Influence of Percutaneous Electrolysis on Endogenous Pain Modulation

University of Salamanca

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pain

Treatments: Procedure: High intensity percutaneous electrolysis; Procedure: Isolated needling procedure; Procedure: Low intensity percutaneous electrolysis

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04710992

Electrolysis550

Details and patient eligibility

About

Percutaneous electrolysis is a minimally invasive approach that consists in the application of a galvanic current through an acupuncture needle. Although several mechanisms and effects are attributed to percutaneous electrolysis, currently there are only a few publications that delve into this topic. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of percutaneous electrolysis on the endogenous pain modulation. Four groups of intervention will be involved: no-intervention, isolated needling procedure, low intensity percutaneous electrolysis and high intensity percutaneous electrolysis. The effects on the pain modulation system will be evaluated before and immediately after the intervention, through pressure pain thresholds, conditioned pain modulation and temporal summation.

Enrollment: 46 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy asymptomatic subjects
• Aged 18 to 40 years
• Both genders

Exclusion criteria

• Belonephobia or fear of needles
• Neurological, cardiovascular or metabolic diseases
• Any pathology or process that causes pain
• Cutaneous alterations
• Pregnancy
• Cognitive and sensitivity disorders
• Fibromyalgia
• Frequent or recent (24 hours before) intake of alcohol and other drugs
• Have received pharmacological, physiotherapeutic or other treatment in the last week
• Intake of caffeine in the two hours prior to measurement
• Vigorous physical activity on the day of testing

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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46 participants in 3 patient groups

Needling Group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The needle will be inserted for 90 seconds without galvanic current.

Treatment:

Procedure: Isolated needling procedure

Low intensity percutaneous electrolysis

Experimental group

Description:

A single impact of galvanic current will be applied with an intensity of 0.3 mA for 90 seconds.

Treatment:

Procedure: Low intensity percutaneous electrolysis

High intensity percutaneous electrolysis

Experimental group

Description:

Three impacts of galvanic current will be applied with an intensity of 3 mA and a duration of 3 seconds each.

Treatment:

Procedure: High intensity percutaneous electrolysis