Treatment of post-herpetic pain with scrambler therapy, a patient-specific neuro-cutaneous electrical stimulation device.

Abstract

e19564^ Background: Post herpetic neuropathy (PHN) is common in cancer and hematologic malignancy patients. It can be debilitating and difficulty to treat effectively. Scrambler therapy, a patient-specific neurocutaneous stimulation device, can be effective in treating chemotherapy induced neuropathy (JPSM 2010) and other neuropathic pain (JPSM 2012). Methods: We treated ten patients, 2 with cancer as their primary diagnosis, with refractory PHN Scrambler therapy at two institutions. Scrambler therapy was given as 30 minute sessions daily for 10 days. Pain was recorded before and after treatment. Results: The patient mean age was 54 ± SD 13 years, 6 men and 4 women, with a mean duration of PHN for 15.6 months (range 2.5 to 48 months) without satisfactory relief despite conventional drugs. The average pain score rapidly diminished from 7.64 ± 1.46 at baseline to 0.42 ± 0.89 at one month, a 95% reduction, with continued relief at 2 and 3 months. Patients achieved maximum pain relief with less than 5 treatments. Conclusions: Scrambler therapy appears to have a promising effect on PHN, with prompt and continued relief and no side effects. Further research is warranted. [Table: see text]