J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2002 Apr;26(2):161-166.

Change of Current Perception Threshold of Median Nerve after Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

• Seo KS
• Yoon JS
• Yang SN
• Kim SJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
We measured current perception threshold (CPT) with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to prove the selective increment of the threshold of C sensory fiber and to determine onset time and duration of effect for application of TENS. METHOD: TENS were applied to fifteen control volunteers for 20 minutes on hand three times per week for 2 weeks duration. The CPT was tested at the distal interphalangeal joint of the second finger with 5 Hz, 250 Hz, and 2,000 Hz in frequency, respectively. The test was repeated immediately and 30 minutes after cessation of TENS. These tests were performed on the first, eighth, and fifteenth day on application of TENS.
RESULTS
The baseline CPT of C fiber was 32.7 +/- 6.4 10 2 mA, A gamma fiber 23.2 +/- 9.4 10(-2) mA, and A beta fiber 83.9 +/- 18.1 10(-2) mA. At 30 minutes after cessation of TENS in the fifteenth day, the CPT of C fiber increased markedly and that of A gamma fiber increased a little. The CPT of A beta fiber didn't increase for 2 weeks.
CONCLUSION
With application of TENS, the threshold of C and A gamma fibers selectively increased, especially 30 minutes after removal of TENS application. This effect was outstanding after 2 weeks' application.

Keyword

TENS; Sensory fiber; Current perception threshold (CPT)

MeSH Terms

Fingers
Hand
Joints
Median Nerve*
Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation*
Volunteers