Effect of diazepam on experimentally induced pain thresholds

Abstract

Tibial pressure and thermal pain thresholds were measured under carefully controlled conditions in 16 subjects after the intravenous administration of diazepam, 0.15 mg/kg. Control observations showed no significant change when studied for 1 hour. Infiltration of the skin overlying the tibia did not significantly alter tibial pressure pain thresholds. Diazepam was shown to produce a variable effect both in the direction of the changes in both types of pain threshold and in their timing. In some subjects there was a dissociation between the direction of change of the two types of pain threshold. © 1974 Oxford University Press.