Is Microcurrent Stimulation Effective in Pain Management? An Additional Perspective [Abstract]
Smith, Ray B. American
Journal of Pain Management, 11(2):62-66, 2001.
This is a peer-reviewed
analysis of 2,500 consecutive survey forms from warranty cards completed by
patients who were prescribed Alpha-Stim microcurrent electrical therapy (MET)
and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES). The only inclusion criteria were
that the patients used their Alpha-Stim for at least 3 weeks.
1,949, or 78% of the total
listed pain as their primary diagnosis. Of those, 93% claimed significant pain reduction of greater than 25% improvement,
ranging from a low of 82% in chronic regional pain syndrome (RSD) to a high of
98% in those suffering from migraine headaches and 100% in carpal tunnel
syndrome. 72% of the patients were female. The age ranged from 15 to 92
years with a mean of 50 years. The length of use ranged from the 3 week minimum
cutoff period to 5 years in 2 cases. The average period of use was 14.68 weeks,
or just over 3 1/2 months.
The results reported by these
patients were only 2% off a previous physician survey of 500 patients (the
patients self-reports giving slightly higher ratings overall) reported in the
book, The Science behind Cranial
Electrotherapy Stimulation by Dr. Daniel L. Kirsch.
|
Condition
|
N
|
Slight
<24%
|
Fair
25-49%
|
Moderate
50-74%
|
Marked
75-100%
|
Significant
>25%
|
|
Pain (all cases)
|
1949
|
136
6.98%
|
623
31.97%
|
741
38.02%
|
449
23.04%
|
1813
93.02%
|
|
Back Pain
|
403
|
20
4.96%
|
109
27.05%
|
157
38.96%
|
117
29.03%
|
383
95.04%
|
|
Cervical Pain
|
265
|
18
6.79%
|
69
26.04%
|
125
47.17%
|
53
20.00%
|
247
93.21%
|
|
Hip/Leg/Foot Pain
|
160
|
6
3.75%
|
43
26.88%
|
53
33.13%
|
58
36.25%
|
154
96.25%
|
|
Shoulder/Arm/Hand Pain
|
150
|
13
8.67%
|
41
27.33%
|
63
42.00%
|
33
22.00%
|
137
91.33%
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
|
25
|
0
0.00%
|
5
20.00%
|
17
68.00%
|
3
12.00%
|
25
100.00%
|
|
Arthritis Pain
|
188
|
11
5.85%
|
51
27.13%
|
88
46.81%
|
38
20.21%
|
177
94.15%
|
|
TMJ Pain
|
158
|
17
10.76%
|
60
37.97%
|
60
37.97%
|
21
13.29%
|
141
89.24%
|
|
Myofascial Pain
|
62
|
6
9.68%
|
18
29.03%
|
18
29.03%
|
20
32.26%
|
56
90.32%
|
|
RSD
|
55
|
10
18.18%
|
16
29.09%
|
19
34.55%
|
10
18.18%
|
45
81.82%
|
|
Fibromyalgia (alone)
|
142
|
13
9.15%
|
53
37.32%
|
52
36.62%
|
24
16.90%
|
129
90.85%
|
|
Fibromyalgia (with
other)
|
363
|
33
9.09%
|
131
36.09%
|
152
41.87%
|
47
12.95%
|
330
90.91%
|
|
Migraine
|
118
|
2
1.69%
|
49
41.53%
|
30
25.42%
|
37
31.36%
|
116
98.31%
|
|
Headaches (all other)
|
112
|
20
17.86%
|
30
26.79%
|
24
21.43%
|
38
33.93%
|
92
82.14%
|
|
Psychological (all
cases)
|
723
|
61
8.44%
|
175
24.20%
|
237
32.78%
|
250
34.58%
|
662
91.56%
|
|
Anxiety (alone)
|
128
|
13
10.16%
|
29
22.66%
|
42
32.81%
|
44
34.38%
|
115
89.84%
|
|
Anxiety (with other)
|
370
|
33
8.92%
|
85
22.97%
|
122
32.97%
|
130
35.14%
|
337
91.08%
|
|
Anxiety/Depression
|
58
|
3
5.17%
|
19
32.76%
|
19
32.76%
|
17
29.31%
|
55
94.83%
|
|
Depression (alone)
|
53
|
7
13.21%
|
11
20.75%
|
23
43.40%
|
12
22.64%
|
46
86.79%
|
|
Depression (with
other)
|
265
|
29
10.94%
|
61
23.02%
|
93
35.09%
|
82
30.94%
|
236
89.06%
|
|
Stress
|
123
|
6
4.88%
|
30
24.39%
|
39
31.71%
|
48
39.02%
|
117
95.12%
|
|
Chronic Fatigue
|
50
|
3
6.00%
|
30
60.00%
|
10
20.00%
|
7
14.00%
|
47
94.00%
|
|
Insomnia
|
163
|
10
6.13%
|
47
28.83%
|
47
28.83%
|
59
36.20%
|
153
93.87%
|
|
Figure 1. Self-reported results of 2,500 patients who used
Alpha-Stim technology for at least 3 weeks.
|
|
 Microcurrent Stimulation Effective in Pain Management 380.77 Kb
|
Pain 
