The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · May 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialA prospective, randomized trial of cognitive intervention for postoperative pain.
A single-blind, randomized prospective trial was performed at a university hospital to determine if preoperative relaxation training will decrease pain and narcotic demand postoperatively. A convenience sample of 49 patients undergoing lumbar and cervical spine surgery was randomized to receive instruction on relaxation techniques or routine preoperative information before surgery. ⋯ The differences were significant for narcotic demand (P = 0.01) but not for pain (P = 0.94). In conclusion, our results could not support the use of relaxation training for reducing postoperative pain and narcotic demand in this selected surgical population.