The Impact of Cold Application on Pain Reduction in Adult Patients Receiving Intramuscular Injections: A Systematic...

Area of Science:

• Nursing interventions
• Pain management
• Evidence-based practice

Background:

• Intramuscular injections are a common medical procedure associated with localized pain.
• Effective pain reduction strategies are crucial for patient comfort and adherence to treatment.
• The role of non-pharmacological interventions like cold application warrants systematic investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature on the efficacy of cold application for reducing pain.
• To assess the impact of cold therapy in adult patients undergoing intramuscular injections.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 216 studies published between 2014 and 2024.
• Literature search conducted across major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, etc.).
• Nine studies (5 RCTs, 4 quasi-experimental) meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed following PRISMA guidelines.

Main Results:

• Nine studies involving adult patients (18-60 years) met the inclusion criteria.
• Cold application methods included cold spray (5 studies) and cold/ice application (4 studies).
• Cold application demonstrated effectiveness in reducing pain associated with intramuscular injections.

Conclusions:

• Cold application is an effective nursing intervention for mitigating pain from intramuscular injections.
• The findings support the use of cold therapy as a non-pharmacological pain management strategy.
• Further high-quality, large-scale research is recommended to reinforce these conclusions.