Effect of Electrical Microcurrent on Median Nerve Conduction Velocity and Mechanical Pain Threshold in the Median Nerve in a Randomized Single Blind Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Microcurrent electrical stimulation (MES) is a promising line for treating a variety of conditions. Its outcome on the peripheral nerves remains vague. Objective:The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of MES on nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of the median nerve and pressure pain threshold in healthy people. Subjects and Methods: It was a randomized single blind controlled trial that was conducted on sixty healthy students of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University. Participants were assigned randomly into two groups: control and study groups; who were exposed to MES for 30 minutes using a frequency of 10 Hz, an intensity of 100 µA at the volar aspect of the non-dominant forearm. Median NCVs (motor and sensory) and pain pressure threshold were assessed before, immediately after and 30 minutes after the MES application. Results: Concerning the pain pressure threshold, there was a significant difference between both control and study groups favouring the study group (p value < 0.05), and between pre and post measures of the sensory distal latency and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) in the study group (p-value < 0.05). While, no significant results on median nerve motor parameters were recorded (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion:Within the limitation of this study, a single application of MES over the course of median nerve in healthy subjects was effective in increasing pressure pain threshold, and sensory distal latency; and decreasing SNCV, So, upon these results MES could be promising in treating painful conditions.

Enhancing regeneration and repair of long-distance peripheral nerve defect injuries with continuous microcurrent electrical nerve stimulation

“…Previous studies have elucidated that MES primarily exerts its effects at the cellular level by restoring cell membrane potential, enhancing electrical energy transport across cell membranes (Kang et al, 2015;Hassan et al, 2020). Building on these positive cellular effects, we assessed the impact of cMENS on Schwann cells (SCs), the key supporting cells in peripheral nerve regeneration (Jessen and Mirsky, 2019;Rao et al, 2022).…”

“…While achieving a balance between stimulation benefits and patient comfort, such brief, one-time stimulation may fall short for optimal or sustained results in long-distance injuries. Microcurrent electrical stimulation, characterized by current intensities typically below 1 milliampere (mA), operating in the low frequency and low-intensity spectrum, measured in microamperes (μA) (Zickri, 2014;Fujiya et al, 2015), provides minimal nerve stimulation (Poltawski et al, 2012;Hassan et al, 2020), ensuring patient comfort with high feasibility for continuous stimulation. Existing research has underscored the positive effects of microcurrent electrical stimulation on cellular physiology and regeneration (Kolimechkov et al, 2023).…”