TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcranial DC stimulation coupled with TENS for the treatment of chronic pain : a preliminary study
AU - Boggio, P.S.
AU - Amancio, E.J.
AU - Correa, C.F.
AU - Cecilio, S.
AU - Valasek, C.
AU - Bajwa, Z.
AU - Freedman, S.D.
AU - Pascual-Leone, A.
AU - Edwards, Dylan
AU - Fregni, F.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Objective: Based on evidence showing that electrical stimulation of the nervous system is an effective method to decrease chronic neurogenic pain, we aimed to investigate whether the combination of 2 methods of electrical stimulation-a method of peripheral stimulation [transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)] and a method of noninvasive brain stimulation [transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)]-induces greater pain reduction as compared with tDCS alone and sham stimulation.Methods: We performed a preliminary, randomized, sham-controlled, crossover, clinical study in which 8 patients were randomized to receive active tDCS/active TENS (tDCS/TENS group), active tDCS/sham TENS (tDCS group), and sham tDCS/sham TENS (sham group) stimulation. Assessments were performed immediately before and after each condition by a blinded rater.Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference in pain reduction across the conditions of stimulation (P=0.006). Post hoc tests showed significant pain reduction as compared with baseline after the tDCS/TENS condition [reduction by 36.5% (±10.7), P=0.004] and the tDCS condition [reduction by 15.5% (±4.9), P=0.014], but not after sham stimulation (P=0.35). In addition, tDCS/TENS induced greater pain reduction than tDCS (P=0.02).Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that the combination of TENS with tDCS has a superior effect compared with tDCS alone.
AB - Objective: Based on evidence showing that electrical stimulation of the nervous system is an effective method to decrease chronic neurogenic pain, we aimed to investigate whether the combination of 2 methods of electrical stimulation-a method of peripheral stimulation [transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)] and a method of noninvasive brain stimulation [transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)]-induces greater pain reduction as compared with tDCS alone and sham stimulation.Methods: We performed a preliminary, randomized, sham-controlled, crossover, clinical study in which 8 patients were randomized to receive active tDCS/active TENS (tDCS/TENS group), active tDCS/sham TENS (tDCS group), and sham tDCS/sham TENS (sham group) stimulation. Assessments were performed immediately before and after each condition by a blinded rater.Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference in pain reduction across the conditions of stimulation (P=0.006). Post hoc tests showed significant pain reduction as compared with baseline after the tDCS/TENS condition [reduction by 36.5% (±10.7), P=0.004] and the tDCS condition [reduction by 15.5% (±4.9), P=0.014], but not after sham stimulation (P=0.35). In addition, tDCS/TENS induced greater pain reduction than tDCS (P=0.02).Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that the combination of TENS with tDCS has a superior effect compared with tDCS alone.
U2 - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181af1414
DO - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181af1414
M3 - Article
C2 - 19920718
SN - 0749-8047
VL - 25
SP - 691
EP - 695
JO - The Clinical Journal of Pain
JF - The Clinical Journal of Pain
IS - 8
ER -