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Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Chronic Pain in Older Adults: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This study is aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain in older adults.

Recent Findings

While there is no certain method of pain management for older adults, recent developments in electrical stimulation have received attention. The effectiveness of TENS on pain management, quality of life, and concurrent therapy including pharmaceuticals among the older population has generated controversy in the current literature.

Summary

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines 2020, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched comprehensively from inception to March 2022. Randomized controlled trials regarding the application of TENS in managing chronic, musculoskeletal pain (> 3 months) among adults aged older than 50 years were included. Two independent reviewers extracted the main data from eligible studies. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions v5.1.0. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan) software v5.4. From a total of 2049 citations, 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for entering this study. Meta-analysis showed that TENS led to a significant improvement in Visual Analogue Score (VAS) (SMD = 1.54, 95% CI = [1.10 to 1.98], p < 0.00001). In addition, disability score was decreased measured by the Roland-Morris Disability (RMD) score (SMD = 1.11, 95% CI = [0.48 to 1.74], p = 0.0005) and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) (SMD = 1.34, 95% CI = [0.74 to 1.94], p < 0.0001). This systematic review and meta-analysis provides level III evidence that TENS can have a promising effect on improving chronic pain in older individuals. However, due to the heterogeneity among the included studies, these results should be generalized cautiously.

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Data Availability

All the data used in conducting this study is available upon reasonable requests through the corresponding author.

Abbreviations

TENS:

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

PRISMA:

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

RevMan:

Review Manager

RCT:

Randomized controlled trial

VAS:

Visual Analogue Score

RMD:

Roland-Morris Disability

NRS:

Numeric Rating Scale

CI:

Confidence interval

SMD:

Standard mean difference

CLBP:

Chronic low back pain

NMES:

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation

PENS:

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

DD:

Diadynamic

IFT:

Interferential current therapy

HFIT:

High-frequency impulse therapy

ODI:

Oswestry Disability Index

PSEQ:

Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire

RMDQ:

Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire

References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Evidence-Based Medicine, Iranian EBM Research Centre: A Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Center of Excellence, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Golgasht Street, Tabriz, Iran

    Fateme Tahmasbi & Hanieh Salehi-Pourmehr

  2. Students Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Rezvan Ghaderpanah & SeyedHassan Sadrian

  3. Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    Reza Mosaddeghi Heris

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  1. Fateme Tahmasbi
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  4. Reza Mosaddeghi Heris
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  5. Hanieh Salehi-Pourmehr
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Contributions

All the authors have read the submitted manuscript and vouch for its accuracy. All authors have participated sufficiently in the conception and design of this work and the analysis of the data, as well as the writing of the manuscript to take public responsibility for its content. If requested, authors shall produce the data on which the manuscript is based for examination by Archives or its assignees.

Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Fateme Tahmasbi, Rezvan Ghaderpanah, Seyedhassan Sadrian, Reza Mosaddegh Heris, and Hanieh Salehi-Pourmehr. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Fateme Tahmasbi and Rezvan Ghaderpanah. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hanieh Salehi-Pourmehr.

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Tahmasbi, F., Ghaderpanah, R., Sadrian, S. et al. Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Chronic Pain in Older Adults: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep 11, 242–253 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40141-023-00397-4

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