Presentation Category
Research
Introduction/Context/Diagnosis
"Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Pain Management Simin Charkhzarrin, Brianna Wolfe, Miroslav Tolar, Marie M. Tolarova Summary of Project: Drug dependence and addiction, including opioids used in many situations to mitigate pain, are serious problems of our society. It is not only affecting the human body physically and psychologically with harmful consequences, but it is also costly to our society that provides for substance abuse rehabilitation, addiction recovery centers, and outpatient and in-patient treatment. Thus, applying TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and other non- pharmacological therapies for pain management are very important for improvement of healthcare. TENS inhibits neural pain pathways via non-invasive electrical stimulation bringing relief from various pain types: chronic, acute, nociceptive, and neuropathic. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library for keywords “TENS” and “non pharmacological therapy for pain” (years 2000-2024, English language). After removing duplicities and applying restrictions, 40 articles were selected for this review. TENS is highlighted as a non-pharmacological pain management tool reducing drug side effects and dependency. It can be applied for muscle stimulation, wound healing, and pain perception modification. Customizing treatment to individual needs, including pain type and electrode placement is vital. Despite hormonal fluctuations potentially affecting efficacy, no significant gender differences in clinical response to TENS treatment have been documented. Significance: Evidence suggests that TENS effectively reduces pain intensity in comparison to placebo and causes minimal adverse effects. However, its broader integration into pain management still needs further research and clinical trials to provide more specific therapy guidelines. Challenges include skin irritation and inconsistent responses depending on age, medical history and medical conditions, patient’s activity level and overall lifestyle. Acknowledgement: Our gratitude goes to Drs. Marie M. Tolarova and Miroslav Tolar for their guidance, the University of the Pacific for support, and the authors of cited articles for their contributions. "
Location
Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
Format
Presentation
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Simulation (TENS) in Pain Management
Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry, 155 5th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
"Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Pain Management Simin Charkhzarrin, Brianna Wolfe, Miroslav Tolar, Marie M. Tolarova Summary of Project: Drug dependence and addiction, including opioids used in many situations to mitigate pain, are serious problems of our society. It is not only affecting the human body physically and psychologically with harmful consequences, but it is also costly to our society that provides for substance abuse rehabilitation, addiction recovery centers, and outpatient and in-patient treatment. Thus, applying TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and other non- pharmacological therapies for pain management are very important for improvement of healthcare. TENS inhibits neural pain pathways via non-invasive electrical stimulation bringing relief from various pain types: chronic, acute, nociceptive, and neuropathic. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library for keywords “TENS” and “non pharmacological therapy for pain” (years 2000-2024, English language). After removing duplicities and applying restrictions, 40 articles were selected for this review. TENS is highlighted as a non-pharmacological pain management tool reducing drug side effects and dependency. It can be applied for muscle stimulation, wound healing, and pain perception modification. Customizing treatment to individual needs, including pain type and electrode placement is vital. Despite hormonal fluctuations potentially affecting efficacy, no significant gender differences in clinical response to TENS treatment have been documented. Significance: Evidence suggests that TENS effectively reduces pain intensity in comparison to placebo and causes minimal adverse effects. However, its broader integration into pain management still needs further research and clinical trials to provide more specific therapy guidelines. Challenges include skin irritation and inconsistent responses depending on age, medical history and medical conditions, patient’s activity level and overall lifestyle. Acknowledgement: Our gratitude goes to Drs. Marie M. Tolarova and Miroslav Tolar for their guidance, the University of the Pacific for support, and the authors of cited articles for their contributions. "
Comments/Acknowledgements
Presentation Category: Research