TENS Added to Physical Therapy Lowers Fibromyalgia Pain

Adjunctive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation improves movement-evoked pain and fatigue in pragmatic trial

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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) combined with physical therapy significantly reduced movement-evoked pain in fibromyalgia patients.
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The study involved 459 patients across 28 outpatient clinics, with 384 included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis.
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At 60 days, 41% of patients receiving TENS reported at least a 30% reduction in pain, compared to 13% in the physical therapy-only group.
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Secondary outcomes favored TENS, showing significant reductions in resting pain, fatigue, and overall disease impact at 60 days.
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TENS is considered a safe, nonpharmacologic treatment option for fibromyalgia, providing small to moderate improvements in symptoms.

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