Topic: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Somatosensory plasticity can be induced in both animals and humans by electrical stimulation of skin afferents. Notably, in a previous study we demonstrated that percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (pPNS) could potentiate non-nociceptive circuits, producing regional hypoalgesia in healthy humans. Intending to translate this finding into a therapeutic tool, we conducted a clinical trial in pain-suffering patients to investigate the effects of two pPNS protocols designed to potentiate non nociceptive circuits. Forty-five patients with neck pain were assigned to one out of three protocols.