Which Type of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is More Effective in Myofascial Pain Syndrome?

Ankara University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Myofascial Pain Syndromes

Treatments: Device: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; Device: Hot pack

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04645095

10-427-16

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this project is to compare the effects of conventional, burst and modulated TENS primarily on pain level, number of trigger points, pressure pain threshold, neck joint range of motion and disability in MAS treatment.

Full description

Myofascial pain syndrome (MAS) is a regional pain syndrome characterized by trigger points detected by one or several muscle groups and reflected pain manifestation caused by palpation of these points. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a physical therapy modality that provides an analgesic effect by delivering a controlled low voltage electrical current to the nervous system through electrodes placed on the skin. Knowledge on how modulation parameters such as frequency, wave width and form alter TENS activity are limited.

Enrollment: 101 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Having a diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome according to the criteria defined by Travell and Simons

Exclusion criteria

• The onset of symptoms is less than 3 months
• Severe cervical disc hernia, radiculopathy or myelopathy
• Stage 3-4 cervical degeneration
• Tumoral, infectious, psychiatric, neurological, uncontrolled systemic disease
• Cardiac pacemaker
• Diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome
• Kyphoscoliosis
• Acute trauma history
• Having had previous brain or shoulder surgery
• Injections for MAS and / or physiotherapy programs in the last 3 months
• Pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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101 participants in 3 patient groups

Conventional TENS

Active Comparator group

Description:

Frequency:80 Hz, duration:100 μs

Treatment:

Device: Hot pack

Device: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Burst TENS

Active Comparator group

Description:

Frequency:100 Hz, fr mod: 0, 200 µs, 2 Bps Hz

Treatment:

Device: Hot pack

Device: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Modulated TENS

Active Comparator group

Description:

Frequency:80 Hz, fr mod: 50%, Amplitude mode: 40%, duration: 200 µs

Treatment:

Device: Hot pack

Device: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation