Muscle injection of
lidocaine can be utilized for treating patients with CFS as it significantly
decreased chronic fatigue by 38%.
Chronic
fatigue syndrome is a disabling disorder indicated by unintended chronic
fatigue, exertion intolerance, and sleep and cognitive abnormalities. Patients with
CFS normally complain of long-lasting fatigue and pain which often does not go
by resting, rather worsens by physical exertion. Earlier evidences have
implicated that metaboreceptors of muscles play an essential role in chronic
fatigue and the pain. Therefore, it was hypothesized that blocking impulse
input from the deep tissues with intramuscular lidocaine injections would
increase not only the pain but also fatigue in CFS patients.
A
double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed which included 58 CFS
patients. The participants were given 20 mL of 1% lidocaine (200 mg) or normal
saline once into both trapezius and gluteal muscles. The study aimed to
determine the association between clinical fatigue and pain, depression, and
anxiety. Mechanical and heat hyperalgesia was also assessed. Serum levels of
lidocaine were obtained after administering the injections.
The
findings of the study estimated the more significant decrease in Fatigue
ratings among CFS patients after lidocaine comparative to saline injections
(p=0.03). On the other hand, it was found that muscle injections lowered the pain,
depression, and anxiety (p<0.001).
However, these changes were not statistically varied between lidocaine and
saline (p>0.05). It was observed
that there was an increase in the mechanical pain thresholds among CFS patients
(p=0.04) with use of lidocaine injections. But it did not affect their heat
hyperalgesia. Importantly, mood changes or lidocaine serum levels did not
significantly predict fatigue reductions.
Overall,
it can be concluded that lidocaine injections bring about a reduction in
clinical fatigue in CFS patients significantly more than placebo. This suggests
an essential role of peripheral tissues in chronic fatigue. Moreover, a further
investigation to evaluate the clinical benefits through these interventions are
warranted.
Dove press
Muscle injections with lidocaine improve resting fatigue and pain in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
Roland Staud Taylor Kizer et al.
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