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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Effects of nondirective suggestions on pain tolerance, pain threshold and pain intensity perception.

In this experiment, we followed the issue whether nondirective suggestions have an effect on pain threshold, pain tolerance, and perception of pain intensity. 48 healthy subjects consented to take part. At intake into the study (t1), pain threshold and pain tolerance were assessed in all subjects using a pressure algometer. Perception of maximum pain intensity perception was rated on a scale of 0 to 25. Seven days later, the session was repeated (t2). Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received nondirective suggestions as pretreatment. Subjects listened to a tape of 20 min. which consisted of general information about pain theory. In this context, suggestions for coping with pain were placed. The other group served as a control and received no pretreatment. Analysis showed that pain tolerance was significantly prolonged in the group who received nondirective suggestions, while pain threshold and perception of maximum pain intensity did not differ across groups. This study demonstrates that nondirective suggestions are effective in prolonging pain tolerance. It can be stated that, beside information, cues on coping with pain may be helpful in clinical practice.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

The effect of labour and epidural analgesia on pain threshold.

Pain thresholds were measured using forehead pressure in 30 women before amniotomy and then during labour up to the point of their requesting analgesia. Measurements continued subsequently only in those having epidural analgesia alone. No significant change in pain threshold was seen in any patient up to the administration of analgesia, nor thereafter in the ten patients having epidurals. This study fails to confirm previous reports in animals of significant rises in pain threshold during parturition. It calls into question the view that previously reported changes in plasma endorphin levels may be associated with altered pain thresholds.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗
PubMed1990

Experimental changes in pain threshold and severe pain threshold for electrically induced pain.

Pain and severe pain thresholds were measured in groups of 15 (Experiment 1) and 20 (Experiment 2) normal volunteers. In Experiment 1, the subjects underwent a series of ten constant level, painful stimuli each of 10 sec duration at an arbitrarily chosen level between the thresholds. This level was recorded. It ranged from 14% to 81% of the difference between thresholds. The thresholds were then remeasured. For the second experiment the experimental stimulus commenced at a non-painful level and increased over a period of 5 sec to a level midway between thresholds for a series of three stimuli and again thresholds were remeasured. An overall effect was demonstrable only in Experiment 2, where the severe pain threshold was significantly reduced (p less than 0.001). There was a marked individual variation with increases and decreases in both thresholds occurring in different individuals at significance levels varying from p less than 0.05 to p less than 0.001. No subject changed the two thresholds in opposite directions. Examination of the responses in Experiment 1 suggested that for any increase in either threshold to occur it was necessary that the repeated painful stimulus should be at a level below the mid-point between the two thresholds, but that this was not a sufficient condition.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Pain threshold and pain recovery after experimental stimulation in patients with burning mouth syndrome.

The aim of the present study was to examine pain threshold and pain recovery in patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and matched no-pain controls. Twenty female patients diagnosed with BMS without organic gross changes were enrolled in the study. Twenty control subjects were chosen from age-matched healthy female volunteers. We compared the thermal pain threshold using heat beam dolorimeter on the finger and tongue between patients and controls. Warm (at 50 degrees C for 5 s), cold (at 0 degrees C for 30 s) and mechanical (stimulation by electric tooth brush for 15 s) stimulation was applied to the tongue for both groups. Participants were asked to rate the subjective pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Although there was no significant differences between patients and controls in terms of the threshold on the finger, the threshold on the tongue was significantly higher in patients than in controls. We suggest there were peripheral dysfunction at the tongue, and/or central dysfunction in patients with BMS. Among the three types of stimulation, the patients perceived significantly the highest pain from the mechanical stimulation for the first 5 min after the stimulation. Furthermore, when patients with BMS perceived some pain, they continued to complain of the pain longer and more intricately than the controls. This indicates that the pain of the patients is strongly affected not only at a sensory component but also at an affective/motivational component than the controls. However, we should be cautious of simply advancing psychogenic theory in this etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The influence of electroconvulsive therapy on pain threshold and pain tolerance in major depression patients before, during and after treatment.

Despite the findings that pain and depression are not always directly linked, enough evidence suggest that a complex relationship between pain and depression exists. Using an electronic pressure algometer placed on the sternum, the changes in pressure pain threshold (PPThr) and pressure pain tolerance (PPTol) were evaluated in 19 patients affected by refractory major depression without psychotic features, throughout a full course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment. Measurements were done before the first treatment, after the 6th treatment and after the last treatment. After the 6th treatment, mean (+/- SD) PPThr increased significantly from 11.48 (+/- 4.81) kg/cm2 at baseline, to 13.7 (+/- 5.59) kg/cm2 (p=0.0076) while PPTol did not change significantly (from 18.46 (+/- 6.75)kg/cm2 to 17.4 (+/- 8.1)kg/cm2). At the end of the treatment course, mean (+/- SD) PPThr did not increase further significantly (15.06 (+/- 5.21)kg/cm2 (p=0.0234)) while PPTol increased significantly to 21.34 (+/- 7.8)kg/cm2 (p=0.0047). ECT's efficacy was measured with the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (21-HAM-D). Mean (+/- SD) 21-HAM-D scores decreased significantly from 30.9 (+/- 4.15) at baseline, to 10.47 (+/- 5.78) (p=0.0001) after the 6th treatment, with no further significant change at the end of the treatment course (9.94 +/- 3.07; p=0.0254). Both pain threshold and pain tolerance increased following the alleviation of the depressive disorder and a possible usefulness of ECT may be postulated for treating severe, chronic pain syndromes. However, a more significant conclusion is that the increase of the PPThr noted early during ECT treatment may serve as an early outcome possible detector of ECT efficacy in depressed patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Relations of pain threshold and pain tolerance in cold water with scores on Maudsley Personality Inventory and Manifest Anxiety Scale.

Testing 56 Japanese undergraduates, the relationships between pain threshold and pain tolerance in cold water and personality factors were investigated. Significant negative correlations of moderate magnitude between the pain threshold and scores on Maudsley Neuroticism and the Manifest Anxiety Scale were found. On the contrary, significant positive, moderate correlations between pain tolerance and the Maudsley Extraversion were obtained.

Cold Temperature↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of electronic dental anesthesia on pain threshold and pain tolerance levels of human teeth subjected to stimulation with an electric pulp tester.

The effect of electronic dental anesthesia on pain threshold and pain tolerance levels of human teeth subjected to stimulation with an electric pulp tester was evaluated. Subjects (n = 120) were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups (baseline, placebo, square wave, and postsynaptic wave). Symptom-free right-sided maxillary incisor teeth were tested for anesthesia with an electric pulp tester. Electrostimulation significantly increased the pain perception threshold and pain tolerance level with both the square wave and postsynaptic wave. The postsynaptic wave was more effective than the square wave. Presented at the Satellite Symposium on Advances in the Management of Acute and Chronic Facial Pain associated with the 6th World Congress on Pain, Melbourne, Australia, 1990.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Muscle and bone pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance in fibromyalgia patients and controls.

Pressure pain thresholds and pressure pain tolerances on non-trigger-point muscle and bone were measured with a dolorimeter in 46 female patients with primary fibromyalgia and in 50 healthy women of the same age. The pressure pain thresholds and the pressure pain tolerances on both muscle and bone were lower in the fibromyalgia patients than in the healthy controls. All the differences were statistically highly significant, though there was a certain degree of overlapping between the patients and the controls. It is concluded that patients with primary fibromyalgia have a generalized amplification of pain sensitivity, a sign that might be useful in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Effect of acupuncture of pain threshold and pain tolerance determined by electrical stimulation of the skin: a controlled study.

The effect of needling traditional acupuncture loci (Ho-Ku, LI4; Nei-Kuan, EH-6) compared to arbitarily chosen points was measured in twelve healthy subjects. In a crossover blind study pain tolerance and pain threshold were measured by electrical stimulation of the skin in the thyroid area. Traditional acupuncture was found to be significantly more effective in elevating pain threshold than needling of arbitarily chosen points. Pain tolerance also rose more under "real" acupuncture, the difference, however, being statistically not significant. In one subject, threshold and tolerance increased more under needling of nonacupuncture loci, while two subjects did not show any changes under either procedure.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2007

The effect of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity, pain threshold and pain tolerance.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of the application of cryotherapy on nerve conduction velocity (NCV), pain threshold (PTH) and pain tolerance (PTO). DESIGN: A within-subject experimental design; treatment ankle (cryotherapy) and control ankle (no cryotherapy). SETTING: Hospital-based physiotherapy laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of adult male sports players (n = 23). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: NCV of the tibial nerve via electromyogram as well as PTH and PTO via pressure algometer. All outcome measures were assessed at two sites served by the tibial nerve: one receiving cryotherapy and one not receiving cryotherapy. RESULTS: In the control ankle, NCV, PTH and PTO did not alter when reassessed. In the ankle receiving cryotherapy, NCV was significantly and progressively reduced as ankle skin temperature was reduced to 10 degrees C by a cumulative total of 32.8% (p<0.05). Cryotherapy led to an increased PTH and PTO at both assessment sites (p<0.05). The changes in PTH (89% and 71%) and PTO (76% and 56%) were not different between the iced and non-iced sites. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that cryotherapy can increase PTH and PTO at the ankle and this was associated with a significant decrease in NCV. Reduced NCV at the ankle may be a mechanism by which cryotherapy achieves its clinical goals.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Assessment of pain threshold and pain tolerance in women in labour and in the early post-partum period by pressure algometry.

The changes in the pressure pain threshold (PPThr) and pressure pain tolerance (PPTol) in 41 parturients have been studied during the active phase of labour and in the early post-partum period. The sensitivity to pressure stimuli was examined with an electronic pressure algometer placed on the sternum during the interval between painful contractions, after extradural analgesia and 24 h after childbirth. Prior to extradural analgesia, mean (+/- SD), PPThr and PPTol were 4.9 +/- 1.6 kg 0.25 cm-2 and 6.9 +/- 1.8 kg 0.25 cm-2, respectively. Similar values were recorded 1 h after induction of the extradural block when the pain of labour was abolished. At 24 h post-delivery, a significant decrease in both PPThr and PPTol was noted (P < 0.001). The lack of influence of extradural analgesia on pressure algometry values, and the elevated sensitivity to pain in the early post-partum period, may be related to the influence of pregnancy and labour on the appreciation of pain.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Altering gender role expectations: effects on pain tolerance, pain threshold, and pain ratings.

The literature demonstrating sex differences in pain is sizable. Most explanations for these differences have focused on biologic mechanisms, and only a few studies have examined social learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of gender-role stereotypes to sex differences in pain. This study used experimental manipulation of gender-role expectations for men and women. One hundred twenty students participated in the cold pressor task. Before the pain task, participants were given 1 of 3 instructional sets: no expectation, 30-second performance expectation, or a 90-second performance expectation. Pain ratings, threshold, and tolerance were recorded. Significant sex differences in the "no expectation" condition for pain tolerance (t = 2.32, df = 38, P <.05) and post-cold pressor pain ratings (t = 2.6, df = 37, P <.05) were found. Women had briefer tolerance times and higher post-cold pressor ratings than men. When given gender-specific tolerance expectations, men and women did not differ in their pain tolerance, pain threshold, or pain ratings. This is the first empirical study to show that manipulation of expectations alters sex differences in laboratory pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Pressure pain threshold and pain tolerance in episodic tension-type headache do not depend on the presence of headache.

Pressure pain thresholds and responses to painful mechanical stimuli were obtained from 20 subjects with episodic tension-type headaches (TTH). Tender points in the temporalis and trapezius muscles were studied, along with two nontender points, one in the temporalis and one on the Achilles tendon. Two examinations were performed, one during and one without a headache, and results were compared. No significant differences were found in either variable for any tested points. The data demonstrate that the sensitivity level of these points does not differ based on the presence or absence of TTH. This suggests that the muscle sensitivity in TTH is constant. The observation that the sensitivity levels of both tender and nontender points did not vary suggests that the underlying mechanism or effect of TTH is not restricted to tender muscles.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Prediction of threshold pain skin temperature from thermal properties of materials in contact.

Aerospace design engineers have long sought concrete data with respect to the thermal safety of materials in contact with human skin. A series of studies on this subject has been completed and some of the results have been reported earlier. In these studies over 2,000 observations were made of pain threshold during contact with materials at elevated temperatures. Six materials were used representing the full range of thermal properties from good conductors to good insulators. Previous reports gave methods for determining the maximum permissible temperatures for any material in safe contact with bare skin for 1-5 s solely from a knowledge of its thermal properties. This report presents the comparison of the theoretical and experimental contact temperatures at pain threshold and provides a method for deriving the skin temperature productive of threshold pain from the thermal properties of any material within the range of those studies. Ratios reflecting the heat transfer coefficient associated with the materials in contact are related to their thermal properties so that the skin temperature at pain threshold may be determined from that calculated from heat transfer theory. Tabular and graphical representation of these data permits interpolation within the range of properties so that any material of known thermal conductivity, density and specific heat may be assessed with respect to its effect on the skin temperature during contact to the end point of pain. These data, in conjunction with those already reported, constitute a system for the complete assessment of the thermal aspects of practically any material suitable for construction and manufacturing applications with respect to safe contact with human skin.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed1979

Effects of the synthetic enkephalin analogue FK 33-824 on pain threshold and pain tolerance in man.

Natural enkephalins exert weak and transitory analgesic effects. The synthetic enkephalin, FK 33-824 (FK), is less susceptible to metabolic breakdown and produces long-lasting analgesia in animals. The present studies examined the effects of FK on threshold and tolerance of electrically evoked pain in man under double blind conditions. 1.0 mg FK given intramuscularly (saline control) increased tolerance significantly without affecting the pain threshold, but also produced vasodilatation and feelings of oppression and heaviness (study I). In study II, where 50 mg betazole was employed as "placebo" because of its vasodilatatory effects, 1.0 mg FK increased pain tolerance significantly more than 0.25 mg FK while the threshold remained unchanged. Self-ratings of activation and well-being decreased; those of oppression increased, as did reaction time, equally after 0.25 and 1.0 mg FK but were not altered by betazole. In conclusion, 1.0 mg FK i.m. increases tolerance but not perception of pain, thus mimicking the analgesic effects of morphine.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Ultrastructure of the trigeminal principal sensory nucleus in the norm and during pain threshold stimulation].

Ultrastructural organization of main sensory trigeminal nucleus neurons and synapses was studied in norm and in threshold pain irritation of teeth pulp of the cat. The neurons were divided into small and large ones. The latter were identified according to ultrastructural organization of perikaryon and significant number of axo-somatic synapses, formed by presynaptic terminals of different size. These neurons react to threshold pain irritation. Changes were observed more often in axonic terminals than in the endings of specific pain afferent fibres.

Animals↗