Z Gesamte Inn Med. 1988 Nov; 43(22): 651-3.

[Punctate transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in functional vertebragenic disorders and in migraine]

Heydenreich A.

Neurologischen Abteilung, Wilhelm-Pieck-Universit�t Rostock.

Chronic and frequently relapsing headaches as well as myalgic-vertebragenic pain syndromes belong to the most frequent pain diseases. Among the non-medicamentous methods the techniques of the aimed reflex and stimulation therapy such as acupuncture, neural therapy and manual medicine particularly stood the test. As a non-invasive alternative we try to replace the needle acupuncture by punctuate transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation. With the help of self-constructed pocket stimulating current devices we treated 740 patients suffering from pain (420 with myo-vertebragenic and 320 with primary headaches) and achieved 90% of immediate successes and 70-80% improvement after 6 months. The treatments could be objectifie thermometrically. Own prospective randomized studies of placebo-treatment and medicamentously controlled studies of treatment and changes of the pain threshold by means of the PuTENS were briefly represented and the mechanism of action was discussed. The application of this effective, free of side effects, undangerous, economic method easily to be learned which is suitable for the autotherapy and sanatory therapy is recommended for the alleviation of pain.