The effectiveness and safety of electrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia
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Rheumatology INTERNATIONAL
REVIEW
The effectiveness and safety of electrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia Ilke Coskun Benlidayi1 Received: 3 May 2020 / Accepted: 31 May 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Treating fibromyalgia is a challenging task for physicians. With its multifaceted features, fibromyalgia requires a comprehensive management strategy focusing on both the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options. During the last decades, there has been growing evidence regarding the role of electrotherapy in fibromyalgia treatment. In this regard, the present article aimed to review the recent literature on the effectiveness and safety of the electrotherapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia. A literature search was conducted through PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), non-invasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current/magnetic stimulation), and light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) emerged as the most commonly examined electrotherapy techniques in fibromyalgia. Currently, there is growing data regarding the effectiveness of electrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia-related pain. Besides, non-invasive electrotherapy techniques are related to no/minor side effects. Further studies are warranted to identify the optimal treatment protocols for each electrotherapy modality. Keywords Electric stimulation therapy · Fibromyalgia · Laser therapy · Physical therapy modalities · Physical medicine and rehabilitation · Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation · Transcranial direct current stimulation · Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Introduction Electricity is a phenomenon related to stationary or moving electric charges. Electricity has numerous roles in the human body, as human cells are good conductors of electricity. Given this fact, electricity has attracted great attention as a diagnostic or therapeutic tool in medical practices. Electrotherapy refers to the use of electricity/electric energy for therapeutic purposes. The use of electrical energy as a therapeutic modality has a long history. The earliest clues to the use of bioelectricity appear on the Egyptian tombs from 2750 BC. The “electric fish” (the Nile catfish Malapterurus electricus) was depicted on their mural paintings. After that, many other populations and scientists have tried to solve the mystery of electrotherapy [1]. Today, medical use of electrical energy has been widely accepted by various disciplines of medicine. * Ilke Coskun Benlidayi [email protected] 1
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
Electrotherapy is an umbrella term used to cover a broad number of electrical therapeutic modalities with a wide range of therapeutic indications. In terms of musculoskeletal conditions, two main purposes of use are muscle stimulation and analgesia. With its analgesic properties, electrotherapy has been used for the
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