Effect of cold pack therapy for management of burn scar pruritus: A pilot study

Abstract Purpose Pruritus, a common, chronically disabling condition is often refractory to treatment. The pruritus sensation is mediated in the spinal cord and post-burn pruritus is considered a form of neuropathic pain. We investigated cold pack therapy as a treatment modality for post-burn pruritus. Methods We studied 23 patients with severe pruritus scoring at least 5 on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and refractory to antihistamine and gabapentin administration. Each cold pack therapy lasted more than 20 min. Patients participated in more than three sessions daily for 4 consecutive weeks. The numerical rating scale (NRS), 5-D Itch Scale, Leuven Itch Scale, and perfusion units were evaluated before, within 30 min after, 2, and 4 weeks cold pack therapy. Results In all patients, the NRS was 9.37 ± 1.47 pre-therapy, 3.48 ± 2.19 at 2 weeks, and 2.78 ± 2.13 at 4 weeks following therapy, the pre-scores being significantly different (p  p Conclusion Cold pack therapy, a non-invasive, non-pharmacological treatment modality significantly reduces post-burn pruritus and could be useful in burn patients.