The Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Applied to Contralateral Limbs for the Phantom Limb Pain

Hirobumi Kawamura; Kenichi Ito; Masaki Yamamoto; Hiroshi Yamamoto; Kenji Ishida; Teruhiko Kawakami; Toshikazu Tani; Kuninobu Kaho

doi:10.1589/jpts.9.71

Original Articles

The Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Applied to Contralateral Limbs for the Phantom Limb Pain

Hirobumi Kawamura, Kenichi Ito, Masaki Yamamoto, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Kenji Ishida, Teruhiko Kawakami, Toshikazu Tani, Kuninobu Kaho

Author information

Hirobumi Kawamura
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Kenichi Ito
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Masaki Yamamoto
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Hiroshi Yamamoto
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Kenji Ishida
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Teruhiko Kawakami
Department of Rehabilitation Center, Kochi Medical School Hospital, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku-city, Kochi 783, Japan
Toshikazu Tani
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kochi Medical School
Kuninobu Kaho
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kochi Medical School

Keywords: Phantom limb pain, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to contralateral limbs, Pain relief

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1997 Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 71-76

DOI https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.9.71

Details

Abstract

We studied the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on phantom limb pain (PLP) in amputees. The TENS was applied to the sites of the contralateral limb which corresponded to the portion of the amputated limbs where the patients felt their PLP. The stimulation was carried out three times a day for 30 min each. A total of ten amputees (8 lower extremities and 2 upper extremities), mean age of 57 years, suffering from severe PLP which hampered prosthetic and walking training, were included in this study. Using the visual analogue scale (VAS), the patients themselves evaluated the immediate and accumulated effects of the treatment on their pain. As a result of the treatment, 9 weeks on average, there was significant pain relief with a final VAS of 1.2 ± 1.9 compared with the initial VAS of 5.5 ± 1.7 (p<0.001). An immediate excellent effect was obtained in 8 patients and good in 2, although the accumulated effect was ascertained in 8. The effect was not only on the degree and duration but also on the area of the pain. Reduction of the pain resulted in better appetite and sleep as well as prosthetic and walking training. The TENS of the contralateral limb was considered to be the preferred choice for treatment for the PLP.

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