Scrambler therapy.

Abstract

UNLABELLED: In neuropathies there are complex reactions that modify the homeostatic equilibrium of pain system. In such a context the Scrambler Therapy (ST5) interferes with pain signal transmission, by ''mixing'' a ''non-pain'' information into the nerve fibres. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of ST5 in the treatment of neuropathic pain. The ST5 consists of a multiprocessor apparatus able to simulate 5 artificial neurons by the application of surface electrodes on skin pain areas. A total of 226 patients, all suffering from intense drug-resistant neuropathic pain, were recruited for this trial in 2004. INCLUSION CRITERIA: neuropathic pain, very high baseline visual analogue scale (VAS). EXCLUSION CRITERIA: pacemaker users, neurolithic blocks or neurolesive pain control treatment. The treated neuropathic pain syndromes were: failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), sciatic and lumbar painpost-herpetical (PHN), trigeminal neuralgia, post-surgery nerve lesion neuropathy, pudendal neuropathy, brachial plexus neuropathy, low back pain (LBP), others. The trial programme: 1 to 6 therapy sessions of 5 treatments, each one lasting 30 min. Pain intensity was evaluated using VAS before and after each treatment. The statistical significance of VAS was measured using the paired t-test. The total results show 80.09% of responders (pain relief>50%), 10.18% of partially responders (pain relief from 25% to 49%) and 9.73% of no responders (patients with pain relief<24% or VAS>3). The CONCLUSIONS: is draen that ST5 produced a statistically significant (P<0.0001) pain relief in all treated neuropathies.