[Use of thermomagnetic bandages and belts in cervical and lumbar pain syndromes. Experimental study with double blind method versus placebo].

Objective: To assess the antalgic activity of thermomagnetic bandages and belts in cervical and lumbar pain syndrome (respectively CPS and LPS), compared with non-magnetic devices (placebo).

Patients And Methods: It was a double-blind study on two groups of 30 patients suffering from chronic back pain (15 cervical and 15 lumbar in each group). Patients had to stop any previous analgesic or antiinflammatory drug treatment at least 8 days prior to entering the study. Each subject included in the study had to wear the bandage/belt for 8 hours a day for 14 consecutive days. Before the start, every subject underwent an initial assessment of his/her current pain level and functional status through the use of two visual analogue scales (pain and functional status) and one verbal scale (pain). After the end of the study, a final assessment was made using the same tools.

Results: 93 and 97% (respectively in the CPS and LPS group) were the percentages of patients in the actively-treated arm who showed an improvement both in pain level and in functional status. This improvement was statistically significant vs. the correspondent placebo-treated groups (respectively, 20 and 23% in the CPS and in the LPS). No adverse events associated to treatment were signalled.

Conclusions: The use of thermomagnetic bandages and belts (which are, virtually in all cases, free of contraindications) allows us a more rational and easy management of the patient suffering from chronic back pain.