• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.15-19
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate correlations between anxiety and preoperative pressure pain assessments and postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in impacted lower third molar tooth surgery. Materials and Methods: This prospective study enrolled 60 patients who underwent impacted lower third molar surgery. The preoperative State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-I (STAI-I), pressure pain threshold, and pressure pain tolerance scores were measured. At 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours, and at 6 days following surgery, the patients scored their pain on the visual analogue scale and recorded their analgesic drug usage. The data were evaluated, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: Of the 60 patients, 38 were female. Mean age was 24.62±7.42 years. The study found no relationship between preoperative pressure pain assessments and postoperative pain (P>0.05). There was also no relationship observed between preoperative STAI-I scores and postoperative pain (P>0.05). However, there was a positive correlation between operation time and total medication taken (P<0.05). Conclusion: Preoperative pressure pain threshold, pressure pain tolerance, and anxiety level had no significant effects on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in impacted lower third molar surgery.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.32-36
• /
• 2001

Background: There is no reliable objective test for the diagnosis of myofascial pain syndromes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a pressure algometer for the diagnosis of the trigger points and for the evaluation of the treatment in myofascial pain syndromes (MPS). Methods: Twenty female patients with clinical MPS of shoulder were included in this study. Pressure pain thresholds were measured by a pressure algometer at three different sites including the trapezius, supraspinatus and infraspinatus before, and then the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after TPI. Results: Mean pressure pain thresholds were lower in patients with MPS in than normal volunteers in all the examined skeletal muscles. Mean pressure pain thresholds in patients with MPS were increased significantly after TPI in all the examined skeletal muscles. Conclusions: Pressure algometer can be used as relatively objective diagnostic tool for locating trigger points and to quantify the effect of TPI in MPS. However, more investigation is necessary.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.173-183
• /
• 2023

Background: Understanding the stability of quantitative sensory tests (QSTs) over time is important to aid clinicians in selecting a battery of tests for assessing and monitoring patients. This study evaluated the short- and long-term reliability of selected QSTs. Methods: Twenty healthy women participated in three experimental sessions: Baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 months. Measurements included pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in the neck, upper back, and leg; Pressure-cuff pain tolerance around the upper-arm; conditioned pain modulation during a pressure-cuff stimulus; and referred pain following a suprathreshold pressure stimulation. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were calculated. Results: Reliability for PPT was excellent for all sites at 2 weeks (ICC, 0.96-0.99; MDC, 22-55 kPa) and from good to excellent at 6 months (ICC, 0.88-0.95; MDC, 47-91 kPa). ICC for pressure-cuff pain tolerance indicated excellent reliability at both times (0.91-0.97). For conditioned pain modulation, reliability was moderate for all sites at 2 weeks (ICC, 0.57-0.74; MDC, 24%-35%), while it was moderate at the neck (ICC, 0.54; MDC, 27%) and poor at the upper back and leg at 6 months. ICC for referred pain areas was excellent at 2 weeks (0.90) and good at 6 months (0.86). Conclusions: PPT, pressure pain tolerance, and pressure-induced referred pain should be considered reliable procedures to assess the pain-sensory profile over time. In contrast, conditioned pain modulation was shown to be unstable. Future studies prospectively analyzing the pain-sensory profile will be able to better calculate appropriate sample sizes.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.69-76
• /
• 2003

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) on the alteration of pressure pain threshold of myofascial trigger points. We used fifty nine patients with upper trapezius mayofascial pain syndrome. Participants classified according to each group in conventional TENS(high rate, low intensity) and acupuncture like TENS(low rate, high intensity). The test was measured continuously pre test, post-test by algometer. The following results were obtained; 1. Pressure pain threshold were significantly increased in all groups(p<.001). 2. In comparison between groups, pressure pain threshold were not significantly differenced. These results lead us to the conclusion that each method by TENS were significantly increased pressure pain threshold of upper trapezius trigger points. Therefore, a further direction of this study will be to provide more evidence that TENS method have an effect on pressure pain threshold of myofascial trigger points.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.93-111
• /
• 1984

The main purpose of this study is to develop a ratio scale measuring level of pain using Korean pain terms. The specific purposes of this study are to identify the degree of pain of each pain term in each subclass: to classify each subclass in terms of dimensions of pain; and to analyze factors of the Korean pain ratio scale clustering together. One hundred an4 fifty eight pain terms which were originally identified as representative terms and their synonyms were used for data collection. Fifty eight nursing professors ana sixty one medical doctors who have contacted with patients having pain were asked to rate the weight of each pain term on a visual analogue scale. Subclasses in which ranks of pain terms were same f s findings in two previous studies were 1) thermal 3 am 2) cavity pressure, 3) single stimulating pain, 4) radiation pain. and 5) chemical pain. Subclasses in which ranks of pain terms were confused were 1) incisive pressure, and 2) cold pain. Subclasses in which one new pain term was added were 1) inflammatory-repeated pain, 2) punctuate pressure, 3) constrictive pressure, 4) fatigue-related pressure, and 5) suffering-relate4 pain. Subclasses in which two new pain terms were added were 1) traction pressure, 2) peripheral nerve pain, 3) dull pain, 4) pulsation-related pain, 5) digestion-related pain, 6) tract pain, and 7) punishment-related pain. Subclass in which 3 new pain terms were included was fear-related pain. Rating scores of 5 words in 4 subclasses were significantly different between the normal group and the extreme group of subjects in terms of subjective rating. Only one word among 6 words was that newly added to the scale. Rating scores of 12 words in 9 subclasses were significantly different between doctor group and nursing professor group. Among these 12 words, only 3 were those newly added to the scale. In comparison of these 12 words, mean scores of the nursing professors were always 7 to 16 points higher than those of the medical doctors. In the analysis of judgement of subjects in terms of dimensions of pain terms, subclasses of dull pain, cavity pressure, tract pain and cold pain were suggested to be included in the miscellaneous dimension. As a result of factor analysis of the ratings given to 96 pain words using principal components analysis without iteration and with varimax rotation limiting the number of factors to 4, factors of severe pain (factor I) mild-moderate pain (factor II) , causative pain (factor III) and temperature-related pain(factor IV) were extracted with the factor loading above 0.388. When the pain words were re-arranged on the bases of factor loading above 0.368, number of factors decreased to only first two factors. Maximum score of pain word in factor II was 46.17 and the minimum score of the factor I was 45.36. Further studies are needed to identify the validity, reliability, sensitivity and practicability of this ratio scale using patients having various sources of pain.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.19-25
• /
• 1992

The pressure pain thresholds of head and neck muscles of patients suffering from tensiontype headache220, all female, ages ranged from 13 to 50 years (28.4$\pm$9.6) and 39 healthy controls, all female, ages ranged from 14 to 46 years (24.4$\pm$9.2) were recorded by the electronic algometer (Electyronic Algometer Type I, Somedic, Stockholm, Sweden). And the obtained results were as follows : 1. The pressure pain thresholds of patient group were lower than those of controls in superior sternocleidomastoid muscle, middle sternocleidomastoid muscle, and trapezius insertion muscle (P<0.001) 2. The pressure pain thresholds of patient group were not different from those of controls in anterior temporal, middle temporal, posterior temporal, deep masseter, anterior masseter, inferior masseter, medial pterygoid, posterior digastric, splenius capitus and upper trapezius muscle (P>0.05). 3. Seventy-one percent of tension-type headache patients had more than one muscle, of whicb pressure pain threshold was lowered significantly (less than mean of control - 1.5SD). 4. The pressure pain thresholds of head and neck muscles should be considered as a criterion for the diagnosis of tension-type headache.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.17-21
• /
• 2010

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate possibilities for quantitative analysis using the electromyography and sonography. For better understanding, we evaluated the correlation between the pressure pain threshold and sonography, spontaneous electrical activity in trigger points located in the upper trapezius muscle. Methods: Thirty three active subjects volunteered to participate in this study (n=33). They had a palpable taut band, exquisite spot tenderness of a nodule in a taut band, spontaneous pain, referred pain, jump sign, local twitch response, and a painful limit to full stretch range of motion. We measured Pressure pain threshold, density, white area index, root mean square, and reaction. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated to estimate the relationship between the pressure pain threshold and other variables including density, white area index, root mean square, and reaction time. Results: There were significant correlations between pressure pain threshold and density (r=-0.75, p<0.01), and between pressure pain threshold and white area index (r=-0.74, p<0.01). A significant correlations between pressure pain threshold and root mean square (r=-0.59, p<0.01). The significant correlation was found between pressure pain threshold and reaction time (r=-0.64, p<0.01). Conclusion: These should indicate whether quantitative analysis can be done using the characteristics of electromyography and sonography.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2001

Objective : This study was performed to confirm the effects of acupuncture on myofascial pain syndrome(MPS) through the change of visual analogue scale(VAS) and pain pressure threshold(PPT) and the usefulness of pressure algometer on the evaluation of pain. Methods : We perfomed this study with 20 outpatients complaining of upper back pain. Before acupuncture therapy(AT), immediately after AT and 2-3 days after AT, we respectively checked visual analogue scale(VAS) and pain pressure threshold(PPT) through pressure algometer, with patients seated and relaxed. The PPT was checked at major trigger point of upper trapezius, levator scapulae, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, rhomboideus minor. and the patients were needled at the same points and maintained for 15 minutes. Results : VAS of immediately after AT was mild higher than that of before AT, but not significantly different. and VAS of 2-3 days after AT was significantly lower than before AT and immediately after AT. PPT of immediately after AT was lower than before PT, but not significantly different. PPT of 2-3 days after AT was significantly higher than that of before AT and immediately after AT. Also PPT was significantly correlated with VAS. Conclusion : PPT of omen was signicantly lower than that of men. and there was no significant difference by age. PPT was increased according to pain duration. Effectiveness of acupuncture on myofascial pain syndrome through PPT and VAS is showed at 2-3 days after AT rather than immediatly after AT. and pressure algometer is useful for the evaluation of Acupuncture therapy on myofascial pain syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.13-28
• /
• 1986

The main purpose of th study was to evaluate he validity of Korean Pain Measurement Tool composed of pain terms. The specific purposes of this study were 1. to examine whether pain intensities of pain terms are congruent with those classified in three previous studies. 2. to evaluate the relative intensity of each term by panel of judges. 3. to explore the difference of ranks of pain terms according to the sex, education, and ages. One hundred and sixty normal individuals were selected by 2$\times$2$\times$4 sampling design. Sex (male, female), education (high school, college), and age (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s) were matched. Each individual was asked to rate the ranks of 3~8 pain terms in each subclass. The data measured by ordinal scale were transformed to the interval scale to compare with the pain intensities gained from the previous study. The pain ranks different from previous results were finally rearranged or cancelled through the consultation of 4 panel of judges and sunmed up to 91 pain terms in the scale. As a result, the ranks of pain terms within each of eleven subclasses among the twenty subclasses completely were congruent with the Previous pain ranks, while the ranks of nine subclasses were different from the previous pain ranks. In addition, there was significant relation between sex and pain ranks in skin punctuate pressure pain and cavity pressure. (sp : $\chi$$^2$=5.18 ø=0.26； cp : $\chi$$^2$=5.83 ø=0.24) In conclusion, seven terms from subclasses of inflammatory repeated pain, traction pressure pain, fatigue-related pain, fear-related pain, dull pain, and pulsation. related pain were cancelled. The ranks of four terms in subclasses of incisive Pressure pain and constrictive pressure pain were tentatively rearranged. Ranks of two terms in the tract pain were left as shown in the third study. As a result, six terms must be studied repeatedly for obtaining exact scores from ratio scale.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of manual lymph drainage (MLD) on the activity of sympathetic nervous system, anxiety, pain and pressure pain threshold in subjects with psychological stress. Methods: Twenty-nine subjects with psychological stress were randomly assigned to experimental (MLD) and control (rest) groups. This study was performed as a controlled, randomized study using spectral analysis of electrocardiographic (ECG) activities, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT). Results: Heart rate variability differed significantly between the experimental and control groups (p<0.05). Anxiety and pain showed positive change in both group but it were not showed statically differences. The pressure pain threshold in the upper trapezius muscle was increased in the experimental group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that the application of MLD was effective in reducing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, anxiety, pain, and increasing the PPT.