Beaulieu Karen, Beland Patricia, Pinard Marilee, Handfield Guilène, Handfield Nicole, Goffaux Philippe, Corriveau Hélène, Léonard Guillaume
a École de réadaptation de l'Université de Sherbrooke , Sherbrooke , Canada.
b Clinique de physiothérapie Physio Atlas , Sherbrooke , Canada.
Electromagn Biol Med. 2016;35(3):237-44. doi: 10.3109/15368378.2015.1075409. Epub 2016 Mar 25.
Previous studies suggested that pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy can decrease pain. To date, however, it remains difficult to determine whether the analgesic effect observed in patients are attributable to a direct effect of PEMF on pain or to an indirect effect of PEMF on inflammation and healing. In the present study, we used an experimental pain paradigm to evaluate the direct effect of PEMF on pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and temporal summation of pain. Twenty-four healthy subjects (mean age 22 ± 2 years; 9 males) participated in the experiment. Both real and sham PEMF were administered to every participant using a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. For each visit, PEMF was applied for 10 minutes on the right forearm using a portable device. Experimental pain was evoked before (baseline) and after PEMF with a 9 cm(2) Pelletier-type thermode, applied on the right forearm (120 s stimulation; temperature individually adjusted to produce moderate baseline pain). Pain intensity and unpleasantness were evaluated using a 0-100 numerical pain rating scale. Temporal summation was evaluated by comparing pain intensity ratings obtained at the end of tonic nociceptive stimulation (120 s) with pain intensity ratings obtained after 60 s of stimulation. When compared to baseline, there was no change in pain intensity and unpleasantness following the application of real or sham PEMF. PEMF did not affect temporal summation. The present observations suggest that PEMF does not directly influence heat pain perception in healthy individuals.
先前的研究表明，脉冲电磁场（PEMF）疗法可减轻疼痛。然而，迄今为止，仍难以确定在患者身上观察到的镇痛效果是归因于PEMF对疼痛的直接作用，还是归因于PEMF对炎症和愈合的间接作用。在本研究中，我们使用实验性疼痛范式来评估PEMF对疼痛强度、疼痛不适感以及疼痛时间总和的直接影响。24名健康受试者（平均年龄22±2岁；9名男性）参与了该实验。使用随机、双盲、交叉设计对每位参与者施加真正的和假的PEMF。每次就诊时，使用便携式设备在右前臂施加PEMF 10分钟。在施加PEMF之前（基线）和之后，使用9平方厘米的佩尔蒂埃型热刺激器在右前臂诱发实验性疼痛（刺激120秒；温度单独调整以产生中度基线疼痛）。使用0至100的数字疼痛评分量表评估疼痛强度和不适感。通过比较在持续性伤害性刺激结束时（120秒）获得的疼痛强度评分与刺激60秒后获得的疼痛强度评分来评估疼痛时间总和。与基线相比，施加真正的或假的PEMF后，疼痛强度和不适感没有变化。PEMF不影响疼痛时间总和。目前的观察结果表明，PEMF不会直接影响健康个体对热痛的感知。
