Electroanalgesia
Electroanalgesia is a form of
History
The first cases of electroanalgesia were documented by Greek scholars,
Technology
Advancements in technology within the past fifteen years have created multiple forms of electroanalgesia. Doctors can target specific electrical signals caused by pain and cancel them out using electrical signals, optimally with alternating low and high frequencies.
Transcranial electrostimulation
A theoretical explanation for the mechanism of pain reduction by transcranial electrostimulation, or TCES, suggests that the electrical stimulation activates the anti-nociceptive system in the brain, resulting in β-endorphin,
Deep brain stimulation
Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, was first evaluated as an electroanalgesic in the late 1950s. It works in some chronic pain patients. The mechanism of DBS is unknown. There is some evidence that it decreases pain transmission along sensory discriminative pathways although more recent studies have shown that it has central effects on other brain regions involved in the pain network (Pereira et al. 2007).[4] This method has mainly been used for chronic pain patients after all other options have failed due to potential of intracranial complications (e.g., intracranial hemorrhage, infection, and oculomotor abnormalities). An electrode is "stereotactically" guided to the site using magnetic resonance imaging and once in place, the electrode is activated by subcutaneous leads attached to a pulse generator under the skin. It is effective in treating refractory post-stroke pain, atypical face pain, anaesthesia dolorosa, and deafferentation and somatic pain such as in phantom limb or brachial plexus injury (Boccard et al. 2013).[5]
Peripheral nerve stimulation
The use of peripheral nerve stimulation, or PNS, for the relief of chronic pain states was first reported over 30 years ago.[6] Recent studies have demonstrated that electrical stimulation of nerves leads to inhibitory input to the pain pathways at the spinal cord level.[7] PNS is most effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain (e.g., posttraumatic neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy) when the nerve lesion is distal to the site of stimulation.[8]
Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or PENS, is used mainly in the treatment of intractable pain associated with chronic low back pain syndrome, cancer, and other disorders.
Percutaneous neuromodulation therapy
PENS used to be a term to describe a neurosurgical procedure involving implantation of temporary stimulating electrodes before an SCS device.[9] The term has recently been changed to percutaneous neuromodulation therapy, or PNT. The term PNT was chosen because it more accurately describes the neurophysiologic basis for PENS-induced analgesia.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, involves the transmission of electrical energy from an external stimulator to the peripheral nervous system via cutaneously placed conductive gel pads. TENS can be subclassified into two variants:
- low-intensity (1–2 mA), high-frequency (50–100 Hz) TENS; and
- acupuncture-like high-intensity (15–20 mA), low-frequency (1–5 Hz) or "dense-disperse" TENS.[10]
The purported mechanism of action of TENS invokes both spinal supraspinal theories.[8]
Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation
Transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation, or TAES, is a variant of TENS therapy that involves applying cutaneous electrodes at classical Chinese
H-wave therapy
H-wave therapy (HWT) is a form of electrical stimulation that produces a direct, localized effect on the conduction of underlying nerves.
Interferential current therapy
Interferential current therapy, or ICT, is another variant of TENS that uses the principle of
Piezo-electric current therapy
Piezo-electric current therapy, or PECT, is an analgesic technique based on the principle that mechanical deformation of a motorized
Controversies
Electroanalgesia poses serious health problems in those patients who need other electrical equipment in their bodies, such as
See also
- Analgesic
- Audioanalgesia
- Pain management
- Patient-controlled analgesia
- Pain in babies
- Congenital analgesia (insensitivity to pain)
References
- ^ [Jensen, Jack E., Richard R. Conn, Gary Hazelrigg, and John E. Hewett. "The Use of Transcutaneous Neural Stimulation and Isokinetic Testing in Arthroscopic Knee Surgery." The American Journal of Sports Medicine 13 (1985): 27-33].
- ^ [White, Paul F. "Electroanalgesia: Does it have a place in the routine management of acute and chronic pain?" Anesthesia and Analgesia 98 (2004): 1197-198.].
- ^ a b c [Gabis L, Shklar B, Geva D: Immediate influence of transcranial electrostimulation on pain and β-endorphin blood levels: An active placebo-controlled study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2003;82:81-85.].
- ^ [Pereira EA, Green AL, Bradley KM, Soper N, Moir L, Stein JF, Aziz TZ. Regional Cerebral Perfusion Differences between Periventricular Grey, Thalamic and Dual Target Deep Brain Stimulation for Chronic Neuropathic Pain. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2007 Mar 27;85(4):175-183 .].
- ^ [Boccard SG, Pereira EA, Moir L, Aziz TZ, Green AL.Long-term Outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation for Neuropathic Pain. Neurosurgery 2013;72(2):221-31 .].
- ^ [Wall PD, Sweet WH. Temporary abolition of pain in man. Science 1967;155:108 –9.].
- ^ [Hanai F. Effect of electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves on neuropathic pain. Spine 2000;25:1886 –92.].
- ^ a b c d e f [White, Paul F., Shitong Li, and Jen W. Chiu. "Electroanalgeia: Its Role in Acute and Chronic Pain Management." Anestesia and Analgesia 92 (2001): 505-13.].
- ^ [North RB, Fischell TA, Long DM. Chronic stimulation via percutaneously inserted epidural electrodes. Neurosurgery 1977;1: 215–8.].
- ^ [Han JS, Chen XH, Sun SL, et al. Effect of low- and high-frequency TENS on Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe and dynorphin A immunoreactivity in human lumbar CSF. Pain 1991;47:295– 8.].
- ^ [Wang BG, Tang J, White PF, et al. Effect of the intensity of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation on the postoperative analgesic requirement. Anesth Analg 1997;85:406 –13.].
- ^ [Chen L, Tang J, White PF, et al. The effect of location of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on postoperative opioid analgesic requirement: acupoint versus nonacupoint stimulation. Anesth Analg 1998;87:1129 –34.].
- S2CID 28503406.
- The Regence Group. 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
- ^ a b "Clinical Policy Bulletin: Electrical Stimulation for Pain". Aetna. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
- PMID 10488999.
- ^ "The right manner, the mid-frequency current". tenspros. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
- ^ [Goats GC. Interferential current therapy. Br J Sports Med 1990; 24:87–92.].
- ^ [Willer JC, Le Bars D, De Broucker T. Diffuse noxious inhibitory control in man: involvement of an opioidergic link. Eur J Pharmacol 1990;182:347–55.].