Pulling the Plug on Electrical Stimulation for Low Back Pain? Not Yet

Electrical stimulation has been used for over 30 years to treat low back pain. Electrodes are placed over the skin to transmit electrical impulses to the nerves. This is called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or TENS.

Last year, a study showed that there is no reason to use TENS for low back pain. The treatment did not reduce pain or improve function any more than not using it. This information sparked lots of discussion in the fields of physical rehabilitation. Other researchers did studies to confirm these results.

All of the studies came to the same conclusion. TENS does not relieve pain, improve motion, or increase activity for patients with long-lasting low back pain. But before TENS is thrown out completely, some medical researchers insist more studies are needed.

Researchers need to look at how TENS is applied. For example, what happens when TENS is used with vibration instead of being used alone? What happens when higher intensity stimulation is used? Researchers need to measure results in the same way and report the same kinds of information. This is called "uniformity in reporting."

Recently, the use of electrical stimulation for control of chronic low back pain has come into question. Many studies have reported that TENS does not reduce pain or improve function. But before physical therapists stop using TENS for patients with back pain, more information is needed. Researchers have already begun to look at how TENS is used and ways to improve its success in treating back pain.