Supplementing transcranial direct current stimulation to local infiltration series for refractory neuropathic craniocephalic pain: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some patients with neuralgia of cranial nerves with otherwise therapy-refractory pain respond to invasive therapy with local anesthetics. Unfortunately, pain regularly relapses despite multimodal pain management. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may prolong pain response due to neuro-modulatory effects.

Methods

This controlled clinical pilot trial randomized patients to receive anodal, cathodal or sham-tDCS stimulation prior to local anesthetic infiltration. Pain attenuation, quality-of-life and side effects were assessed and compared with historic controls to estimate effects of tDCS stimulation setting.

Results

Altogether, 17 patients were randomized into three groups with different stimulation protocols. Relative reduction of pain intensity

SUBMITTER: Wandrey JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10014889 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature