[Observation on the transient analgesic effect of abdominal acupuncture TENS on pain of neck, shoulder, loin and legs].
OBJECTIVE
To observe on the transient analgesic effect of abdominal points transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) combined with abdominal acupuncture according to the holographic theory on pain of neck, shoulder, loin and legs.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty cases of pain of neck, shoulder, loin and legs were randomly divided into 4 groups: abdominal acupuncture TENS group, acupoints TENS group, electroacupuneture (EA) group, non-abdominal acupuncture TENS group, 30 cases in each group. All the cases were treated by the same stimulation parameters, but different stimulation points. The VAS scores were recorded before and after treatment.


RESULTS
The VAS scores were significantly different before and after treatment in abdominal acupuncture TENS group (P < 0.01); the total effective rate of the transient analgesic effec t was 96.7% in the abdominal acupuncture TENS group, 93.3% in the acupoints TENS group, 96.7% in the EA group with no significant difference among the 3 groups, but with a very significant difference between the abdominal acupuncture TENS group and the non-abdominal acupunctureTENS group (10.0%), P < 0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
Abdominal acupuncture TENS has a better transient analgesic effect and can use less stimulation points to increase the analgesic effect.
Wang
Zhang-lian
ZL
Hospital of Acupuncture & Massage Affiliated to Zhejiang TCM University, Hangzhou 310009, China. billclq@163.com
Chen
Li-fang
LF
Zhu
Wei-ming
WM
D000005:Abdomen; D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation