Comparison of Two Modes of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Chronic Neuropathic Radiculalgia

Superiority, Prospective, Multicentric, Randomized, Single-blind, Cross-over Study Comparing 2 Modes of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in Chronic Neuropathic Radiculalgia

This study will compare 2 types of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to treat chronic neuropathic pain. TENS involves the application of electrical stimulation to the skin via surface electrodes to stimulate nerve fibres for pain relief.

TENS is already recommended in clinical practice to treat chronic neuropathic pain. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of 2 different modes of TENS: conventional TENS (c-TENS) and mixed-frequency TENS (m-TENS). Randomization will determine the mode that the patient has to test during the first month.

Each patient will test successively each mode during 1 month at home (3 sessions 1 hour/day). Then, the patient will test the other mode during the second month. Up to 6 months, the patient will be free to use the mode of TENS he wants.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged 18 years old or older
• Patients with chronic neuropathic radiculalgia from at least 3 months of evolution
• Radiculalgia VAS > or egal to 40/100
• Neuropathic pain diagnostic (DN4) score > or egal to 4
• Patient who has accepted to participate in the study by signing the informed consent form

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Dermatosis in the painful dermatome
• Venous or arterial thrombosis of the lower limbs
• Patient with active implantable medical device
• Severe cognitive disorders
• Patient under a legal protection regime(guardianship/curatorship/guardianship of justice)
• Previous use of TENS to treat radiculalgia