title: The efficacy of 95-Hz topical vibration in pain reduction for trigger finger injection: a placebo-controlled, prospective, randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether vibratory stimulation would decrease pain experienced by patients during corticosteroid injection for trigger finger.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 90 trigger finger injections were randomized to 1 of 3 cohorts. With the injection, patients received no vibration (control group), ultrasound vibration (sham control group), or vibration (experimental group). We used a commercial handheld massaging device to provide a vibratory stimulus for the experimental group. We obtained visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores before and after injection to assess anticipated pain and actual pain experienced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anticipated pain and actual pain did not differ significantly among groups. Anticipated VAS pain scores were 45, 48, and 50 and actual VAS pain scores were 56, 56, and 63 for the vibration, control, and sham control groups, respectively. When normalized using anchoring VAS pain scores for "stubbing a toe" or "paper cut," no between-group differences remained in injection pain scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concomitant vibratory stimulation does not reduce pain experienced during corticosteroid injections for trigger finger.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic I.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Martin I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Ryan P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Calfee
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences, St. Louis, MO. Electronic address: oseid@wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Osei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D052582:Trigger Finger Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000077555:Methylprednisolone Acetate; D008775:Methylprednisolone
keywords: Injection; pain; steroid; trigger finger; vibration anesthesia