intensity. For this reason, it is not correct to evaluate pain relief at the end of treatment since this procedure can under- or over-estimate the initial pain.
Asunto(s)
Recuerdo Mental , Dolor/psicología , Enfermedad Aguda , Enfermedad Crónica , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Dimensión del Dolor , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
Further work on the treatment of postoperative pain with non-narcotic analgesics involving an investigation of the effect of twice the customary dose of lysine acetylsalicylate in a double-blind trial versus meperidine is reported. In addition to subjective and objective pain, the parameters included blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing rate, sweating, pupil diameter, nausea, vomiting, somnolence, hiccuping feeling of cold, erythema, dizziness, and nasograstric sound intolerance. Application of Wilcoxon's non-parametric tests and the chi-square test showed that the drug was as good as or better than meperidine with regard to pain, and performed very well overall with respect to the other parameters. The conclusion is drawn that its administration in high doses is justified in many patients subjected to general surgery.