The safety and therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound drug infiltration on skin hyperalgesia

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound drug infiltration to alleviate the skin hyperalgesia which induced by herpes zoster. Methods Sixty patients with skin hyperalgesia, induced by herpes zoster, were randomly divided into three groups(n=20), respectively received ultrasound drug infiltration and oral drug(G group), intradermal and oral drug(I group), and oral drug treatment only(C group). Scores in visual analogue scale(VAS) and emotional scales(ES) were evaluated before and after treatment, and the adverse reactions were recorded. Results Both VAS and ES scores in three groups decreased after treatment. VAS in G group and I group decreased significantly more than C group (P<0.05). Decrease in ES scores in I group was significantly more than that in C group(P<0.05). Conclusions Both ultrasound infiltration and intradermal injection of drug can rapidly alleviate the skin hyperalgesia induced by herpes zoster. The ultrasound drug infiltration had higher satisfactory rating than intradermal drug injection. Key words: Herpes zoster; Hyperalgesia; Phonophoresis; Intradermal injection