Abstract
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust, Ashington, UK
To assess if a pain diary is useful in assessment and management of patients who undergo diagnostic nerve root block (NRB) for lumbar radicular pain.
Prospective study
23 patients who underwent diagnostic NRB for lumbar radicular pain were given a pain diary. They recorded their response to one of four options from Day 0 to Day 14 (good relief, partial satisfactory, partial unsatisfactory, and no relief of leg pain) and could also add additional comments. A Consultant Spinal Surgeon reviewed the diary with the patient at 6-week follow up appointment to formulate a management plan.
Patient response, completion of the pain diary and final clinical outcome (surgical or non surgical treatment).
The response rate was 91% (21/23). The pain diary was very useful in 43% (9/21), useful in 33% (7/21) and not useful in 24% (5/21) of patients in formulating further management. There was a tendency for patients with complex problems and poor response to add descriptive notes and comments (9/ 23).
Patient compliance with pain diary was good and it has been valuable in making further management decisions. We found the pain diary to be a useful and inexpensive adjunct in the assessment of patients who underwent diagnostic NRB.
