EVALUATION OF DENS-THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC NECK PAIN IN AN ORTHOPEDIC REHABILITATION CLINIC

Kraft K. Evaluation of the effect of dens-therapy in patients with chronic neck pain in an orthopedic rehabilitation clinic and a clinic for mothers and children/ K. Kraft, M. Delibasic// Jornal of rehabilitation medicine. - 2008.- №47 - р. 73-74.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF DENS-THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC NECK PAIN IN AN ORTHOPEDIC REHABILITATION CLINIC AND A CLINIC FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN

K. Kraft, M. Delibasic
Clinic of Internal Medicine, Chair of Complementary Medicine, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany

Introduction: Chronic unspecific neck pain is a very frequent disease and an important diagnosis in rehabilitation.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of therapy with DENS (dynamic-electroneuroadaptive-stimulation, DENAS MS Corp., Jekaterinburg, Russia) in in-patients with unspecific chronic neck pain during a three weeks` stay in two different rehabilitation clinics.

Patients and Methods: In-patients of an orthopaedic rehabilitation clinic (clinic 1) and a rehabilitation clinic for mother and children (clinic 2) (m/f, 25-70 years) were included in the controlled study. The patients were treated with a standard treatment + DENS (SD) or with standard treatment only (S). Chronic unspecific neck pain was the main or concomitant diagnosis. Patients with an initial VAS between 3-10 (10 point scale) were included. Additionally the Pain Perception Score (PPS: sensory and affective subdivision) was applied (1). Immediately before discharge VAS and SES were repeated. Patients received 5 treatments with DENS during their stay.

Results: 85 patients were included in the study. In clinic 1 24 patients were treated with SD, 24 with S, in clinic 2 26 patients were treated with SD and 11 with S. In clinic 1 standard treatment was more than twice as intense as in clinic 2. VAS was significantly (p<0.001) reduced in all groups except in the S group of clinic 2. Sensory and affective SES were significantly reduced in all groups (p<0.03-0.001). DENS treatment was very well tolerated, only 4 patients had unspecific side effects.

Conclusion: DENS therapy is effective and well-tolerated in the setting of stationary rehabilitation. It can be used to substitute other timeconsuming or personnel-intensive treatments.

Reference:

1. Geissner E. Die Schmerzempfindungs-Skala (SES): Hogrefe, 1996 I