A randomised trial to evaluate the effect of infra-red stimulation of local trigger points, versus placebo, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis.

Claims have been made that local heat is particularly useful in treating osteoarthritis pain. This randomised trial evaluates the short term efficacy of local heat, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis. Two treatment groups were compared, one receiving mock TNS and the other heat from an infra-red gun (the IRS Medtec 100). Both the placebo and treatment groups received treatment on local tender trigger points. Each patient received four treatments. Pain was assessed before entry into the trial and after the completion of treatment; the parameters used for assessing pain were, analgesic intake, sleep disturbance due to pain and subjective pain score. Twenty-six patients were entered into the trial, twenty-five completed treatment. In the group receiving treatment from the infra-red gun (IRS Medtec 100) 75% obtained significant pain relief. In the group receiving mock TNS 31% obtained significant pain relief. A chi-squared test comparing these two groups give a P value of 0.07.