Effect of Unilateral and Bilateral Auricular Acupuncture Like TENS on Pain Threshold

Pain, although a protective mechanism of our nervous system often prevents treatment of accompanying or underlying disorder and therefore it is imperative to attain analgesia. Various modalities are used by physical therapists to relieve patient from pain. TENS is one of the most widely used modality by physical therapists for attaining analgesia.

This experimental trial investigated the effect of unilateral and bilateral auricular acupuncture like TENS on pain threshold in sixty young adults. Subjects were randomized to either of three groups namely:- Group 1(Bilateral application of TENS), Group 2 (Unilateral application of TENS), and Group 3 (control - NO TENS group). Low frequency TENS was applied on auricular acupuncture points for 45 secs on Group 1&2. Readings for pain threshold were taken before and after completion of TENS treatment.

There was a statistically significant difference in pain threshold values of auricular TENS group as compared to control group on comparison with one - way ANOVA (F=35.273). On pair wise comparison using Duncan's new multiple range test, statistically significant differences were found (p<.05) between the pain threshold changes between group three (control group) as compared to group 1(bilateral TENS group) and group 2 (unilateral TENS group). However, no significant difference was observed between mean pain threshold changes of group 1 and 2.

Auricular application of Acupuncture TENS as a part of physiotherapy treatment significantly increases pain threshold whether applied unilaterally or bilaterally.