Comparison of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and hydrotherapy effects on pain, flexibility and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of hydrotherapy and of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) on symptomology of patients with fibromyalgia. Ten subjects (aged 48.8±9.8 years) with fibromyalgia were divided into two groups, one treated with hydrotherapy, the other with TENS. All were evaluated before and after treatment as to flexibility (by means of the fingertip-to-floor test), pain (by visual analogue scale), health-related quality of life (by the SF-36 and the Nottingham Health Profile - NHP - questionnaires) and trend to depression (by the Beck's Depression Inventory). Data were statistically analysed, and significance level set at p<0.05. Results show that patients treated with TENS had significant pain reduction and better quality of life as measured by the SF-36 and some NHP items, while patients treated with hydrotherapy showed improvement in SF-36 scores. It may hence be said that both treatments were efficient in improving physical functioning, but TENS produced better results in relieving pain and in a greater number of variables, suggesting that it is more efficient for treating fibromyalgia.