Smith, Ray B. Is microcurrent stimulation effective in pain management? An additional perspective. American Journal of Pain Management, 11(2):62-66, 2001.
This is a peer-reviewed analysis of 2,500 consecutive survey forms from warranty cards completed by patients who were prescribed Alpha-Stim microcurrent electrical therapy (MET) and cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES). The
only inclusion criteria were that the patients used their Alpha-Stim for at least 3 weeks. 1,949, or 78% of the total listed pain as their primary diagnosis. Of those, 93% claimed significant pain reduction of greater than 25%
improvement, ranging from a low of 82% in chronic regional pain syndrome (RSD) to a high of 98% in those suffering from migraine headaches and 100% in carpal tunnel syndrome. 72% of the patients were female. The age
ranged from 15 to 92 years with a mean of 50 years. The length of use ranged from the 3 week minimum cutoff period to 5 years in 2 cases. The average period of use was 14.68 weeks, or just over 3 1/2 months. The results
reported by these patients were only 2% off a previous physician survey of 500 patients (the patients self-reports giving slightly higher ratings overall) reported in the book, The Science behind Cranial Electrotherapy
Stimulation by Dr. Daniel L. Kirsch.
Condition
|
N
|
Slight <24%
|
Fair 25-49%
|
Moderate 50-74%
|
Marked 75-100%
|
Significant >25%
|
Pain (all cases)
|
1949
|
136 6.98%
|
623 31.97%
|
741 38.02%
|
449 23.04%
|
1813 93.02%
|
Back Pain
|
403
|
20 4.96%
|
109 27.05%
|
157 38.96%
|
117 29.03%
|
383 95.04%
|
Cervical Pain
|
265
|
18 6.79%
|
69 26.04%
|
125 47.17%
|
53 20.00%
|
247 93.21%
|
Hip/Leg/Foot Pain
|
160
|
6 3.75%
|
43 26.88%
|
53 33.13%
|
58 36.25%
|
154 96.25%
|
Shoulder/Arm/Hand Pain
|
150
|
13 8.67%
|
41 27.33%
|
63 42.00%
|
33 22.00%
|
137 91.33%
|
Carpal Tunnel
|
25
|
0 0.00%
|
5 20.00%
|
17 68.00%
|
3 12.00%
|
25 100.00%
|
Arthritis Pain
|
188
|
11 5.85%
|
51 27.13%
|
88 46.81%
|
38 20.21%
|
177 94.15%
|
TMJ Pain
|
158
|
17 10.76%
|
60 37.97%
|
60 37.97%
|
21 13.29%
|
141 89.24%
|
Myofascial Pain
|
62
|
6 9.68%
|
18 29.03%
|
18 29.03%
|
20 32.26%
|
56 90.32%
|
RSD
|
55
|
10 18.18%
|
16 29.09%
|
19 34.55%
|
10 18.18%
|
45 81.82%
|
Fibromyalgia (alone)
|
142
|
13 9.15%
|
53 37.32%
|
52 36.62%
|
24 16.90%
|
129 90.85%
|
Fibromyalgia (with other)
|
363
|
33 9.09%
|
131 36.09%
|
152 41.87%
|
47 12.95%
|
330 90.91%
|
Migraine
|
118
|
2 1.69%
|
49 41.53%
|
30 25.42%
|
37 31.36%
|
116 98.31%
|
Headaches (all other)
|
112
|
20 17.86%
|
30 26.79%
|
24 21.43%
|
38 33.93%
|
92 82.14%
|
Psychological (all cases)
|
723
|
61 8.44%
|
175 24.20%
|
237 32.78%
|
250 34.58%
|
662 91.56%
|
Anxiety (alone)
|
128
|
13 10.16%
|
29 22.66%
|
42 32.81%
|
44 34.38%
|
115 89.84%
|
Anxiety (with other)
|
370
|
33 8.92%
|
85 22.97%
|
122 32.97%
|
130 35.14%
|
337 91.08%
|
Anxiety/Depression
|
58
|
3 5.17%
|
19 32.76%
|
19 32.76%
|
17 29.31%
|
55 94.83%
|
Depression (alone)
|
53
|
7 13.21%
|
11 20.75%
|
23 43.40%
|
12 22.64%
|
46 86.79%
|
Depression (with other)
|
265
|
29 10.94%
|
61 23.02%
|
93 35.09%
|
82 30.94%
|
236 89.06%
|
Stress
|
123
|
6 4.88%
|
30 24.39%
|
39 31.71%
|
48 39.02%
|
117 95.12%
|
Chronic Fatigue
|
50
|
3 6.00%
|
30 60.00%
|
10 20.00%
|
7 14.00%
|
47 94.00%
|
Insomnia
|
163
|
10 6.13%
|
47 28.83%
|
47 28.83%
|
59 36.20%
|
153 93.87%
|
Figure 1. Self-reported results of 2,500 patients who used Alpha-Stim technology for at least 3 weeks.
|
|
Proceed to next study
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|