The efficacy of lidocaine- H ointment in prevention of the pain associated with EMG- needling

EMG needling is not a painless procedure. In recent studies it has been shown that a form of lidocaine has the efficacy which is similar to EMLA, for prevention of pain associated with EMG needling. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Lidocaine H ointment in alleviating the pain caused by EMG needling. This study was performed on patients referred to Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital for EDx study in APR 2009- APR 2010. A double blinded, placebo controlled study was performed in 47 adult patients (94 lower limbs) to compare the pain of EMG needling into the tibialis anterior muscle after application of lidocaine-H ointment or placebo. Pain scores were obtained by using visual analog scale (VAS). Experimental and placebo groups were compared with Mann-U-Whitney and Chi-square tests. The study was performed on 47 patients, 38.3% male & 61.7% female, mean age being 45.5 ± 16.4years. Median VAS score was 4.66 ± 2.14 vs. 6.11 ± 2.07, (P<0.05). 51.1% of patients in experimental group as compared to 21.3% in controls reported mild pain (VAS < 4), (P<0/01). It seems that lidocaine-H ointment has beneficial effects in prevention of the pain associated with EMG needling.