Effects of Interferential Therapy on the Mechanisms of Pain in Chronic Low Back Pain Without a Specific Cause

Effects of Carrier Frequency of Interferential Current on Modulation of Pain and Central Hypersensitivity in Patients with Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Phase 2

Study type

Interventional

Source

REBEC

Registry ID

RBR-8n4hg2

Enrollment

Unknown

Registered

2013-01-05

Start date

2013-02-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-10-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Nonspecific chronic low back pain

Interventions

Participants will be randomized into 3 groups: 1 kHz Group (50 participants), 4 kHz Group (50 participants) and Placebo Group (50 participants). All subjects will receive 30 minutes of current stimula

AMF = 100 Hz, Sweep F = 50 Hz, 1:1 sweep mode and 30 minutes stimulation.

other

E02.342.800

Eligibility

Age

18 Years to 80 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Patients presenting nonspecific low back pain for at least 3 months and with at least 3 of pain intensity in verbal numerical pain scale reported according to how they felt in the last 7 days, aged between 18 and 80 years, both genders

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Patients with serious spinal diseases, such as fractures, tumors and inflammatory diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, spinal root conditions confirmed by neurological tests (spondylolisthesis and disc herniation with neurological, narrowing spinal canal and others). Severe cardiorespiratory disease. Neurologial diseases. Pregnancy. Infection in the site of the current application. Cancer. Cardiac pacemaker. Skin lesions at the site of the current application. Alterations in sensibility and allergy in the region of electrodes placement.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Intensity of pain before, after all sessions, 20 minutes after turning off the current and after 3 months as measured by the numeric pain scale	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Pressure pain threshold (PPT) before, at the end of the treatment protocol and 20 minutes after switching off the current. PPTs will be measured with a pressure algometer. Discomfort during current application in all sessions by visual analog scale, disability before, after treatment and after 3 months by Roland Morris questionnaire, the perception of their overall effect before, after treatment and after three months of the overall perception of the scale, the conditioned modulation of pain using the cold pressor test and temporal summation of pain with stimuli pressure at the start of first and the last application. The functionality by sit/stand test before and at the last minute of current in the first and final session.	—

Measure

Time frame

Pressure pain threshold (PPT) before, at the end of the treatment protocol and 20 minutes after switching off the current. PPTs will be measured with a pressure algometer. Discomfort during current application in all sessions by visual analog scale, disability before, after treatment and after 3 months by Roland Morris questionnaire, the perception of their overall effect before, after treatment and after three months of the overall perception of the scale, the conditioned modulation of pain using the cold pressor test and temporal summation of pain with stimuli pressure at the start of first and the last application. The functionality by sit/stand test before and at the last minute of current in the first and final session.

—

Countries

Brazil

Contacts

Public ContactRichard;Richard Liebano;Liebano

Universidade Cidade de São Paulo;Universidade Cidade de São Paulo

liebano@gmail.com;liebano@gmail.com+55(11)3865-2708;+55(11)2107-5497

Outcome results

None listed

Source: REBEC (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Mar 23, 2026