Open Access
Subscription Access
Open Access
Subscription Access
Effect of Auricular Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Experimental Pain Threshold
Subscribe/Renew Journal
Physical therapists often administer pain-relieving treatment to patients, suffering from pain of various etiologies and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is one of the widely used non-invasive treatments for pain used by us.
Acupuncture points on the auricle of the ear&the peripheral acupuncture sites are sometimes used for treatment with Acupuncture-type TENS.
This study is an attempt to combine to ancient (Auriculotherapy)&modern (Physiotherapy-using acupuncture like TENS) method to produce an analgesic effect.
Aim&objectives
1) to examine the effect of high intensity low frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation at auricular acupuncture points on experimental pain threshold measured at wrist and
2) to determine the changes in effect over time.
Materials and methods
30 healthy females were assigned randomly to one of the three treatment groups. Group I (n=10) received TENS to appropriate auricular points for wrist analgesia. Group II (n=10) received TENS to inappropriate (placebo) auricular points&Group III (n=10) received no TENS. We measured the pain threshold at the wrist after an electrical stimulus during one pretreatment and four post treatment time periods
Results
Group I was the only group that had statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in pain threshold with a latent period of 10 minutes. This increase remained significant for all post treatment measurements for this group. Conclusion
Thus we conclude that high intensity, low frequency TENS applied to appropriate auricular points can increase pain thresholds.
Keywords
- Acupuncture, trigger points and musculoskeletal pain. P.E.Baldry, John W.I., Thompson (2nd edition) 1993.
- Bowsher D., 1987 “Mechanisms of pain in man” ICI Pharmaceuticals div.
- Chapman C.R., Bendetti C., Colpitts V. H., Gerlach R. “Noloxone fails to reverse pain thresholds elevated by acupuncture: Acupuncture analgesia reconsidered” Pain 1983; 16; 13-31.
- Fox E.J., Melzack R., “TENS and acupuncture: comparison for low back pain.” Pain 1976; 2; 141-148.
- Han J.S., 1987 “Mesolimbic neuronal loop of analgesia.” In: Tiengo M, Eccles J., Cuello A.C., Ottoson D, (eds) Advances in Pain Research and Therapy, Vol 10 Raven Press, New York.
- Han J.S., Terenius L,(1982) “Neurochemical basis of acupuncture analgesia” Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology 22; 193-200.
- Han J.S., Xie G.X., Ding X.G., Fan S.G.,(1984) “High and low frequency electroacupuncture analgesia are mediated by different opioid peptides” Pain; suppl. 369; 453.
- Hughes G.S. Jr., Lichstein P.R., Winitlock D.,et al “Response of plasma beta-endorphins to TENS in healthy subjects.” Physical Therapy 1984; 64; 1062-1066
- Ketade T.,Hyodo M., “the effects of stimulation of earacupuncture points on the body’s pain threshold” Am. Jr. of Chin. Med. 1979; 7; 241-252.
- Leo K. C. “Use of electrical stimulation at acupuncture points for treatment of RSD in a child” Physical Therapy, 1983; 63; 957-959.
- Lewith G.T., Machin D, 1983 “On the evaluation of clinical effects of acupuncture” Pain 6; 111-127.
- Longobard A.G., Clelland J. A., Knowles C. J. , Jackson J.R. “Effects of auricular TENS on distal extremity pain: a pilot study.” Phy. Ther. 1989;69;10-17.
- Malizia E., Andreucci G., Paolucci D.,et al “Electroacupuncture and peripheral beta-endorphin and ACTH levels” Lancet 1979;2;535-536.
- Mayer D.J., Price D.D., Raffi A., 1977 “Antagonism of acupuncture analgesia in man by narcotic antagonist naloxone” Brain Res. 121; 3368-372.
- Melzack R., Katz J., “Auriculotherapy to relieve chronic pain: A controlled crossover study.” JAMA, 1884; 251; 1041-1043.
- Melzack R., “Prolonged relief of pain by brief, intense transcutaneous somatic stimulation” Pain 1975; 1; 357-373.
- Notermans S.L. 1996 (Nov). “Measurement of pain threshold by electrical stimulation and its clinical application.” Neurology 16(11) 1071-1086
- O’Brien W.J., Rutan F.M., Sanborn C. et al “Effects of TENS on human blood beta-endorphin levels.” Phy. Ther. 1984; 64; 1367-1374.
- Oleson T.D., Kroeing R.J., Bresler D. E. “An Experimental; evaluation of auricular diagnosis: The somatotopic mapping of musculoskeletal pain at ear acupuncture points.” Pain 1980; 8; 217-229.
- Oliveri A.C., Clelland J.A., Jackson J., Knowles C. “Effects of auricular TENS o
- Onnuri Auriiculotherapy
- Paris D. L., Baynes F., Gucker B., “Efects of the neuroprobe treatment of second degree ankle inversion sprains.” Phys. Ther. 1986; 66; 12-16.
- Peets J.M., Pomeranz B., 1978 “CXBX mice deficient in opiate receptors shows poor elecftroacupuncture analgesia” Nature 273; 675-676.
- Pomeranz B., Chui D., 1976. “Naloxone blockade of acupuncture analgesia: endorphin implicated” Life sci. 19; 1757-1762.
- Price D. D., Rafii A., Watkins L.R., Buckingham B. “A psychophysical analysis of acupuncture analgesia.” Pain 1984; 19; 27-42.
- Richard S.S., Cheng and Bruce H.,Pomeranz “Electroacupuncture analgesia is mediated by stereospecific opiate receptors and is reversed by antagonists of type I receptors”
- Sjolund Bengt, Eriksson Margaretta “Electroacupuncture and endogenous morphins.” Lancet 1976; 2; 1085.
- Zhou Z.F., Xuan Y.T., Han J.S., 1982 “Blockade of acupuncture analgesia by intraventricular injection ofnaloxone or cianserin in rabbit.” Acupuncture Research 7; 91-94. Twinkle Y. Dabholkar et al/Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. July - September 2009, Vol. 3, No. 3
Abstract Views: 267
PDF Views: 0