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Age Group Comparisons of TENS Response Among Individuals With Chronic Axial Low Back Pain
- Source :
- The Journal of Pain. 16:1268-1279
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2015.
-
Abstract
- Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent and disabling musculoskeletal pain condition among older adults. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used to treat CLBP, however response to TENS in older adults compared with younger adults is untested. In a dose-response study stratified by age, 60 participants with axial CLBP (20 young, 20 middle-aged, 20 older) received four 20-minute sessions of high-frequency high-intensity TENS over a 2- to 3-week period in a laboratory-controlled setting. Experimental measures of pain sensitivity (mechanical pressure pain detection threshold) and central pain excitability (phasic heat temporal summation and heat aftersensations) were assessed before and after TENS. Episodic or immediate axial CLBP relief was assessed after TENS via measures of resting pain, movement-evoked-pain, and self-reported disability. Cumulative or prolonged axial CLBP relief was assessed by comparing daily pain reports across sessions. Independent of age, individuals experienced episodic increase in the pressure pain detection threshold and reduction in aftersensation after TENS application. Similarly, all groups, on average, experienced episodic axial CLBP relief via improved resting pain, movement-evoked pain, and disability report. Under this design, no cumulative effect was observed as daily pain did not improve for any age group across the 4 sessions. However, older adults received higher TENS amplitude across all sessions to achieve TENS responses similar to those in younger adults. These findings suggest that older adults experience similar episodic axial CLBP relief to that of younger individuals after high-frequency, high-intensity TENS when higher dose parameters are used. Perspective This study examined age group differences in experimental and axial CLBP response to TENS, delivered under the current recommended parameters of strong, but tolerable amplitude. Older adults had comparable TENS response although at higher TENS amplitude than younger adults, which may have important mechanistic and clinical implications.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Pain Threshold
medicine.medical_specialty
Group comparison
Summation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Article
law.invention
Physical medicine and rehabilitation
Group differences
law
Threshold of pain
Pressure
medicine
Humans
Pain Management
Disabled Persons
Aged
Pain Measurement
Aged, 80 and over
business.industry
Age Factors
Chronic pain
Pain detection
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Low back pain
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
Neurology
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
Physical therapy
Female
Self Report
Neurology (clinical)
Chronic Pain
medicine.symptom
business
Low Back Pain
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15265900
- Volume :
- 16
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of Pain
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....af04184ba67cbe849960522c45cd3836