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Electrical stimulation for the control of pain
Archives of Surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|July 1, 1977
Summary
Electrical stimulation effectively manages pain using transcutaneous and percutaneous methods. Implantable devices, particularly peripheral nerve stimulators, show promise for specific nerve injury pain.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pain Management
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Electrical stimulation is a recognized therapy for pain control.
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is widely used for chronic and acute pain.
- Percutaneous electrical stimulation aids in predicting implantable stimulator efficacy and functions as a diagnostic nerve block.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the therapeutic applications of electrical stimulation for pain management.
- To evaluate the efficacy of different electrical stimulation techniques, including transcutaneous, percutaneous, and implantable devices.
- To highlight the specific applications and limitations of peripheral nerve stimulators.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on electrical stimulation for pain control.
- Categorization of electrical stimulation methods: transcutaneous, percutaneous, and implantable.
- Analysis of the clinical applications and outcomes for each method.
Main Results:
- Transcutaneous electrical stimulation is a common modality for various pain types.
- Percutaneous stimulation serves a diagnostic role similar to nerve blocks.
- Implantable stimulators, especially peripheral nerve stimulators, are effective for nerve injury pain.
Conclusions:
- Electrical stimulation is a versatile and accepted pain management strategy.
- Peripheral nerve stimulators offer high efficacy for localized neuropathic pain.
- Further research is needed to establish the use of implantable devices for pain beyond the stimulated nerve's distribution.