Comparison of Effectiveness in Pain Reduction in Muscle Strain between NSAIDs and Thai Massage with Hot Compress at Sanamchaikhet Hospital in Chachoengsao Province

Introduction: Although studies that proved the efficacy of traditional Thai massage with hot compress therapy were very few in number, they played an important role in relieving various types of pain. This study might increase the confidence of health-care providers to use this  ethod as a standard therapy by providing them with evidence-based knowledge. Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and attitude in pain reduction for muscle strain between NSAIDs and traditional Thai massage with hot compress therapy. Study design: Prospective cohort study Materials and methods: One hundred and six patients with muscle strain were enrolled in this study. Fifty-six persons chose traditional Thai massage with hot compress therapy and 50 chose NSAIDs. Each answered a questionnaire before the treatment and was followed up at 24, 48 and 72 hours after treatment by telephone. The questionnaires elicited demographic data, health status, numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain and attitude toward these two methods. Results: Post-treatment pain score decreased significantly as compared with pre-treatment score within the group treated with Thai massage with hot compress and NSAIDs users (p-value< 0.001), and the pain scores at 24, 48, 72 hours were not significantly different between the two groups. These two methods reduced pain equally for 75 per cent in three days post-treatment. The subjects mostly thought that Thai massage was better than NSAIDs in pain reduction for muscle strain. Conclusions: This study proved that the efficacy of traditional Thai massage with hot compression therapy for muscle strain, pain reduction was not significantly different from that of NSAIDs. Key words: Thai massage, NSAIDs, efficacy in pain reduction, Sanamchaikhet