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Warming lignocaine to reduce pain associated with injection
1Department of Anaesthesia, Western Infirmary, Glasgow.
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|September 12, 1992
Summary
Warming lignocaine (a local anesthetic) to body temperature significantly reduces injection pain. This simple method improves patient comfort during subcutaneous injections.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Subcutaneous injections of lignocaine can cause pain.
- Pain perception during injections can deter patients from necessary medical procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of warming lignocaine to 37°C on pain experienced during subcutaneous injection.
- To compare pain scores between room temperature (20°C) and body temperature (37°C) lignocaine.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, randomized, crossover study was conducted with 40 healthy volunteers.
- Participants received subcutaneous injections of 1% lignocaine at both 20°C and 37°C.
- Pain was assessed using linear analogue pain scores and subjective comparisons.
Main Results:
- A significantly higher proportion of subjects (89%) found the 20°C lignocaine injection more painful than the 37°C injection (p < 0.0001).
- The median pain score for 20°C lignocaine was 11.00, compared to 3.25 for 37°C lignocaine (p < 0.001).
- Warming lignocaine demonstrated a substantial reduction in reported pain.
Conclusions:
- Warming lignocaine to 37°C is a simple and effective method to reduce pain associated with subcutaneous injections.
- This practice can enhance patient comfort and potentially improve adherence to treatments requiring subcutaneous injections.