eToims twitch relief method in chronic refractory myofascial pain (CRMP).
BACKGROUND
CRMP management involves electrical stimulation of motor points.


OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that Electrical Twitch-Obtaining Intramuscular Stimulation (eToims) using ET127 system for noninvasive motor point stimulation is safe and efficacious in CRMP management.


METHODS
Longitudinal observation of consecutive self-pay outpatients treated from 10/06 through 4/08, divided into Preferred Group ("PG", N = 49, 3 Hz, 4 stimuli/site) and Basic Group ("BG", N = 43, 1 Hz stimulation, 1 stimulus/site). PG and BG had comparable ages, symptom durations, treatment session durations and treatment intervals. Each session involved treatment to large muscles of C4-C7 and L3-S1 myotomes. Outcome measures include prior week's verbal pain levels, pre and immediate post-session pain levels, blood pressure (BP), pulse rate (PR), symptomatic (S) and asymptomatic (A) side range-of-motion (ROM) for neck rotation (NR), shoulder external rotation (ER), shoulder internal rotation (IR), straight leg raising (SLR) and FABERE testing.


RESULTS
PG and BG showed significant improvements (p < 0.01) in immediate post-session pain levels and measured ROM. Significantly higher ERS (pre and post session percentage changes) noted for BG over PG (p < 0.05). Post-session PR decreased in both groups, more so in PG Systolic BP was mildly elevated in PG but was mildly reduced in BG Both groups showed no diastolic BP changes. Significant negative correlation noted between increasing number of treatments and pain level only in PG (r = -0.3, p = 0.00). Increasing number of treatments in PG correlated significantly with improvement in NRS, NRA, IRS, SLRS, LRA, FABERES and FABEREA whereas BG significantly correlated only for improvement in LRS. PG had lower average pain levels than BG (3.4 +/- 1.9 vs. 4.3 +/- 2.5, p < 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
eToims using ET127 electrical stimulator appears safe and efficacious in CRMP management.
Department of Physial Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, USA. jchu@etoims.com
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Chu
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Schwartz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016896:Treatment Outcome