Effects of Prophylactic Massage Therapy on Pain Tolerance and Threshold

Kyle Knight

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pain

Treatments: Other: No Massage Protocol; Other: Prophylactic Therapeutic Massage

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04625335

15-0650-P1H

Details and patient eligibility

About

Therapeutic massage has been thought to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation in human patients.This study is meant to determine the immediate effects of therapeutic massage on pain tolerance and threshold.

Full description

Patients participated in two trials of a pain stimulus test that measured pain threshold and pain tolerance. One trial was titled "Massage Protocol" and the other, "No-Massage Protocol." During the "Massage Protocol," they received a therapeutic massage to the forearm before participating in the pain stimulus test. During the "No-Massage Protocol" they did not receive a massage before participating in the pain stimulus test. Their pain threshold and tolerance for both trials were compared against each other. Each patient was randomized as to which protocol they participated in first.

Enrollment: 14 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 45 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

-generally healthy

Exclusion criteria

• pregnant
• smoker
• cold allergy
• Raynaud's disease
• cryophobia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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14 participants in 2 patient groups

Group 1: Intervention First

Experimental group

Description:

Adult, healthy volunteers will receive the intervention (prophylactic therapeutic massage) before completing the Cold Pressor Test. Following the crossover, these participants will then complete the Cold Pressor Test without prior massage.

Treatment:

Other: No Massage Protocol

Other: Prophylactic Therapeutic Massage

Group 2: Intervention Last

Experimental group

Description:

Adult, healthy volunteers will complete the Cold Pressor Test without prior massage. After crossover, they will receive the intervention (prophylactic therapeutic massage) before completing the Cold Pressor Test.

Treatment:

Other: No Massage Protocol

Other: Prophylactic Therapeutic Massage