The transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of variable frequency intensity has a longer-lasting analgesic action than the burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in cancer pain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain is one of the most frequent symptoms in cancer, and physical therapy offers non-invasive methods such as the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the relief of symptoms. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of the burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with variable intensity frequency in cancer pain. METHODS: This study was conducted with 53 patients of the Hospital Erasto Gaertner, divided into two groups: burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and variable intensity frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Pain assessment was performed before and right after the electroanalgesia, and at every hour until completing 6 hours. RESULTS: The group treated with burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation maintained complete analgesia for 2 hours, returning to the initial score value within 6 hours of evaluation; the group of variable intensity frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation maintained complete analgesia for 4 hours, not returning to the initial score value within the 6 hours. When comparing the intensity of the pain between the groups there was a significant difference between them (p<0.001) in all the assessments from the third hour after the electroanalgesia, showing a significant difference (p<0.001) at the 3rd and 4th hour after the electroanalgesia. There was no difference at the 5th hour and at the 6th hour. CONCLUSION: The variable intensity frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation provided a longer-lasting analgeThe transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of variable frequency intensity has a longer-lasting analgesic action than the burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in cancer pain Estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea de intensidade e frequência variável tem ação analgésica mais duradoura que a estimulação elétrica nervosa transcutânea burst sobre a dor oncológica Juliana Carvalho Schleder1, Fernanda Aparecida Verner2, Loriane Mauda3, Débora Melo Mazzo4, Luiz Cláudio Fernandes5 1. Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital Universitário Regional dos Campos Gerais, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brasil. 2. Hospital Cajuru, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Curitiba, PR, Brasil. 3. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curso de Medicina, Curitiba, PR, Brasil. 4. Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Hospital Universitário Regional dos Campos Gerais, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brasil. 5. Universidade Federal do Paraná, Departamento de Fisiologia, Curitiba, PR, Brasil. Submitted in May 10, 2017. Accepted for publication in October 30, 2017. Conflict of interests: none – Sponsoring sources: none Correspondence to: Rua Cruz e Souza no 430 ap. 11 – Jardim Carvalho 84015-420 Ponta Grossa, PR, Brasil E-mail: deboramazzo@uol.com.br © Sociedade Brasileira para o Estudo da Dor sia in cancer pain than the burst transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.