Quantitative Data for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Acupuncture Effectiveness in Treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Author: Yüksel M1, Ayaş Ş2, Cabıoğlu MT3, Yılmaz D4, Cabıoğlu C5
Affiliation:
1Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat Education and Research Hospital, Alanya, Antalya, Turkey.
2Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
3Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
4Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
5Department of Computer Engineering, Engineering Faculty of Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Conference/Journal: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.
Date published: 2019 Mar 4
Other: Volume ID: 2019 , Pages: 9684649 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1155/2019/9684649. eCollection 2019. , Word Count: 236


Aim. To evaluate the effects of acupuncture and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) applications on the quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) changes and to evaluate their therapeutic effects in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The study included 42 patients with FMS and 21 healthy volunteers. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups (n=21 in each) to undergo either TENS or acupuncture application. In both acupuncture and TENS groups, baseline electroencephalography (EEG) recording was performed for 10 min and, then, TENS or acupuncture was performed for 20 min, followed by another 10 min EEG recording. Baseline qEEG findings of FMS patients in the TENS and acupuncture groups were similar. Delta and theta powers over the frontal region of FMS patients were lower than controls. Theta powers of right posterior region were also lower than controls. In the TENS group, after the treatment, an increase was observed in the alpha power of the left anterior region as well as a decrease in pain scores. In the acupuncture group, an increase was determined in the alpha power of the right and left posterior regions as well as a decrease in pain score after the treatment. The power of low- and moderate-frequency waves on resting EEG was decreased in the patients with FMS. Decreased pain and increased inhibitor activity were found on qEEG after TENS and acupuncture applications. In conclusion, both TENS and acupuncture applications seem to be beneficial in FMS patients.

PMID: 30949223 PMCID: PMC6425376 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9684649

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