By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
A widely used, somewhat controversial treatment for chronic low back pain is not effective and cannot be recommended, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) now says.
Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation, or TENS, is a pocket-sized, battery-operated device that sends electric currents to the nerves via electrodes with the goal of treating pain.
TENS has been used for pain relief for four decades, but studies evaluating its effectiveness have been mixed.
A review of the available research assessing the use of TENS for pain led to the newly published recommendation against its use for chronic low back pain, says neurologist and guideline co-author Richard M. Dubinsky, MD, MPH, of Kansas University Medical Center.
"From the systematic review of the literature, based on the strength of the studies, we can say that TENS does not work for low back pain," he tells WebMD.
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