Abstract
Purpose: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) affects 27% of the world’s female population. The purpose of this case report was to investigate the use of low-rate transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief in a woman with CPP. Few studies have investigated the effects of low-rate TENS on gynecological-related pelvic pain. Methods: A 21-year-old woman presented with a six-month history of pelvic pain and decreased quality of life. Persistent pain led the patient to seek physical therapy treatment. Single-channel low-rate TENS (five hertz frequency, 250 microseconds phase duration) was provided for 30 minutes daily at the maximum tolerated intensity, for ten weeks. Two-inch electrodes were placed on the patient’s low back bilaterally, one inch from the second lumbar spinous process. Pain intensity was assessed on the verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) with a range of 0-10/10. Results: Pain levels began at 5/10 and were reduced to 0-1/10 with the application of TENS. Pain reduction lasted up to 24 hours after each TENS treatment. The pain completely resolved after ten weeks of low-rate TENS use. The patient remained pain-free with follow-ups at four-month intervals with the most recent follow-up 16 months after cessation of the TENS treatments. Conclusion: This retrospective case report found that low-rate TENS was effective in resolving CPP in a 21-year-old woman. The results of this study indicate that low-rate TENS may be a viable option to consider for treating CPP in women and may be used in addition to other treatments or services provided by allied health professionals.
DOI
10.46743/1540-580X/2023.2441
Recommended Citation
Allyn M, Kamieneski R. Low-Rate TENS as an Effective Treatment for Pelvic Pain - A Retrospective Case Report. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2023 Sep 21;21(4), Article 3.
