Effects of TDCS and TENS on chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Study Summary

60 adults with chronic low back pain were randomized to receive transcranial direct current stimulation over the primary motor cortex plus transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), transcranial direct current stimulation over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plus TENS, or sham transcranial stimulation plus active TENS. Outcomes of interest included pain intensity and interference, functional capacity, transverse abdominis electromyographic activity, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Participants received 30-minute treatments for 10 consecutive sessions, with outcomes assessed immediately after treatment and at 30 days. Overall, all groups experienced improvements in pain, functional capacity, depressive symptoms, and quality of life, but adding active transcranial stimulation did not provide superior outcomes compared with TENS alone. These findings suggest that TENS may be sufficient for short-term management of chronic low back pain without additional benefit from transcranial stimulation.