Vibratory stimulation for the alleviation of pain.

In the present study 66 patients suffering from chronic myalgia were given vibratory stimulation as a pain relieving measure. Several of these patients had previously undergone treatments of various kinds without any significant relief. Forty-one patients reported a significant (20%) reduction of pain during vibratory stimulation. The best pain reducing site was found to be either the area of pain, a trigger or acupuncture point outside the painful area. The best pain reducing effect was obtained when the vibratory stimulation was applied with moderate pressure (1.0 kg) over the underlying structures. To obtain a maximal duration of pain relief the stimulation had to be applied for about 30 minutes.