Combined Pain Neuroscience Education and Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Post-Thoracoscopic Pain

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Psychology
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Acute pain after thoracoscopic lung resection presents challenges.
• Multimodal analgesia is crucial for effective pain management.
• Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly explored to complement opioid-based strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of combining pain neuroscience education (PNE) with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) for managing acute postoperative pain.
• To evaluate the impact of PNE + PMR on psychological distress and rescue analgesic use.
• To determine if this combined intervention influences quality of recovery after lung surgery.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 58 patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection.
• Patients were assigned to either an experimental group (PNE + PMR) or a control group (conventional treatment).
• Key outcomes included postoperative pain intensity, central sensitization, pain catastrophizing, quality of recovery, and rescue analgesic consumption.

Main Results:

• The experimental group (PNE + PMR) reported significantly lower postoperative pain compared to the control group.
• Reduced central sensitization and pain catastrophizing were observed in the PNE + PMR group.
• Patients receiving PNE + PMR used fewer rescue analgesics, with no significant difference in overall recovery quality.

Conclusions:

• Pain neuroscience education (PNE) combined with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a viable non-pharmacological addition to multimodal analgesia protocols.
• This combined approach shows promise in improving perioperative pain control and enhancing psychological well-being.
• The PNE + PMR strategy may reduce opioid reliance, contributing to better patient outcomes after thoracic surgery.