Voltaren as an analgesic after surgical removal of a lower wisdom tooth

In a controlled trial, before having a lower wisdom tooth surgically removed, 190 patients were blindly randomized to 2 parallel groups. One group received 100 mg Voltaren (diclofenac-sodium) before surgery and then 50 mg 3 times a day for 5 days; the other group in Sweden widely used fixed combination tablets (acetylsalicylic acid 500 mg, caffeine 50 mg, aprobarbital 20 mg, codeine phosphate 10 mg) in the highest recommended dose, 2 tablets when needed at most 3 times a day. Twice a day the patients recorded pain and swelling on 100 mm visual analogue scales. Patients treated with Voltaren had significantly less pain and swelling (p less than 0.001). Furthermore, they had significantly fewer days away from work (p less than 0.01). The study indicates that visual analogue scales may also be useful in assessment of swelling and that Voltaren in a fixed dosage offers a promising alternative against postoperative pain and swelling.