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Influence of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) on acute pain

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Summary

Using transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) simple surgical procedures such as tooth extractions and nerve biopsies can be performed without the usual anesthetics.

Estimation of threshold and suprathreshold intensities of painful electrical stimuli show no significant change during TNS. Only the threshold for non-painful electrical stimuli is slightly increased. Cortical potentials evoked by electrical peripheral nerve stimulation are not significantly modulated by TNS. Latencies of the early components 0, I–III are unchanged, the amplitudes only slightly reduced.

These observations are in contradiction to the ‘gate-control’ theory of pain.

Zusammenfassung

Unter transkutaner Nervenstimulation (TNS) sind kleinere operative Eingriffe, wie Zahnextraktionen und Nervenbiopsien ohne weitere Anästhesie durchführbar. Schwellenmessungen und Intensitätsschätzungen überschwelliger elektrischer Schmerzreize zeigen jedoch unter TNS keine signifikante Änderung der Schmerzempfindung.

Lediglich nicht schmerzhafte elektrische Reize sind in der Empfindungsschwelle mäßig angehoben.

Evozierte somatosensible Hirnrindenpotentiale nach elektrischer Medianusreizung ändern sich unter TNS-Verdeckungsreiz nicht signifikant.

Die Latenzen der frühen Komponenten 0, I–III sind unverändert, die Amplituden dieser Komponenten geringgradig reduziert.

Die Befunde widersprechen der ‘gate-control’-Theorie des Schmerzes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Clinical Neurology and Neurophysiology, University of Freiburg, D-7800, Freiburg i. Brsg., Federal Republic of Germany

    H. M. Strassburg, J. U. Krainick & U. Thoden

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  1. H. M. Strassburg
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  2. J. U. Krainick
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  3. U. Thoden
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Additional information

Supported by Sonderforschungsbereich Hirnforschung und Sinnesphysiologie (SFB 70) der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Bundesminister für Arbeit und Sozialordnung, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany

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Strassburg, H.M., Krainick, J.U. & Thoden, U. Influence of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) on acute pain. J. Neurol. 217, 1–10 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316311

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00316311

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