The use of cold therapy, music therapy and lidocaine spray for reducing pain and anxiety following chest tube removal.

Abstract Aim To determine the effect of cold therapy, music therapy and lidocaine spray on pain and anxiety following chest tube removal (CTR). Methods This study was a randomized clinical trial. The participants were randomly assigned either one of four groups: control group, cold therapy, music therapy, and lidocaine spray. The primary outcome of the study was to measure pain using Visual Analog Scale. Anxiety was used as secondary outcome. Results Thirty patients in each arm completed the study. There was no difference in pain scores between groups immediately after and 20 min after CTR (F = 2.06, p = 0.108). However, there was a significant difference between the anxiety scores of control and intervention groups 20 min after CTR (p < 0.05). Conclusions Cold therapy reduced anxiety levels after the procedure. A multimodal approaches, such as the administration of pharmacologic agents in conjunction with non-pharmacological interventions including cold therapy may also be suggested. Highlights • Patients describe chest tube removal as a painful. • Non-pharmacological methods may be used to relieve pain associated with chest tube removal. • Cold therapy reduced anxiety levels after chest tube removal.