Eletroacupuntura em Cervicalgia Tensional: A importância da modulação da frequência aplicada.

Artigo avalia a influência da frequência estimulatória envolvida na analgesia induzida por eletroacupuntura em cervicalgia  e conclui que a aplicação de 2500Hz e 100Hz  em cervicalgia tensional tem efeitos superiores aos da acupuntura isolada e ao uso de outras frequências.

Obs: É importante frisar que o uso de aparelhos que sejam capazes de  modular precisamente os estímulos aplicados é essencial na obtenção de analgesia satisfatória.

Veja aqui os Abstracts:

　

Abstract

Objective: To assess the influence of the stimulating frequency involved in analgesia induced by electroacupuncture for neck pain. Methods: The performance of the analgesia produced by 2Hz, 100Hz, 1000Hz and 2500Hz was compared with a group with acupuncture alone (without electrical stimulation), by means of pressure algometry, a visual analog scale (VAS) and heart rate. We used an electrical stimulator with a microprocessor yielding standard, single-phase, rectangular and asymmetrical balanced pulsed waveforms with a secondary phase decreasing exponentially. Stimulation periods were 4s, and resting periods were 3s. The sample included 66 volunteers with neck pain due to muscular tension, mean age 33.67±9.97 years, 89.5% female and 10.5% male. Results: There were no differences between the groups regarding the variables of degree of pain (according to the VAS) and heart rate, and all groups presented analgesic improvement. However, when comparing pressure algometry findings for the same individual before and after the treatment, within the same group, we found analgesic advantages in using 2500Hz (p=0.006 for the base of the occipital region, p=0.003 for the right trapezius and p=0.013 for the left trapezius), followed by 100Hz (p=0.035, p=0.016 and p=0.038 for the same regions, respectively). Conclusion: We preferentially recommend 2500Hz and 100Hz applications of electroacupuncture for analgesia of neck pain due to muscular tension.

Article registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) under the number 083456.

Key words: electroacupuncture; electrical stimulation; analgesia; neck pain.

Authors: Nohama, Silvério-Lopes,

Rev Bras Fisioter. 2009;13(2):152-8

Influence of the stimulating frequency involved in analgesic effects induced by electroacupuncture for neck pain due to muscular tension