TENS plus physical therapy eases fibromyalgia pain and fatigue, study finds

"It is one of the few treatments that specifically targets movement-evoked pain and fatigue, which are major barriers to participation in daily activities," says Sluka, UI professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation science.

Adding TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to outpatient physical therapy reduced movement-based pain and fatigue in patients with fibromyalgia, and the effects lasted for at least six months, according to a new study led by researchers at University of Iowa Health Care.Adding TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to outpatient physical therapy reduced movement-based pain and fatigue in patients with fibromyalgia, and the effects lasted for at least six months, according to a new study led by researchers at University of Iowa Health Care.

The study, led by Kathleen Sluka, PT, Ph.D., is the first real-world trial of TENS for fibromyalgia. The findings, published on March 27 in the journal JAMA Network Open, show that TENS is a safe, effective, inexpensive, and readily available treatment for fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes pain, tenderness, and fatigue throughout the body.

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