Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction from the Short Term Outcomes of Balneotherapy and Physical Therapy in Muscoloskeletal Disorders
Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the treatment satisfaction in patients who received both balneotherapy and physical therapy modalities compared to that in patients who received standard physical therapy alone.
Materials and Methods: In this study, we included 903 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, cervical spine, and the lumbar spine as well as mechanical neck pain and low back pain. Demographic and disease characteristics and pain levels were recorded. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of patients receiving inpatient balneotherapy and electrotherapy and group 2 included patients receiving outpatient standard physical therapy including local hot pack and electrotherapy. Pain levels, changes in analgesic use and levels of treatment satisfaction were evaluated after fifteen sessions of treatment. The groups were compared in terms of satisfaction status.
Results: Significant decreases were detected in pain intensities in both treatment groups, balneotherapy was found to be superior in terms of pain intensity, reduction in analgesic use and increase in the general satisfaction. It was found that both the satisfaction level and general satisfaction status in balneotherapy group were higher than that in the standard therapy group.
Conclusion: Balneotherapy is more effective than standard physical therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders in terms of pain, analgesic drug consumption and treatment satisfaction status.
Keywords : Balneotherapy, musculoskeletal disorders, satisfactio