Q. Is bed rest an effective treatment for anything?
Posted On 24 November 2017
- Meta-analysis on 39 randomised control trials for 15 different conditions (5777 patients)
Following a medical procedure: Out 24 RCTs-No outcomes improved significantly
- 8 worsened significantly in some procedures
- Lumbar puncture – vertigo, nausea and vomiting (no significant improvement in headache)
- Spinal anaesthesia – headache, back pain
- Radiculography – headache, nausea,vomiting, dizziness
- Cardiac catheterisation – haematoma,pain, bleeding
As a treatment Out of 19 RCTs-No outcomes improved significantly
- 9 worsened significantly for some conditions
- Acute low back pain – disability (day 1, day 7 and day 28), normal activity, pain
- Labour – length of stay, contraction frequency, assisted delivery, anaglesia required, APGAR score
- Proteiunuric hypertension during pregnancy – plasma urea and urate, premonitory symptoms of eclampsia
- Myocardial infarction – VTE, mortality, non-fatal reinfarction, ischaemia or congestive cardiac failure
- Acute infection hepatitis – time to recovery
A. There is no evidence that bed rest has any significant beneficial effect when used as a treatment or following a procedure. In some disorders, it seems to be harmful.