The use of conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in chronic facial myalgia patients

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of conventional TENS in women affected by chronic facial myalgia.

Materials and methods: The study was performed on 49 women affected by chronic facial myalgia randomly allocated in the TENS group (34 women) and the control group (15 women). The subjective level of pain was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale indicating the mean (VAS MEAN), the maximum (VAS MAX) and the current intensity of pain (VAS NOW). The level of pain at the muscular palpation sites was assessed by the Pericranial Muscle Tenderness Score (PTS) and the Cervical Muscle Tenderness Score (CTS). The TENS therapy lasted for 10 weeks, and data were collected at baseline, after 5, 10, 15 and 25 weeks. The differences between groups before and after treatment were compared with the Mann-Whitney and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. The intra-group differences were compared with the one-way ANOVA test.

Results: The results showed that the VAS MEAN, VAS MAX, PTS and CTS were significantly reduced in the TENS group compared to the control group after 10 weeks of TENS (p < 0.05). The intra-group analysis revealed a decreasing tendency of VAS MEAN, VAS MAX, VAS NOW, PTS and CTS in the TENS group in a 25-week period (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: The study demonstrated the efficacy of conventional TENS in patients with chronic facial myalgia and the decrease in both subjective and objective pain.

Clinical relevance: Conventional TENS is a safe, non-invasive, easy-to-administer therapy for chronic facial myalgia.

Keywords: Facial pain; Physical therapy; Temporomandibular disorders; Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.