Table 3.
Methods of Pain Management and Perceived Effectiveness Among University Students Who Reported Experiencing Pain in the Past 6 Months (N=297)
| Pain Management Methods | Frequency | Perceived Effectiveness | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | Mean (0–5) | SD | |
| Seeking medical help | 98 | 33.2 | – | – |
| General practitioner | 60 | 20.2 | 2.68 | 1.59 |
| Physiotherapist | 39 | 13.1 | 2.18 | 1.31 |
| Chiropractor | 7 | 2.4 | 3.33 | 1.75 |
| setter | 3 | 1.0 | – | – |
| Traditional Chinese physician | 31 | 10.4 | 2.20 | 1.35 |
| Pharmacological Management | ||||
| Use of any OTC medication | 134 | 45.1 | – | – |
| Pain relief pills (OTC) | 167 | 56.2 | 3.28 | 1.17 |
| Topical agents | 57 | 19.2 | 2.59 | 1.33 |
| Pain relief patch | 95 | 31.9 | 2.37 | 1.28 |
| Oral intake of Chinese Medicine | 29 | 9.7 | 1.97 | 1.74 |
| Non-pharmacological method | ||||
| Any non-pharmacological method | 170 | 57.2 | – | – |
| Rest | 109 | 36.7 | 3.25 | 1.19 |
| Massage | 88 | 29.6 | 3.03 | 0.98 |
| Acupressure | 69 | 23.2 | 2.65 | 0.94 |
| Exercise | 54 | 18.2 | 2.76 | 1.13 |
| Heat application | 40 | 13.5 | 2.80 | 1.14 |
| Music | 37 | 12.5 | 2.44 | 0.94 |
| Acupuncture | 36 | 12.1 | 3.08 | 1.16 |
| Deep breathing | 35 | 11.8 | 2.17 | 0.96 |
| TENS | 27 | 9.1 | 2.67 | 1.11 |
| Cold application | 20 | 6.7 | 2.40 | 0.82 |
| Aromatherapy | 5 | 1.7 | 2.20 | 1.10 |
| TCM (eg, Cupping therapy, Scarping) | 4 | 1.3 | 2.00 | 1.41 |
Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; OTC, over-the-counter drug; TCM, traditional Chinese medicine.