Pain
Electricity as chronic pain medicine
Several types of "electroceuticals" might ease longstanding pain.
- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter
You might be willing to try anything to relieve chronic pain, even getting zapped with tiny shocks of electricity. The concept began evolving long before Ben Franklin conducted his famous experiments with a kite and a key; for example, the ancient Greeks used the natural electrical discharges of torpedo fish to relieve headache and gout. Eventually, as scientists figured out what electricity was and how to use it safely, they applied it to medicine. Today, there are several types of "electroceutical" therapies available to treat pain. Three have our attention.
TENS therapy
In transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy, a machine sends pulses of non-painful, low-intensity electricity to electrodes placed on the skin. The strength of the current and the frequency of the pulses (the number per second) remain consistent throughout a 20-minute session.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter
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