[Tenoxicam (texamen) in the treatment of acute cervicalgia: results of an open comparative trial].

OBJECTIVE: Acute cervical pain is one of the most common reasons for a visit to a doctor and temporal disability. We studied efficacy and safety of the nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug tenoxicam (texamen) in the treatment of acute cervical pain in myofascial syndrome.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A trial included 50 people (42 women and 8 men, mean age 42,2±6,8 years) with acute cephalgia. A main group (30 patients) received tenoxicam in dose 20 mg daily in the morning during 7 days with simultaneous therapeutic exercises with elements of postisometric relaxation of cervical muscles. A control group (20 patients) received myorelaxants and massage of a cervical-collar zone.

RESULTS: The analgesic effect was more rapid in patients treated with texamen compared to controls. Statistically significant differences were seen in 1-3 days of treatment. In the main group, the analgesic effect long, only 16,6% of patients reported the aggravation of pain in the evening hours during the first day of treatment and 10% in the 2nd day; 23,3% patients of the main group used an additional dose of texamen, another nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (ibuprofen) or triptan to stop pain.

CONCLUSION: The introduction of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, in particular texamen, in the complex treatment of acute cephalgia can significantly reduce pain syndrome.