title: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of phonophoresis for the treatment of chronic neck pain.
abstract: The aim of this trial was to investigate and compare the effects of phonophoresis (PP), placebo PP and exercise therapies on pain, disability, sleep quality, and depression in the patients with chronic neck pain (CNP). This is a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study. A total of 61 patients with definite CNP were included in this study. The patients were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 21) received PP with capsaicin treatment and exercises. Group 2 (n = 20) received placebo PP with capsaicin and exercises. Group 3 (n = 20) was given only exercises. All of the programs were performed 3 days a week, for 6 weeks. The pain (visual analog scale), disability (the neck pain disability index), depression (Beck Depression Inventory scores), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) of all participants were evaluated. Measurements were taken before and after treatment. All of the groups showed statistically significant improvements in pain, disability, sleep quality, and depression. While there was no difference between groups regarding depression and sleep quality, intergroup comparison showed significant differences in pain and disability among three groups. These differences were statistically significant in group 1 and 2 compared to group 3, and also in group 1 compared to group 2. We observed that PP treatment was effective in the treatment for patients with CNP. A combination of PP with exercises can be used to obtain optimal clinical results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey, drdilekdurmus@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Durmus
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alayli
authors.forename: Tugce
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tufekci
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuru
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015612:Phonophoresis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012890:Sleep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D002211:Capsaicin