Analgesic Current Therapies for Chronic Neck Pain
Analgesic Current Therapies for Chronic Neck Pain
Does the use of analgesic current therapies increase the effectiveness of neck stabilization
 exercises for improving pain, disability, mood, and quality of life in chronic neck pain? a
 randomized, controlled, single-blind study
Analgesic therapies; such as interferential current (IFC) and transcutaneous electrical nerve
 stimulation (TENS) have been applied solo or combined with exercise for management of neck
 pain (NP), however, the efficacy of these combinations are unclear. In this study, our
 objective were to determine if TENS or IFC increase the effectiveness of neck stabilization
 exercises on pain, disability, mood, and quality of life for chronic NP. 81 patients with
 chronic NP were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned into 3 groups; Group
 I: neck stabilization exercise, Group II: TENS+ neck stabilization exercise and Group III:
 IFC+ neck stabilization exercise. Patients' pain levels (visual analogue scale (VAS)),
 quality of life (short form- 36), mood (Beck depression inventory (BDI)), levels of
 disability (Neck Pain and Disability Index) and the need for analgesics were evaluated prior
 to treatment, at 6th and 12th week follow-up. All participants had group exercise accompanied
 by a physiotherapist for 3 weeks and an additional 3 weeks of home exercise program.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Both genders between 20-50 years, had chronic neck pain

 Exclusion Criteria: Having disc hernia that causes neurological deficit

 -  Having malignity,

 -  Having neck pain secondary neurological or vascular disease.

 -  Pregnancy

 -  Having psychiatric disease

 -  Having arthritic disease

 -  Having any contraindication for electrotherapy