Distraction as a simple and effective method to reduce pain during local anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Pain Management
• Surgical Procedures

Background:

• Local anesthetic administration is a significant source of discomfort during office-based surgery.
• Distraction techniques have proven effective in reducing pain perception in pediatric patients.
• This study investigates distraction as a pain-minimizing strategy for adults receiving local anesthesia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of distraction in reducing pain during local anesthesia administration in adults.
• To assess the impact of distraction on patient satisfaction following minor surgical procedures.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 115 adult patients undergoing minor office-based surgery (face, wrist, or hand).
• Patients were randomized into a control group or an intervention group that received distraction (watching a video) during local anesthetic injection.
• Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and patient satisfaction was assessed using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-18).

Main Results:

• Both groups reported similar anticipated pain levels before the procedure.
• The intervention group experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain scores by 1 point (p=0.01) compared to the control group.
• No significant difference in patient satisfaction scores was observed between the distraction and control groups.

Conclusions:

• Distraction is an effective method for minimizing pain during local anesthesia administration in adults.
• While pain reduction was achieved, it did not translate to improved patient satisfaction in this study.
• Physicians are encouraged to implement active distraction techniques during uncomfortable procedures to enhance patient comfort.