Exploring Radon Exposure Therapy for the Control of Chronic Pain

Abstract

Pain affects every person at some point in their life. Chronic pain, however, is defined by the National Institute of Health (NIH) as pain lasting for greater 6 months (Treede et al., 2015, p. 1003). It not only negatively affects the patient physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. Based on data gathered in 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that more than 28% of adults, approximately 91 million individuals, within the United States suffered from chronic pain that impacted their day-to-day living and employment abilities (2018). Currently, the most common pain treatment option is pharmaceuticals such as opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), and steroidal anti-inflammatories. One additional and uncommon option that patients can seek out to help alleviate their pain is Radon Exposure Therapy (RET). RET is a systematic therapy in which the patient is exposed to radon either through inhalation of radon in its gas form or as a solute in water. The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice brief is to research the implication of RET as a complementary therapy for chronic pain control when compared to those not using RET. The results of this systematic review will provide insight into potential complimentary therapies that may be used in pain control.