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Vol 6, No 2 (2007)
Original articles
Published online: 2007-09-07
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The analgesic efficacy of APS is equal to TENS. Pilot study of patients with chronic pain in the musculoskeletal disorders

Anna Pyszora, Małgorzata Krajnik, Michał Graczyk, Jacek Budzyński, Zbigniew Zylicz
Advances in Palliative Medicine 2007;6(2):59-62.

open access

Vol 6, No 2 (2007)
Original articles
Published online: 2007-09-07

Abstract


Background. Pain accompanying the musculoskeletal disorders appears to be one of the most frequent medical problem. It concerns both office workers who sit for long hours in one position and people who do hard physical labor. The pain is usually difficult to treat. Change of the life style, pharmacotherapy and different techniques of physical therapy are all important. APS-therapy and TENS are the physical methods based on therapeutic use of the electrical current. They both can be very useful in many pain-related disorders, providing fast relief of symptoms. The aim of this pilot clinical study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of APS-therapy and TENS in chronic pain due to musculoskeletal disorders.
Material and methods. The study involved 25 patients with musculoskeletal disorders who suffered from chronic pain. Thirteen of them were treated by the use of TENS and 12 - by APS. In the TENS group each patient received treatment for 2 weeks and in the APS - for 3 weeks. TENS was administered for a period of 60 minutes while APS for 16 minutes, both 5 times a week. The treatment was given by portable units, that generated an APS waveform and TENS current. NRS evaluation was performed for 3 days of pre-treatment period, before each treatment, which reflected the pain situation of the previous 24 hours, and once daily for 2 weeks after the treatment.
Results. The study showed that both methods have almost equal analgesic efficacy. Comparing with the initial period, NRS significantly decreased during the treatment and observation. The difference between the mean values of NRS score in TENS and APS was not of the statistical significance.
Conclusion. Both TENS and APS-therapy may be the effective methods of nonpharmacological treatment of chronic pain in the musculoskeletal disorders.

Abstract


Background. Pain accompanying the musculoskeletal disorders appears to be one of the most frequent medical problem. It concerns both office workers who sit for long hours in one position and people who do hard physical labor. The pain is usually difficult to treat. Change of the life style, pharmacotherapy and different techniques of physical therapy are all important. APS-therapy and TENS are the physical methods based on therapeutic use of the electrical current. They both can be very useful in many pain-related disorders, providing fast relief of symptoms. The aim of this pilot clinical study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of APS-therapy and TENS in chronic pain due to musculoskeletal disorders.
Material and methods. The study involved 25 patients with musculoskeletal disorders who suffered from chronic pain. Thirteen of them were treated by the use of TENS and 12 - by APS. In the TENS group each patient received treatment for 2 weeks and in the APS - for 3 weeks. TENS was administered for a period of 60 minutes while APS for 16 minutes, both 5 times a week. The treatment was given by portable units, that generated an APS waveform and TENS current. NRS evaluation was performed for 3 days of pre-treatment period, before each treatment, which reflected the pain situation of the previous 24 hours, and once daily for 2 weeks after the treatment.
Results. The study showed that both methods have almost equal analgesic efficacy. Comparing with the initial period, NRS significantly decreased during the treatment and observation. The difference between the mean values of NRS score in TENS and APS was not of the statistical significance.
Conclusion. Both TENS and APS-therapy may be the effective methods of nonpharmacological treatment of chronic pain in the musculoskeletal disorders.
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Keywords

APS-therapy; TENS; musculoskeletal disorder; chronic pain

About this article
Title

The analgesic efficacy of APS is equal to TENS. Pilot study of patients with chronic pain in the musculoskeletal disorders

Journal

Advances in Palliative Medicine

Issue

Vol 6, No 2 (2007)

Pages

59-62

Published online

2007-09-07

Page views

508

Article views/downloads

1406

Bibliographic record

Advances in Palliative Medicine 2007;6(2):59-62.

Keywords

APS-therapy
TENS
musculoskeletal disorder
chronic pain

Authors

Anna Pyszora
Małgorzata Krajnik
Michał Graczyk
Jacek Budzyński
Zbigniew Zylicz

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