None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Electrical stimulation of the brain has recently been used as a treatment for people with long-term pain conditions. Currently, it is not certain how brain stimulation is able to reduce pain in these people. The current project proposes to examine changes in the nervous system of people with long-term arm pain who receive a 5-day brain stimulation intervention. The study findings will provide more information on how brain stimulation works and the types of patients who will benefit most from this treatment. This will facilitate the clinical use of brain stimulation for the treatment of long-term pain.
Interventions
Transcranial direct current stimulation. One session per day for 5 days, 20 minutes per session, 1 mA anodal stimulation, delivered by a HDC Kit (Magstim).
Sponsors
Auckland University of Technology
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Diagnosis of neuropathic pain in the upper limb by a specialist pain physician, stable chronic pain for at least the preceding 6 months, taking consistent analgesic medication for the preceding 2 months, report a pain score greater than or equal to 3 (0 = no pain and 10 = worst possible pain) during the week preceding the baseline period.
Exclusion criteria
Severe or unstable medical or psychiatric conditions
Outcome results
None listed