Thermal Therapy in Patients Suffering from Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain—A Systematic Review

Thermal therapy is frequently used as an adjunct to treatment in patients suffering from chronic low back pain. It is also an inherent part of patients’ self-administered pain treatment. This review aims to update the evidence for thermal therapy treatments in non-specific chronic low back pain patients and to rate the methodological quality of the corresponding clinical trials. Previous studies have reported contradictory evidence for the effectiveness of thermal therapy. An electronic search on MEDLINE (PubMed), PEDro, CENTRAL and CINHAL databases was conducted between May 2016 and February 2018. Clinical trials comparing local thermal therapy to conservative or no treatment were assessed for eligibility. Pain, physical function and global health were defined as outcome parameters. A total of n = 9 studies met the inclusion criteria. All of them applied an electrophysical agent as the thermal treatment: continuous ultrasound (n = 6), short-wave diathermy (n = 2), microwave diathermy (n = 1). Out of the n = 6 studies on ultrasound treatment, n = 2 reported significant within and between-group results for pain reduction after 4 to 6 weeks of treatment. Both short-wave diathermy studies demonstrated significant between-group results for pain reduction after 3 weeks of treatment. Contradictory results for all other observed outcome parameters were reported regardless of the intervention. Moreover, significant within-group results for the control groups questioned the effectiveness of the intervention treatments. Therefore, the effect of thermal therapy, (electrophysical agents), is not superior to any control treatment except for ultrasound treatment on short-term pain reduction.

Efficacy and safety of thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device for chronic low back pain:A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Lumbar disc herniation and non-specific low back pain are common conditions that seriously affect patients’health-related quality of life(HRQoL).Although empirical evidence has demonstrated that novel Thermobalancing therapy and Dr Allen’s Device can relieve chronic low back pain,there have been no randomised controlled trials for these indications.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of Dr Allen’s Device in lumbar disc herniation(LDH)and non-specific low back pain(NSLBP).METHODS A randomised clinical trial was conducted investigating 55 patients with chronic low back pain due to LDH(n=28)or NSLBP(n=27),out of which 15 were randomly assigned to the control group and 40 were assigned to the treatment group.The intervention was treatment with Dr Allen’s Device for 3 mo.Changes in HRQoL were assessed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Questionnaire.RESULTS Thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device showed a significant reduction in pain in the treatment group(P<0.001),with no recorded adverse effects.Both pain assessment scales showed a significant improvement in patients’perception of pain indicating improvement in HRQoL.CONCLUSION The out-of-hospital use of Thermobalancing therapy with Dr Allen’s Device for Low Back Treatment relieves chronic low back pain significantly and without adverse effects,improves the level of activity and HRQoL among patients with LDH and NSLBP.This study demonstrates the importance of this safe first-line therapy that can be used for effective at-home management of chronic low back pain.

腰痛学校健康教育模式对慢性非特异性腰痛疗效维持的影响

目的探讨腰痛学校健康教育模式对慢性非特异性腰痛(Chronic non specific low back pain,CNLBP)疗效维持的影响。方法纳入2015年4月~2017年6月收治的88例CNLBP患者,均经悬吊运动、核心肌力训练等综合治疗后症状稳定(VAS评分<3分,1个月内无复发)。随机均分为2组,观察组通过腰痛学校模式进行疾病知识、功能锻炼等健康教育,对照组进行常规健康宣教,再次随访6个月。比较随访1、3、6个月的VAS评分、ODI评分,评价远期疗效。结果两组随访期间VAS、ODI评分均逐渐升高,但随访1、3、6个月的观察组升高幅度均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组随访6个月时的总有效率为88.10%,显著高于对照组的76.19%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论腰痛学校健康教育模式能够有效维持CNLBP患者临床疗效,延缓CNLBP复发,提升远期疗效。