Comparing the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and massage therapy on post laparoscopic shoulder pain: a randomized clinical trial.

Riassunto dello studio

138 patients with post-laparoscopic shoulder pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized to receive hand massage plus conventional pharmacological treatment, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) plus conventional pharmacological treatment, or conventional pharmacological treatment alone. The outcomes of interest was shoulder pain intensity measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Pain was assessed before and 20 minutes after treatments delivered at 4, 8, and 12 hours after surgery. Overall, the results revealed that both massage and TENS produced significantly greater reductions in shoulder pain than conventional pharmacological treatment alone at all three treatment times, with no significant differences between massage and TENS. These findings suggest that either intervention may be used as a non-pharmacological treatment for early post-laparoscopic shoulder pain.