Abstract

Background. The results of a thermovision study of the body surface of patients subjected to various physical therapy procedures are presented. Pain intensity is also assessed using a Yisual Analogue Scale (VAS). The aim ofthe paperis to compare the efficacy of these procedures. Material and methods. The study involved 38 patients (15 males and 23 females) aged 19-78 years (mean age 58.1 years) with diagnosed degenerative changes and pain syndromes ofjoints of the lower extremities (13 patients), upper extremities (7 patients) and the vertebral column (18 patients). Ali patients were divided into 4 groups and subjected to NSAID iontophoresis (Group 1), anodę galvanisation (Group 2), galvanisa-tion followed immediately by an NSAID rub-in (Group 3), and NSAID rub-in alone (Group 4). Pain intensity was assessed using a subjective scalę (VAS) on the first, fifth and tenth procedurę day The distribution of temperature in the treated area was also recorded with an Agema 570 thermo-vision camera on the day of the first and last procedure. Results. A subjective reduction in pain intensity was recorded in all groups. Patients from the first group reported 50.2% improvement, patients from Group 2 reported 44.9% improvement, Group 3 reported 62.2% improvement, and Group 4 reported 38.9% improvement over baseline (first day of treatment). Changes in skin surface temperature were also observed but were not significant for Group 4. Conclusions. In the subjective opinion of the patients, the most efficacious procedure was anode galvanization immediately followed by an NSAID rub-in. The superior efficacy of this procedure appears to be related to the higher dose of medication being introduced into the treated area and greater skin hyperaemia compared to iontophoresis alone. Medication rub-in following galvanisation is effective and more cost-effective as the-re are no drug losses due to the drug remaining in the vehicle, as is observed during an iontophoresis procedure.

Key words:

iontophoresis, galvanic current, rub-in, thermovision, linear VAS scale