Publications and Medical Journals

The Clinical Journal of Pain

Halbert J, Crotty M, Cameron ID.
Evidence for the optimal management of acute and chronic phantom pain: a systematic review

The Clinical Journal of Pain. 2002 Mar-April;18(2):84-92. Review; PMID: 11882771 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc., Philadelphia, USA

Discussion...: "For late PLP (>2 weeks post operatively), there is some evidence suggesting consideration of Farabloc. It is unclear how readily regimens suggested for other neurotic pain states can be applied to patients with PLP."

...Results: Twelve trials were identified, including 375 patients whose follow-ups ranged in duration from 1 week to 2 years. Only three randomized, controlled studies with parallel groups and three randomized crossover trials were identified. Eight trials examined treatment of acute phantom pain, including epidural treatments (three trials), regional nerve blocks (three trials), treatment with calcitonin (one trial), and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (one trial). Three trials demonstrated a positive impact of the intervention on phantom limb pain, but the remainder demonstrated no difference between the intervention and control groups. Four trials examined late postoperative interventions, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (two trials) and the use of Farabloc (a metal threaded sock) and ketamine (one trial each). With regard to late postoperative interventions, three of the four trials showed modest short-term reduction of phantom limb pain. There was no relation between the quality of the trial and a positive result of the intervention.

Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine

Jian Zhang, MSC, Douglas Clement, MD, and Jack Taunton, MD
The Efficacy of Farabloc, An Electromagnetic Shield, in Attenuating Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness

Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, January 2000, Volume 10, Number 1
PMID: 10695845 [PubMed - Indexed for MEDLINE]
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc., Philadelphia, USA

A double Blind Cross-Over Study carried out by Jian Zhang M.Sc., Douglas Clement M.D. and Jack Taunton M.D. at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre, Division of Sports Medicine School of Human Kinetics and Department of Family Practice, at the University of British Columbia.

View a Power Point slide presentation of this Award Winning research paper. 

Objective
To determine the effect of Farabloc, a fabric with electromagnetic shielding properties, in attenuating the symptoms, signs and muscular strength of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) induced by two exposures to eccentric exercise in human subjects.

Results
Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance was carried out for each of seven variables assessing fabric, order, time and all combinations VAS, EST, MDA, CPK, Mb, WBC and Neutral, all show highly significant fabric effect supporting the hypothesis of a difference between Farabloc and placebo groups.

This analysis shows that the order of Farabloc or placebo fabric use in stage 1 and 2 produces different results. This may be caused by training or learning effect but did not alter the overall influence of Farabloc

Conclusions
Farabloc shields high frequency electromagnetic fields thereby may reduce cellular excitability via increased cell membrane electric potential and reduced ionic pore activity plus suppressing free radical formation by inhibition of iron containing enzymes limiting the potential cascade of lipid peroxidation and inflammation in DOMS

BC Medical Journal

D.B. Clement, MD and J.E. Taunton, MD
Alleviation of pain with the use of Farabloc, an electromagnetic shield: A review

BC Medical Journal Volume 43, Number 10, December 2000: 573-577

A review of the research on the alleviation of pain by Farabloc, a fabric with electromagnetic shielding properties.

Conclusion
Farabloc, an electromagnetic shielding fabric, reduces pain in human subjects who suffer from phantom limb pain or delayed onset muscle soreness when assessed in placebo-controlled cross-over designed studies.

Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation

Tali A. Conine, DHSc, PT; Cecil Hershler, MD, PhD, FRCP(C); Steacy A Alexander, BSc, PT; and Robert Crisp, BSc, PT
The Efficacy of Farabloc In the Treatment of Phantom Limb Pain

Canadian Journal of Rehabilitation
Volume 6, Number 3, 1993 pp.155 --161 ISSN 0828-0827

A clinical study undertaken by the University of British Columbia (1990 -- 1992)
Contract ordered by the British Columbia Ministry of Health.
The study was carried out by Tali A. Conine, DHSc, PT: Cecil Hershler, MD, pH, FRCP; Stacey A Alexander, B.Sc., PT and Robert Crisp, B.Sc., PT. With the assistance of Mr. Wayne Jones, statistical analyst, and Ms. Salima Jeraj, research assistant.

Over 60% of the patients studied reported their greatest pain relief using a Farabloc blanket or garment.

On Phantom Pain

Prof. G.L. Bach (M.D.)
Farabloc in the Treatment of Phantom Pain, Rheumatic Pain and Other Painful Symptoms

A study carried out in 1987 by Prof. G.L. Bach (M.D.)
Formerly Professor and Chairman of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology -
Chief University of Loyola --Medical Division at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois and the University of Loyola, Maywood, Illinois, USA

International Association for the Study of Pain®, Technical Corner from IASP Newsletter July/August 1996

Robert N. Jamison, PhD
Influence of Weather on Report of Pain

Departments of Anesthesia and Psychiatry,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Case Reports

The first publication of documented changes in pain perception associated with the weather was in the American Journal of Medical Sciences in 1887. This case report described a person with phantom limb pain who concluded that "approaching storms, dropping barometric pressure and rain were associated with increased pain complaint" (Shutty et al. 1992). Most investigations examining the relationship between weather and pain have studied persons diagnosed with arthritis.

After reviewing many case reports, Rentshler reported in JAMA in 1929 that there was strong evidence that "warm weather is beneficial and barometric pressure changes are detrimental to patients with arthritis" (Shutty et al. 1992). Since then many other studies have concluded that cold weather and changes in barometric pressure contribute to increased pain in persons diagnosed with arthritis (Hill 1972; Patberg et al. 1985; Rasker et al. 1986), although some exceptions have been noted (van de Laar et al. 1991).  

Yuh WT, Fisher DJ, Shields RK, Ehrhardt JC, Shellock FG.
Phantom limb pain induced in amputee by strong magnetic fields.

J Magn Reson Imaging. 1992 Mar-Apr;2(2):221-3.
PMID: 1562774 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.

An amputee (traumatic) experienced increased phantom limb pain when exposed to the magnetic fields of two magnetic resonance imagers. With a visual analog scale used to measure pain, electric stimulation studies demonstrated that the residual limb was unusually sensitive to subthreshold (for muscle twitch) levels of current. The painful symptoms produced mimicked those experienced in the presence of the imagers.

Publication Types:
Case Reports
PMID: 1562774 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Pain Management

Overcoming the Challenges of Neuropathic Pain.

Farabloc is now included in The Royal College of Nursing's Professional Development series on Pain Management.