Key result
Low-frequency TENS acutely reduces systolic blood pressure and strengthens pain-blood pressure interactions.
Why the study?
Reduced pain perception in hypertensive and at-risk normotensive individuals may involve endogenous opioid mechanisms, but the role of different TENS frequencies in this process is unclear.
Does low-frequency TENS reduce pain perception and blood pressure in men varying in resting blood pressure?
Population
Men varying in resting blood pressure and parental history of hypertension
Comparison
Low-frequency (2 Hz) TENS vs high-frequency (100 Hz) TENS and no-TENS stimulation
Design
Experimental study with three testing sessions per participant
Follow-up
Acute during testing sessions
Authors
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Should not alter pain or BP management; leaves open TENS effects on pain-BP coupling in larger trials.
Does low-frequency TENS reduce pain perception and blood pressure in men varying in resting blood pressure?
Low-frequency TENS acutely reduces systolic blood pressure and exaggerates blood pressure-related hypoalgesia, suggesting opioid mechanisms are involved in blood pressure regulation.
Campbell et al. (2002) studied Hypertension / Blood pressure regulation. Low-frequency (2 Hz) transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) vs. High-frequency (100 Hz) TENS and no-TENS stimulation was evaluated on Pain perception and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Low-frequency TENS significantly strengthened the negative association between pain and resting systolic blood pressure and produced an acute reduction in SBP.
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