ACUPUNCTURE & ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS RES.. INT. J.. Vol. 17, pp. 285-290.1992 Copyright (c) 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in the USA. 0360-1293/92 $5.00+ .00

EFFECTS OF T H E ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS WITH TENSION HEADACHE

Airaksinen Olavi M D Ph.D, F.I.C.A.E Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kuopio University Central Hospital, SF-70210 Kuopio, Finland

and P o n t i n e n Pekka J. M D P h . D , F . I . C . A . E . Institute of Clinical Sciences, University of Tampere, SF-30100 Tampere, Finland (Received August 30,1992; Accepted with revisions November 10,1992) ABSTRACT The effects of electrical stimulation b y simple pocket size stimulator were evaluated on myofascial trigger points b y p a i n t h r e s h o l d (PTH) a l g o m e t r y . T h e s t u d y c o n s i s t e d 14 p a t i e n t s w i t h 76 t r e a t e d t r i g g e r p o i n t s in r a n d o m l y selected double blind cross-over study protocol. T h e e f f e c t s of 3 0 s e c o n d s s t i m u l a t i o n i n c r e a s e d t h e P T H v a l u e e s 0.58 k g / c m in study g r o u p , b u t o n l y 0 . 1 3 k g / c m in c o n t r o l s (p