The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether far-infrared therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can improve postoperative side effects in patients with head and neck cancer. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Can far-infrared therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduce pain and improve neck range of motion? Can far-infrared therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduce inflammation? Researchers will compare three groups: Group A: control group; Group B: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; Group C: far-infrared therapy combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, to evaluate differences in pain, neck range of motion, and inflammation. Participants will receive the assigned intervention in the morning and evening for five consecutive days. Outcome measurements will be conducted on the first and fifth days.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
90
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is applied to the neck region twice daily, in the morning and evening, for five consecutive days.
Far-infrared therapy is applied to the neck region twice daily, in the morning and evening, for five consecutive days.
Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation
Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan
Pain intensity
Pain intensity will be assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS), with scores ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).
Time frame: Preoperative baseline (before surgery), postoperative day 10, and postoperative day 15
Neck range of motion (ROM)
Active neck range of motion will be measured in degrees, including flexion, extension, bilateral rotation, and bilateral lateral flexion.
Time frame: Preoperative baseline (before surgery), postoperative day 10, and postoperative day 15
Inflammatory markers (LMR, NLR)
Inflammatory markers will be calculated from complete blood counts, including the Lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio(LMR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)
Time frame: Preoperative baseline (before surgery), postoperative day 10, and postoperative day 15
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