Of the 12 million patients suffering from chronic pain, only 3% have access to these analgesic therapies. Update with Dr. Marc Lévêque, neurosurgeon and pain specialist.
What does this treatment consist of?
Pain is transmitted to the brain by nerves, through neurotransmitters and electrical impulses. Drugs act on the first factor, neuromodulation on the second. The application of a slight electric current on the path of a nerve creates a parasitic signal which blocks the transmission of the painful message. Several therapies use neuromodulation, the most common being transcutaneous electrical stimulation, or TENS. Electrodes placed on the skin are connected to a device that emits the electrical impulse. This method is effective in relieving many stubborn and disabling pain, of joint or neurological origin.
How to benefit from this therapy?
Some specialists can do it, in pain centers. However, only 3% of the patients who could be concerned are followed in these centers. Unlike drugs, TENS does not cause any side effects. That’s why we want more doctors to be able to recommend it. With the help of physiotherapists who use these devices in practice, patients can learn how to use them and then perform sessions at home. The device is reimbursed only if it is prescribed. TENS is very interesting for seniors, who take a lot of medication. It would prevent them from taking more analgesics for their chronic pain.
Are there other fields of application?
Some processes are more complex, such as spinal cord stimulation, effective against pain related to nerve damage. It requires an intervention under local anesthesia, to position an electrode near the spinal cord, on the same principle as an epidural. As for transcranial brain stimulation, it does not require an implantable system, but is still performed in a hospital. It relieves diffuse pain, following a stroke for example. Technology is evolving rapidly, with more and more efficient equipment. The goal is for all patients to have access to it.
To read : Let’s free ourselves from pain, Dr. Marc Lévêque, ed. Buchet Chastel, 240 pages, €18.50.
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