Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): The effect of electrode placement won cutaneous blood flow and skin temperature

In the current study the effect of electrode placement on cutaneous blood f low and skin temperature were assessed using laser Doppler flowmetry. Follo wing approval from the University's ethical committee, 30 subjects were rec ruited (15 male: 15 female) and randomly assigned to a control or one of tw o treatment groups (n=10 all groups). TENS was applied either over the medi an nerve or to the Hegyu acupuncture point (L.I.4) for 15 minutes. Blood fl ow and skin temperature data were recorded during TENS and for 15 minutes p ost TENS. Analysis of results showed significant differences between groups for cutaneous blood flow (p=0.0001; repeated measures ANOVA). There was a significant increase in blood flow in the TENS median nerve group compared with the other two groups during TENS application. No significant changes i n skin temperature were observed between groups. This study demonstrates th at the effect of TENS upon cutaneous blood flow is dependent upon electrode placement sites.