Postgraduate Researchers in Science Medicine Conference 2005: Abstracts
Psychophysical properties of experimental pain
Cameron H, Harmon D, Nurmikko TJ.
Progress in managing clinical pain is contingent upon treatment being targeted at the mechanisms that operate to produce a patient’s symptoms.
Variability in the sensory, temporal and behavioural characteristics however render investigation of clinical pain complex, therefore experimental studies in healthy volunteers may be useful (Arendt-Nielson 2001).
This study compared the psychophysical properties of hypertonic saline induced muscle, intradermal and subcutaneous pain in sixteen healthy volunteers.
Three cannulae were inserted into the non-dominant forearm – (i) extensor digitorum muscle, (ii) intradermal and (iii) subcutaneous then each injected twice with 6% hypertonic saline.
Data collected: Short Form (SF) McGill pain questionnaire; Electronic Visual Analogue Scale scores up to four minutes post injection; area of pain reported; presence of dynamic mechanical and static punctate allodynia; baseline / post injection Laser Doppler skin blood flow.
We found that experimental muscle pain can be differentiated from both intradermal and subcutaneous pain by its psychophysical characteristics.
Heather Cameron, Neurological Science, University of Liverpool, Pain Research Institute, Clinical Sciences Building, Lower Lane, Liverpool L9 7AL
Postgrad Talent NW is supported by the NW Regional Hub of the Research Councils’ UK GRAD Programme.
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