Assessment of back pain during electroconvulsive therapy

Abstract

Objective To assess back pain during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by physiotherapists

Materials and methods Samples were 20 psychiatric patients in Srithanya hospital treated with ECT during March and May 2013. Data were collected from the medical record form of ECT unit and the physical assessment form of the physiotherapist unit including subjective examination, objective examination such as observation, palpation, active movement and posteroanterior movement (PA move-ment). Each patient was assessed by one of three physiotherapists before ECT and after 1st, 3rd and 6th ECT within 24 hours of each treatment.

Results Most subjects were male (14 cases). Nurses at the ECT unit identified 15 cases with back pain after 3rd, 6th ECT. Of these, 8 patients had pain by observation and palpation and 5 patients had pain on moving the upper T spine in active movement and posteroanterior movement (PA movement) by physiotherapist. revealed

Conclusion The assessment of psychiatric patients treated with ECT by physiotherapists with the movement of the spine by active movement and PA movement could detect pain, position, area and level of spine more accurately than a routine assessment.