A new analgesic method, two-minute sciatic nerve press, for immediate pain relief: a randomized trial

Abstract

BackgroundCurrent analgesics have drawbacks such as delays in acquisition, lag-times for effect, and side effects. We recently presented a preliminary report of a new analgesic method involving a two-minute sciatic nerve press, which resulted in immediate short-term relief of pain associated with dental and renal diseases. The present study investigated whether this technique was effective for pain associated with other disease types, and whether the relief was effective for up to one hour.MethodsThis randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted in four hospitals in Anhui Province, China. Patients with pain were sequentially recruited by participating physicians during clinic visits, and 135 patients aged 15 – 80 years were enrolled. Dental disease patients included those with acute pulpitis and periapical abscesses. Renal disease patients included those with kidney infections and/or stones. Tumor patients included those with nose, breast, stomach and liver cancers, while Emergency Room patients had various pathologies. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a "sciatic nerve press" in which pressure was applied simultaneously to the sciatic nerves at the back of both thighs, or a "placebo press" in which pressure was applied to a parallel region on the front of the thighs. Each fist applied a pressure of 11 – 20 kg for 2 minutes. Patients rated their level of pain before and after the procedure.ResultsThe "sciatic nerve press" produced immediate relief of pain in all patient groups. Emergency patients reported a 43.5% reduction in pain (p < 0.001). Significant pain relief for dental, renal and tumor patients lasted for 60 minutes (p < 0.001). The peak pain relief occurred at the 10 – 20th minutes, and the relief decreased 47% by the 60th minutes.ConclusionTwo minutes of pressure on both sciatic nerves produced immediate significant short-term conduction analgesia. This technique is a convenient, safe and powerful method for the short-term treatment of clinical pain associated with a diverse range of pathologies.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ACTRN012606000439549

A Self-Administered Method of Acute Pressure Block of Sciatic Nerves for Short-Term Relief of Dental Pain: A Randomized Study

“…For the hand pressure method, a pressure of 10–20 kg/hand is required to provide pain relief [11–13]. The self‐administered method involves squatting down; therefore, the pressure to the sciatic nerve, per unit area, should be much smaller than the 10–20 kg/hand pressure administered by the hand.…”

“…We recently reported that acute pressure applied to the sciatic nerves can inhibit clinical pain, but not cold pressor pain [10][11][12][13]. Although the period of relief is short term, the relief from pain is significant; and the method can be used repeatedly (the analgesic effect decreases if repeated continuously) [10][11][12][13].…”

Acute pressure on the sciatic nerve results in rapid inhibition of the wide dynamic range neuronal response

“…For example, chronic pressure applied to the sciatic nerve because of internal tension of the obturator muscle, or anatomical abnormalities in the piriformis muscle, can cause pain [6-8], and surgery to relieve pressure affords rapid relief [9-11]. On the contrary, we found that acute pressure applied to the sciatic nerve for 2 min provides rapid pain relief [4,5,12,13]. This relief is short-lived, with duration of minutes to hours.…”

A comparison between acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve and acupressure: methodology, analgesia, and mechanism involved

“…This acupuncture point is located below the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra, where branches of the sciatic nerve extend from the spinal cord (Figure 1). As seen in a few studies, effective pressure on any accessible area along the sciatic nerve will provide rapid pain relief, but the effectiveness is reduced if the pressure is applied distant from the sciatic nerve 6,7,9. Is the relief from sciatica pain attributable to stimulation of the acupuncture point or to stimulation of the sciatic nerve?…”

“…The method works well to alleviate various types of clinical pain but not experimental cold pressor pain or intense pain 6,7,9. Some physicians, patients, and scientists have interpreted this method as another approach for delivering the previously described analgesic method, acupressure.…”