scholarly journals COPAHS Study: protocol of a randomised experimental study comparing the effects of hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and spiritual practices on experimental pain in healthy adults

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e040068
Author(s):  
Alexandra Ferreira-Valente ◽  
Filipa Pimenta ◽  
Rui M. Costa ◽  
Melissa A. Day ◽  
José Pais-Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Spiritual Practices ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Audio Recording ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Painful Stimulation ◽  
Related Stress

BackgroundThere has been an increasing interest in studying the potential benefits of so-called complementary and alternative approaches for pain management, such as hypnosis and mindfulness-based interventions. More recently, researchers have been interested in studying the effects of spiritual practices on pain experience as well. These practices may increase pain tolerance, result in a positive re-appraisal of pain and influence other psychological variables that are known to be associated with pain experience. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the immediate effects of self-hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and a spiritual intervention relative to a control condition for increasing pain tolerance and reducing pain intensity and pain-related stress, in response to experimental painful stimulation.Methods and analysisRecruitment is anticipated to start in November 2020. This is a randomised quantitative experimental mixed-design repeated-measures study with three assessment points: baseline (T0), pre-test (T1) and post-test (T2). Eligible healthy adults will be randomised to one of the four study conditions. Interventions will be a 20-minute audio-guided practice of either self-hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, or Christian prayer. Participants in the control group will not be instructed to use any specific strategy during the painful stimulation. Participants will be submitted to a first cycle of Cold Pressor Arm Wrap. They will then listen to a 20-minute audio recording inducing one of the three interventions, or, in the case of the control group, to a 20-minute audio recording of text from a natural history textbook. Primary outcomes are pain intensity and pain tolerance. Pain-related stress as measured by salivary cortisol level and heart rate variability are secondary outcomes.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by ISPA—University Institute’s internal Ethics Committee for Research on 3rd December 2018 (reference I/010/12/2018). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed indexed journals and presented at conferences.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT04491630). Stage: pre-results.

Alexithymia and pain experience in depressive patients

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 643-643
Author(s):  
K. Sokolowska ◽  
E. Gorniak ◽  
A. Kowalska ◽  
K. Wydra ◽  
K. Krysta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Pain Control ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Psychosomatic Illness ◽  
Great Intensity ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Intensity Range ◽  
Depressive Patients ◽  
Healthy Persons

IntroductionAlexithymia appears as an inhibition of recognizing and describing the mental conditions. It is often connected with psychosomatic illness or depression.AimsThe aim of this study was to compare depressive patients with healthy persons in terms of the prevelence and level of the alexithymia and pain feeling.MethodsThe examined group (E) consists of 16 patients with diagnosed depression (11 women, 44,6±11,6 year old).The control group (C) consists of 14 randomly chosen persons (10 women, 40,0+/-15,3 year old) who achieved < 11 points in the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI).The alexithymia level was examined with TAS - 26 questionnaire (difficulty of recognizing the feelings and somatic senses (ODR), concrete thinking (MK), difficulty of expressing the feelings (TRW) and the lack of imagination (U)). The intensity of pain was examined with the questionnaire SF-MPQ. The scale BPCQ was used to examine beliefs about pain control.ResultsNo statistical differences about age, sex, the U feature in TAS-26 scale and the results of BPCQ test were shown. The differences beetween groups E and C appeared in the alexithymia intensity range (75,3 ± 14,4 v.62,4 ± 8,2pts, p = 007), the ODR feature (23,7 ± 6,7 v. 13,0 ± 4,1pts, p< 0,001), MK (18,9 ± 4 v.23,1 ± 5,3pts, p = 0,036) and TRW (13,4 ± 2,6 v. 9,6 ± 2,8pts, p = 0,001). The E group featured significantly higher pain intensity(p = 0,012).ConclusionsThe patients with depression suffer from alexithymia very often. The prevalence of upper difficulties and great intensity of pain could suggest a psychotomatic component of pain affections.

scholarly journals A Cognitive Neuropsychological and Psychophysiological Investigation of a Patient Who Exhibited an Acute Exacerbated Behavioural Response during Innocuous Somatosensory Stimulation and Movement

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. M. J. Edelstyn ◽  
S. R. Baker ◽  
S. J. Ellis ◽  
P. Jenkinson
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Behavioural Response ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Somatosensory Stimulation ◽  
Pain Affect ◽  
Psychophysiological Investigation ◽  
Cognitive Neuropsychological

We report findings from a cognitive neuropsychological and psychophysiological investigation of a patient who displayed an exacerbated acute emotional expression during movement, innocuous, and aversive somatosensory stimulation. The condition developed in the context of non-specific white matter ischaemia along with abnormalities in the cortical white matter of the left anterior parietal lobe, and subcortical white matter of the left Sylvian cortex.Cognitive neuropsychological assessment revealed a pronounced deficiency in executive function, relative to IQ, memory, attention, language and visual processing. Compared to a normal control group, the patient [EQ] displayed a significantly elevated skin conductance level during both innocuous and aversive somatosensory stimulation. His pain tolerance was also significantly reduced. Despite this, EQ remained able to accurately describe the form of stimulation taking place, and to rate the levels of pain intensity and pain affect.These results suggest that EQ’s exaggerated behavioural response and reduced pain tolerance to somatosensory stimulation may be linked to cognitive changes, possibly related to increased apprehension and fear, rather than altered pain intensity or pain affect per se.

Comparison of Three Cognitive Strategies in Altering Pain Behaviors on a Cold Pressor Task

1984 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Gilligan ◽  
L. Michael Ascher ◽  
Jeffery Wolper ◽  
Chrystyna Bochachevsky
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Condition ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
The Self ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pain Experience ◽  
Cold Pressor Task ◽  
Treatment Conditions

The efficacy of three cognitive strategies for coping with pain was examined in a cold-water pressor task in a sample of college students. Subjects were pretested and then randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions (Paradoxical Intention, Rational Self-statement, or Self-observation) or to an expectancy control group. Following training in the respective cognitive strategies, all groups were given a posttest in the cold-water pressor to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Pain thresholds, tolerances, and discomfort ratings were recorded for subjects in each condition. No differences were found between the Paradoxical Intention or Rational Self-statement groups and the Expectancy Control on any of the pain measures. The Self-observation treatment condition, however, had significantly higher pain tolerance scores than the Expectancy Control group. The findings were attributed to the subjects' dissociating the sensory aspects of the pain experience from the anxiety when focusing upon the coldness and wetness of the cold water.

Design and Evaluation of a Modulated TENS Stimulation in Medical Pain Therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-83
Author(s):  
L. Bouafif ◽  
N. Ellouze
Keyword(s):  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pain Therapy ◽  
Subjective Evaluation ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Electrical Current ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Background: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive pain therapy that uses the sensory effects of an electrical current applied to the skin. Some clinical studies demonstrated that this treatment helps to reduce acute and chronic pains, while others gave sometimes contradictory or uncertain conclusions about the performances of this strategy according to pathology classification. The purpose of this study is the development and evaluation of a new modulated version of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation called PWM-TENS. The principle is based on an automatic variation of the stimulation parameters (frequency, amplitude, duration, shape, cyclic ratio) according to the pain evolution. Methods: The study was a controlled clinical trial involving 15 participants, divided into 2 groups. The first experimental group performed modulated PWM-TENS electro-stimulation sessions applied to the painful areas 3 to 4 times a day, for one month. The second control group did parallel treatments by Placebo. The evaluation of the pain intensity is done with the Visual Analog Scale (EVA), the DN4 and SF36 questionnaires. Results: The tests and measurements with our embedded PWM-TENS technique demonstrated that we succeeded to increase the analgesic effect after stopping the stimulation and reduced the pain sensation by about 60%. An improvement in pain intensity scores and questionnaires (EVA, DN4), as well as the quality of life score (SF36), was observed. Also, a reduction of the treatment period from 3 to 1 month was also obtained. Conclusion: The first results clinically observed in the PWM-TENS technique are encouraging. The findings of this study confirm that this noninvasive strategy is suitable and useful for acute pains coming from the nociceptive, neuropathic and musculoskeletal origin. However, its efficiency is moderated and less adapted for low back pain. The experiments make it possible to estimate whether this modulated TENS method could improve existing anti-pain therapies, taking into account objective and subjective evaluation criteria. But this study must be followed by large population samples to answer all the problems of acute and chronic pains.

scholarly journals Feasibility of using a biofeedback device in mindfulness training - a pilot randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenna Lin ◽  
Christopher Prickett ◽  
Steven Woltering
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Test Procedures ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Biofeedback Device

Abstract Background Stress can negatively impact an individual’s health and well-being and high levels of stress are noted to exist among college students today. While traditional treatment methods are plagued with stigma and transfer problems, newly developed wearable biofeedback devices may offer unexplored possibilities. Although these products are becoming commonplace and inexpensive, scientific evidence of the effectiveness of these products is scarce and their feasibility within research contexts are relatively unexplored. Conversely, companies are not required, and possibly reluctant, to release information on the efficacy of these products against their claims. Thus, in the present pilot, we assess the feasibility of using a real-time respiratory-based biofeedback device in preparation for a larger study. Our main aims were to assess device-adherence and collaboration with the company that develops and sells the device. Method Data were collected from 39 college students who self-identified as experiencing chronic stress at a Southwestern university in the USA. Students were randomized into either a mindfulness-only control group without a biofeedback device (n = 21), or an experimental group with biofeedback device (n = 18). Both groups received mindfulness meditation training. Pre-test and post-test procedures were conducted 2 weeks apart. Further, both participant compliance and company compliance were assessed and collaboration with the company was evaluated. Results Participant device-adherence as well as the company’s collaboration necessary for a full-scale study was determined to be low. This may also have affected our results which showed a strong main effect for time for all outcome variables, suggesting all groups showed improvement in their levels of stress after the intervention period. No group by time effects were identified, however, indicating no added benefit of the biofeedback device. Conclusions Our findings suggest feasibility of future studies requires full collaboration and detailed and agreed upon data sharing procedures with the biofeedback company. The particular device under investigation added no value to the intervention outcomes and it was not feasible to continue a larger-scale study. Further, as the technology sector is innovating faster than it can validate products, we urge for open science collaborations between public and private sectors to properly develop evidence-based regulations that can withstand technological innovation while maintaining product quality, safety, and effectiveness. Trial registration NCT02837016. Registered 19 July 2016.

scholarly journals Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a prophylactic treatment in migraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azza B. Hammad ◽  
Rasha E. Elsharkawy ◽  
Ghada S. Abdel Azim
Keyword(s):  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Serum Level ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Prophylactic Treatment ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Neurokinin A ◽  
Abortive Treatment

Abstract Background Clinical applications of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have shown promising results in the treatment of headache disorders, with migraine being one of the most encountered. Objective To assess the role of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a preventive treatment of migraine (with and without aura) and correlate the results with the serum level of the inflammatory biomarker (neurokinin A). Methods Forty patients, with age ranging from 15 to 55 years, diagnosed with migraine (30 migraine without aura and 10 with aura) and 20 apparently healthy individuals, who were age and sex matched with the patient group, were included in this study. A low-frequency (1 Hz) rTMS protocol was applied for all patients for five consecutive days interictally. Assessment of pain intensity using visual analogue scale and frequency and duration of attacks as well as number of pills taken by patients as an abortive treatment according to the Basic Diagnostic Headache Diary for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after TMS sessions was done. In addition, the Migraine Disability Assessment scale (MIDAS) was applied to assess the severity and degree of disability caused by migraine. Measurement of neurokinin A serum level was done by using ELISA for all patients before and after TMS and for control group once. Results There was a significant reduction in pain intensity, frequency and duration of migraine attacks, migraine disability scores, and number of pills taken as abortive treatment for attacks after rTMS (P < 0.001). Also, serum level of neurokinin A in the patients was significantly reduced after rTMS (P < 0.001). Conclusion Low-frequency rTMS is an effective prophylactic treatment for migraine with and without aura.

scholarly journals Virtual Reality Analgesia for Children With Large Severe Burn Wounds During Burn Wound Debridement

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hunter G. Hoffman ◽  
David R. Patterson ◽  
Robert A. Rodriguez ◽  
Raquel Peña ◽  
Wanda Beck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Severe Burn ◽  
Burn Wound ◽  
Absolute Change ◽  
Wound Debridement ◽  
Pain Medications

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of adjunctive virtual reality vs. standard analgesic pain medications during burn wound cleaning/debridement. Participants were predominantly Hispanic children aged 6–17 years of age, with large severe burn injuries (TBSA = 44%) reporting moderate or higher baseline pain during burn wound care. Using a randomized between-groups design, participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, (a) the Control Group = pain medications only or (b) the VR Group = pain medications + virtual reality. A total of 50 children (88% Hispanic) with large severe burns (mean TBSA &gt; 10%) received severe burn wound cleaning sessions. For the primary outcome measure of worst pain (intensity) on Study Day 1, using a between groups ANOVA, burn injured children in the group that received virtual reality during wound care showed significantly less pain intensity than the No VR control group, [mean worst pain ratings for the No VR group = 7.46 (SD = 2.93) vs. 5.54 (SD = 3.56), F(1,48) = 4.29, &lt; 0.05, MSE = 46.00]. Similarly, one of the secondary pain measures, “lowest pain during wound care” was significantly lower in the VR group, No VR = 4.29 (SD = 3.75) vs. 1.68 (2.04) for the VR group, F(1,47) = 9.29, &lt;0.005, MSE = 83.52 for Study Day 1. The other secondary pain measures showed the predicted pattern on Study Day 1, but were non-significant. Regarding whether VR reduced pain beyond Study Day 1, absolute change in pain intensity (analgesia = baseline pain minus the mean of the worst pain scores on Study days 1–10) was significantly greater for the VR group, F(1,48) = 4.88, p &lt; 0.05, MSE = 34.26, partial eta squared = 0.09, but contrary to predictions, absolute change scores were non-significant for all secondary measures.

EFFICACY OF PRESSURE-BIOFEEDBACK GUIDED DEEP CERVICAL FLEXOR TRAINING ON NECK PAIN AND MUSCLE PERFORMANCE IN VISUAL DISPLAY TERMINAL OPERATORS

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (03) ◽  
pp. 1350011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Nezamuddin ◽  
Shahnawaz Anwer ◽  
Sohrab Ahmad Khan ◽  
Ameed Equebal
Keyword(s):  
Neck Pain ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Visual Display ◽  
Muscle Performance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Women Patients ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Visual Display Terminal ◽  
Pressure Biofeedback

Purpose: This randomized trial study compared the efficacy of pressure-biofeedback guided deep cervical flexor training as an adjunct with conventional exercise on pain and muscle performance in visually displayed terminal operators. Methods: A total of 50 (22 men and 28 women) patients with neck pain participated in the study. Patients were randomly placed into two groups: a biofeedback group (n = 25) and a control group (n = 25). The biofeedback group received pressure-biofeedback guided deep cervical flexor training program for 5 days a week for 6 weeks, whereas the control group received an exercise program only. Results: On intergroup comparisons, the deep cervical flexor performance in biofeedback group, at the end of 6th week was significantly higher than those of control group (p < 0.01). Pain intensity was also significantly reduced in biofeedback group when compared to control group at the end of trial (p < 0.004). Conclusion: The addition of pressure-biofeedback to a 6-week conventional program appeared to increase deep cervical flexor muscle performance, compared to the exercise program alone for people with reduced muscle performance.

Efficacy of EMDR Therapy on the Pain Intensity and Subjective Distress of Cancer Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-28
Author(s):  
Naeem Abdi ◽  
Mohammad Malekzadeh ◽  
Zhila Fereidouni ◽  
Mohammad Behnammoghadam ◽  
Parisa Zaj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Subjective Distress ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Emdr Therapy

The present study was carried out to investigate the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating pain and subjective distress of patients with cancer. A randomized controlled trial was performed on patients with cancer suffering from moderate to severe cancer pain in Yasuj, Iran, in 2019 and 2020. Sixty patients aged 30–60 years who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected using a consensus sampling technique. Patients were randomly assigned to EMDR therapy or control groups based on random block allocation. EMDR therapy was administered in six to eight daily 1-hour sessions. The control group received the standard treatment provided by the hospital. A Numeric Pain-Rating Scale (NRS) and the Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale (SUDS) were used to assess pain and subjective distress before and after the intervention in each session. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and independent t test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24. The mean pain intensity and subjective distress score in the experimental group before and after the EMDR intervention were significantly reduced (p < .001). In the control group, no decreases in NRS and SUDS scores occurred at any time (p > .05). Differences in pain scores between the groups were statistically significant (p < .001). EMDR can effectively and sustainably reduce the pain and subjective distress experienced by patients with cancer. Thus, EMDR is a recommended therapeutic option to mitigate pain and subjective distress among patients with cancer.

Mindfulness Meditation Apps: An Effective Tool to Improve Mental Health Among Graduate Students in STEM Programs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly A. Grogan
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Symptom ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Free Access ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Stem Programs

Abstract This paper seeks to determine whether or not mindfulness meditation training via a simple meditation app can effectively improve well-being among graduate students enrolled in STEM programs. Graduate students were recruited from STEM programs at the University of Florida. Participants were randomly assigned into treatment and control groups. The control group simply proceeded as they normally would during an academic semester. The treatment group received free access to the Ten Percent Happier app and were asked to meditate once per day for eight weeks. Both groups completed pre-, mid-, and post-intervention surveys that included the Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7). The treatment group averaged about 10 minutes of meditation per day, and the average participant meditated on about 82% of days within the intervention period. At the end of the 8-week intervention, the treatment group reported CES-D and GAD-7 scores that were about 35% and 41% lower than the control group and their physical symptom score was about 36% lower. Relative to their own starting scores, CES-D, GAD-7, and physical symptom scores decreased 35%, 50%, and 43%, respectively for the treatment group, while the control group experienced no change in scores.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document