High Frequency Current
Conditions
Keywords
Electric current, Nerve block, somatosensory evaluation
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether the transcutaneous application of unmodulated high frequency alternating currents could produce a quickly conduction block of peripheral nerve.
Detailed description
In the last years several animal experimental studies have evidenced that high frequency unmodulated currents about 5 KHz can cause a peripheral nerve block. However electric currents with these high frequencies that are usually used for the treatment of pain in humans are interrupted or modulated (i.e. interferential currents). It has show that the diameter of the nerve it is related with the frequency to produce the conduction block. For this reason we decided to applied 30KHz to observe the effects on pain in patients with whiplash and to compare versus sham stimulation. Only one study has applied 5KHz on experimental pain and they have demonstrated changes in somatosensory thresholds.
Interventions
DEVICEHigh-Frequency
high-Frequency electrical stimulation over superficial radial nerve through the electrotherapy device Myomed 932. (Enraf-Nonius, Delft, Netherlands)
DEVICESham Stimulation
Sham transcutaneous electrical stimulation over superficial radial nerve through the electrotherapy device Myomed 932. (Enraf-Nonius, Delft, Netherlands)
Sponsors
Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos de Toledo
University of Castilla-La Mancha
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy volunteers
Exclusion criteria
* Neuromuscular disease. * Epilepsy. * Trauma, surgery or pain affecting the upper limb, shoulder girdle or cervical area. * Osteosynthesis material in the upper limb. * Diabetes. * Cancer. * Cardiovascular disease. * Pacemaker or other implanted electrical device. * Take any drug (NSAIDs, corticosteroids, antidepressants, analgesics, antiepileptics, ...) during the study and in the previous 7 days. * Presence of tattoos or other external agent introduced into the treatment or assessment area. * Pregnancy.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Muscle Strength after treatment at 30 min | Immediately after treatment at 30 min | The muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton |
| Baseline Muscle Strength | Baseline at 0 min | The muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton |
| Mechanical Pain Threshold after treatment at 30 min | Immediately after treatment at 30 min | The pressure pain threshold will be measured by a pressure algometer and will be expressed in Newton |
| Tactile Threshold after treatment at 30 min | Immediately after treatment at 30 min | The tactile threshold will be measured with Von Frey filaments and will be expressed in millinewton |
| Baseline Mechanical Pain Threshold | baseline at 0 min | The pressure pain threshold will be measured by a pressure algometer and will be expressed in Newton |
| Baseline Tactile Threshold | baseline at 0 min | The tactile threshold will be measured with Von Frey filaments and will be expressed in millinewton |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from baseline in TactileThreshold | baseline at 0 min, immediately after treatment at 30 min | The tactile threshold will be measured with Von Frey filaments and will be expressed in millinewton |
| Change from baseline in Muscle strength | baseline at 0 min, immediately after treatment at 30 min | The muscle strength will be measured with a dynamometer and will be expressed in Newton |
| Change from baseline in Mechanical Pain Threshold | baseline at 0 min, immediately after treatment at 30 min | The pressure pain threshold will be measured by a pressure algometer and will be expressed in Newton |
Countries
Spain
Outcome results
None listed