Effect of jaw relaxation on pain intensity of burn dressing

The frequency of severe burn and the results of this injury in the form of death, mortality, illness and social and economical costs on society is an acceptable justification for special attention to the burn victims by health experts. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of jaw relaxation on dressing pain intensity of burn patients.

This study was a randomized clinical trial. One hundred patients referred to Shahid Motahari Burn Center in Tehran within July to December, 2009 were selected by convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups using minimization method. The experimental group practiced jaw relaxation technique for 20 minutes before entering dressing room. Data were collected using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and analyzed by SPSS 17 and independent t-test.

The mean burn dressing’ pain intensity score in experimental group was 45.93±24.97 and in control group was 48.05±25.61.There were no significant difference between the pain intensity after dressing in both experimental and control groups (p=0.676).

Regarding to ineffectiveness of jaw relaxation on burn dressing’s pain intensity, it is suggested that further relaxation practice sessions be held and continued in the dressing room and also the effect of this technique on residual, penetrating and procedural pain of burn patients be examined and compared.