Authors: Andreé Salvatierra.
Brief study that analyzes the placebo effect on acute muscle pain in adult patients belonging to a Peruvian medical center. Thus, in the form of a topical agent, petrolate jelly is compared to a pharmacologically active agent (diclofenac 1%).
Objectives: To check that the initial muscle pain level of adult patients is decreased after the application of a placebo.
Methodology: An ad hoc instrument "Rapid Pain Assessment" was used with which a pre and post-test evaluation was performed, following a double-blind design.
Results: A final sample of 20 subjects (10 men and 10 women) was counted on, with an average age of 43. The overall proportion of improvement for the placebo group shows that 9 out of 10 patients showed some kind of improvement in their muscle condition, as well as for the group with the pharmacological agent. However, the levels of relieved after the application of diclofenac 1%, show greater stability and higher percentages of improvement.
Conclusions: The improvement in muscle pain in the placebo group is considered to be related to their predisposition and expectation about treatment. In any case, the exploration of these phenomena with more representative samples is suggested.
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