Pain research & management : the journal of the Canadian Pain Society = journal de la société canadienne pour le traitement de la douleur
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A randomized treatment study to compare the efficacy of repeated nerve blocks with cognitive therapy for control of chronic head and neck pain.
This prospective study compared the efficacy of two antinociceptive modalities: nerve blocks and cognitive therapy. A consecutive series of patients receiving nerve block therapy was invited to take part in a six-week randomized comparison of nerve blocks and cognitive therapy. Sixty-eight of 102 patients approached by telephone agreed to participate. ⋯ Mean VAS scores in the cognitive therapy group rose during the trial. However, the mean VAS score of the remaining four in the last week was below the initial group mean. Patients who had been receiving nerve blocks proved willing to remain in the study if allocated to the nerve block group and unwilling to remain in the cognitive therapy group while foregoing their accustomed treatment.