Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as prehospital emergency interventional care: treating acute pelvic pain in young women

Abstract

Objectives. In Europe, patients with acute pelvic pain are transported to the hospital in an ambulance without an emergency physician. We hypothesized that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) would be an effective noninvasive procedure for pain treatment. Methods. We conducted a prospective, randomized, blinded study where 100 women were randomly assigned into a real- or a sham-TENS group. TENS began before the transport to the ambulance and was left in place until the arrival at the hospital. Each patient rated her pain on paper using a visual analog scale. Results. Compared to sham TENS, patients with active TENS felt that their pain was reduced by half after treatment (p < 0.01), anxiety scores significantly decreased (p < 0.01), heart rate and arteriolar vasoconstriction decreased significantly (p < 0.01), and nausea (p < 0.01) was lessened. Overall satisfaction with the received care was significantly higher (p < 0.01). Conclusion. TENS is a safe, rapid, and effective analgesic treatment for acute pelvic pain.