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Query: UMLS:C0030193 (pain)
 261,466 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Local analgesia can be produced by transcutaneous electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. This is used in the treatment of chronic pain states. Its clinical effectiveness depends on two points; namely (1) the stimulation has to be perceptible, and (2) paresthesias elicited by TNS must be localized in the area of pain. To verify this in healthy subjects we produced an experimental pain by radiant heating of the skin and tested the analgesic effect of TNS. TNS stimuli parameters (duration, amplitude and frequency) were determined so that double blind conditions were given. Stimulation with small rectangular pulses showed the best analgesic effect especially at a stimulation rate of 100 Hz. The stimulation of various nerves showed that most of the analgesic effects depend on spinal level mechanisms but probably long loop effects are involved.
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PMID:TNS-evoked long loop effects. 31 54

The analgesic affects of TNS, pethidine and placebos on labour pain were studied in 30 parturient women during the first stage of labour. 10 had TNS paravertebrally in the region of the afferent nerves at Th 10-Th 12; one group of 5 had unspecific (wrong) TNS; in another group of five no current was applied (placebo); five women were given 50 mg of pethidine intravenously; five patients acted as a control group. To assess the analgesic effects the women were asked to estimate the intensity of pain (grades 1-6) over a period of 70 minutes. There was no significant difference between the placebo, unspecific TNS and control groups as regarded the increase in pain during the test period. Patients who had received pethidine and those who had been given TNS at the site of the afferent nerves transmitting impulses from the uterus experienced considerable relief of pain. The differences were highly significant. The observations prove the genuine analgesic action of TNS. The use of this technique in obstetrics is discussed.
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PMID:[Pain relief in childbirth; an analysis of the analgesic effects of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS), pethidine and placebos (author's transl)]. 63 95

Eighteen patients with chronic pain syndromes of organic origin were treated by means of high frequency transcutaneous nerve stimulation (hi-TNS). The CSF levels of receptorassayable Fraction I and II endorphins, substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI), and the monoamine metabolites 5-HIAA, HVA and MOPEG were measured before and after one week of daily treatment. Furthermore, the effects on experimental pain measures were determined. The therapeutic effect was evaluated after 30 days and 3 months of treatment. Patients with low initial concentrations of endorphins in CSF, lower than those observed in healthy volunteers, tended to have the best response to hi-TNS. There were significant increases in Fraction I endorphins and SPLI in CSF, most pronounced in the patients who responded. There were no significant changes in 5-HIAA, HVA or MOPEG in CSF. However, in early responders, the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA tended to decrease as contrasted to an increase in non-responders. The difference between the groups was statistically significant. Confirming our earlier studies, the therapy induced changes in pain measures showed a significant, positive correlation with increasing Fraction I endorphins in CSF. Our results suggest that hi-TNS induces central changes in the endorphinergic, serotonergic and possibly substance-P-ergic systems.
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PMID:Long-term high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (hi-TNS) in chronic pain. Clinical response and effects on CSF-endorphins, monoamine metabolites, substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) and pain measures. 241 23

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of a non-inflammatory nature characterized first and foremost by great pain in a number of tendons and muscles. The syndrome has only recently been delineated as a separate entity, the criteria for which are still being discussed. Recent studies have revealed reduced oxygenation in the trigger points, apparently a result of reduced microcirculation due to sympatho-inhibition (5). Since low-frequency TNS is known to increase microcirculation in skin and muscles in widespread areas, and since such stimulation also produces widespread pain-relief through the activation of endogenous opioids, this appears to be a rational therapy for this syndrome. In the present study, 40 patients with fibromyalgia received low-frequency TNS. The effects were beneficial in about 70% of the cases.
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PMID:[Treatment of fibromyalgia by low-frequency transcutaneous nerve stimulation]. 258 26

Low-frequency (2 Hz) TNS applied distally to peripheral nerves of the upper extremity is known to induce a wide-spread, non-segmental and prolonged relief of pain and an increased microcirculation due to sympatho-inhibition in a number of vascular beds. Such stimulation was administered in 29 tinnitus patients of various etiology. Reduction of tinnitus was encountered in 9 subjects in response to a 45-min TNS-session. The improvement was mainly seen in tinnitus characterized by lower frequencies (125-500 Hz). In 7 of the 9 patients, the tinnitus reduction was associated with improvement of hearing, predominantly in the low-frequency band. The effects were still present after one week following daily stimulation at home. On continued treatment, the effects were found to be transitory in 4 of the patients, whereas the remaining 5 patients are still using the stimulator after 2 to 5 years. It is suggested that the mechanism behind the beneficial effects is increased microcirculation in part of the auditory pathways.
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PMID:Transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) in tinnitus. 260 98

Forty-eight patients were entered into a placebo (mock TNS) versus acupuncture study to assess the effect of these therapies on headache. Treatment was evaluated by the use of patient diaries; each patient completed a daily diary for 4 weeks prior to treatment during 6 weeks of therapy and for 24 weeks of follow-up. Thirty-nine patients completed treatment and follow-up. At most acupuncture appears to be approximately 20% more effective than a placebo in alleviating headache but no statistically significant difference between these two treatments could be demonstrated. The implications of this result particularly with respect to determining treatment success and study method employed are discussed.
Pain 1985 Jan
PMID:The effects of acupuncture versus placebo in the treatment of headache. 398 37

In summation, the neuranatomy and neurophysiology of pain have been presented. Three of the classical theories of pain transmission were also discussed, these being the specificity, pattern, and gate control theories. The gate control theory postulates that stimulation of large diameter sensory nerve fibers blocks pain sensation at the level of the substantia gelatinosa in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This theory is used as the basic explanation for the function of the TNS, a device that can control pain by stimulation of the skin through surface electrodes. TNS stimulation appears to be most efficacious when the electrodes are placed either directly over or just proximal to the painful region. Podiatric application appears to lend itself quite naturally to TNS therapy. Several surgical and nonsurgical cases were presented where TNS therapy was employed and in this preliminary study approximately a 63% improvement in pain state was shown. We believe this modality is useful for patients who should limit their intake of analgesic medications, whether they are medically compromised, allergic to various pain medication, or simply are highly intolerant to pain. TNS is also useful in patients who do not respond well to the more traditional and conventional podiatric treatments. Our study illustrates TNS to be efficacious in pain states of a surgical, chronic or acute nature and even pain secondary to systemic disease. It should be noted that TNS is not curative, per se, but is a useful adjunct in the therapeutic regime. This form of therapy, although not without hazard, is relatively safe and easy to use, and although it is not the answer to all pain states, it is highly recommended when applicable.
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PMID:Transcutaneous nerve stimulation: its significance and applications in podiatry. 611 78

Claims have been made that local heat is particularly useful in treating osteoarthritis pain. This randomised trial evaluates the short term efficacy of local heat, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis. Two treatment groups were compared, one receiving mock TNS and the other heat from an infra-red gun (the IRS Medtec 100). Both the placebo and treatment groups received treatment on local tender trigger points. Each patient received four treatments. Pain was assessed before entry into the trial and after the completion of treatment; the parameters used for assessing pain were, analgesic intake, sleep disturbance due to pain and subjective pain score. Twenty-six patients were entered into the trial, twenty-five completed treatment. In the group receiving treatment from the infra-red gun (IRS Medtec 100) 75% obtained significant pain relief. In the group receiving mock TNS 31% obtained significant pain relief. A chi-squared test comparing these two groups give a P value of 0.07.
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PMID:A randomised trial to evaluate the effect of infra-red stimulation of local trigger points, versus placebo, on the pain caused by cervical osteoarthrosis. 612 87

The authors, after a review of the literature about TNS, suggest the comparison between three different TNS techniques from two points of view: A) Pain relief estimate; B) Response to Naloxone Test. To this purpose a impulse generator delivered a biphasic square-wave stimulus with duration of 0.40 msec and amplitude (peak to peak) to 130 mVolt, was used. TNS techniques used are so characterized 1) Frequency 80 Hz; Duration 30'; 2) Frequency 80 Hz; Duration over 120'; 3) Frequency 2/4 Hz; Duration over 120'. Although the techniques used for Group (1) provided the best numerical result in the evaluation of the pain relief, endorphine activity cannot be maintained owing to Naloxone Test negativity. Pain relief of (2) and (3) Group was statistically significant although not numerically at the same level of (1) Group. In the laters, on the contrary, positivity of Naloxone Test seems to hint at the activation of endorphine. This fact suggest to the authors hypothesis in the purpose to spot TNS site of action.
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PMID:[Electroanalgesia by transcutaneous stimulation (TNS). Response to the naloxone test]. 618

Thirteen patients with neck pain of at least two years' duration participated in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture group or a placebo TNS (transcutaneous nerve stimulation) group. Initial pain scores revealed no significant difference between the groups with respect to pain severity. Patients were treated twice weekly for four weeks, at the end of which pain relief was measured using a simple descriptive scale. Even though an attempt was made to maximize the effect of placebo TNS using strong verbal suggestion, acupuncture still proved superior to placebo in the relief of cervical pain (p less than 0.01). The implications of these findings are discussed.
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PMID:Acupuncture in the treatment of chronic cervical pain. A pilot study. 633 59


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