Transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation in functional pain.
Transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation (TENS) has recently emerged as a distinct therapeutic modality in the alleviation of acute and chronic pain. We applied this modality to 15 nonsurgical low-back pain patients having diagnoses of functional pain, with 40% initially having significant pain relief (50% of greater). However, this pain-alleviating effect of TENS did not last longer than two months. After initiation of neurostimulation, increased pain and/or bizarre and inappropriate sensations and behavior frequently developed. We also applied this modality in the diagnostic evaluation and treatment of 24 patients having diagnoses of postsurgical chronic intractable low-back pain of psychosomatic origin and achieved similar results. In both groups, we utilized a simplified poststimulation "normal-saline-sterile-water intramuscular injection test" to confirm the findings from transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation and to verify the functional basis of the present low-back pain.
D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation