Browsing by Author "Savitha, D"
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Publication Effect of Humour on Pain Perception among Young Healthy Indian Adults Using Cold Pressor Task(Kathmandu University, 2024) Rhea, OP; Savitha, D; Anto, TABSTRACT Background Currently there is little research, especially in India, which has looked at the physiological effects of humour on pain perception. Objective To compare pain sensitivity across the three arms of intervention (control, neutral and funny videos). And to investigate the relationship between a) cardiovascular responses across and within each arm, b) pain sensitivity and resting blood pressure, pulse rate, c) humour trait with pain sensitivity. Method Subjects were exposed in random order to cold pressor task, during which they either watched a ‘neutral video’ or ‘funny video’ or did not watch any video. During the intervention, pain threshold and tolerance were recorded. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were measured before and after intervention. Pain unpleasantness was recorded post intervention. Result Neither humorous nor neutral videos had a significant effect on pain threshold, tolerance and unpleasantness and cardiovascular responses. There was significant difference between the pre and post values of cardiovascular measures within neutral and funny video arms. In the ‘no video’ arm, negative correlations were found between resting blood pressure and pain unpleasantness, and between delta diastolic blood pressure and pain threshold. Humour trait and subject’s self-rating of pain tolerance had no effect on both pain sensitivity and cardiovascular responses to cold pain. Conclusion Humorous distraction had no effect on objective or subjective pain measures or cardiovascular responses to cold pain exposure. There was a significant difference in the pre-post values of cardiovascular measures within neutral and funny video arms. KEY WORDS Cardiovascular responses, Cold pressor task, Humour, Pain perceptionPublication Inter-individual Variation in Pain Sensitivity among Healthy Young Indian Adults- a pilot study(Kathmandu University, 2023) Aparna Rao, C; Savitha, DABSTRACT Background Pain perception, with inter-individual variability, is a challenge for both patients and clinicians. Distribution of pain sensitivity parameters being less explored in Indian population can vary with reports from outside India. Objective To describe distribution of pain sensitivity parameters using cold pressor test in healthy adults and to explore relationship of pain sensitivity with gender, vascular reactivity and parental history of hypertension. Method Pain was induced with non-dominant hand immersed in cold water (30C to 50C) in 150 subjects (75 males and 75 females) selected as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pain sensitivity (pain threshold, tolerance and unpleasantness), vascular reactivity (Δ change in blood pressure and pulse rate) were measured. Result Subjects demonstrated pain threshold [17.6 s (10.7, 26.6)], tolerance [40.2 s (30.0, 59.2)] and unpleasantness [7.0 (6.1,8.0)]. Pain unpleasantness showed a weak negative correlation with pain threshold and tolerance (p < 0.001). Pain threshold had moderate positive correlation with tolerance (p < 0.001). Males had significantly higher pain threshold and tolerance than females (p=0.004). Significant rise in post- test systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), decrease in pulse rate (p=0.007) were found compared to resting values. Pain tolerance showed a weak positive correlation with Δ systolic blood pressure (p=0.039). Subjects with positive parental history of hypertension showed higher pain unpleasantness scores (p=0.02). Conclusion The study demonstrated a wide range of pain sensitivity for narrow age and body mass index. Gender difference was observed for pain threshold and tolerance. Vascular reactivity was demonstrated. Subjective pain perception was higher in subjects with parental history of hypertension. KEY WORDS Cold pressor test, Pain threshold, Tolerance, Parental history of hypertension, Vascular reactivity