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A Study of Discomfort with Electrical Stimulation

A Delitto, PhD, PT, is Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 101 Pennsylvania Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (USA). He was a student in the Department of Psychology, Washington University School of Arts and Sciences, when this study was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for his doctoral degree.
MJ Strube, PhD, is Professor, Department of Psychology, Washington University School of Arts and Sciences, PO Box 1127, St Louis, MO 63110.
AD Shulman, PhD, is Reader in Management, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia 4069.
SD Minor, PhD, PT, is Assistant Professor, Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, PO Box 8083, St Louis, MO 63110.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of personality variables and contractile forces on magnitude estimates of pain unpleasantness and pain intensity during varying levels of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Thirty volunteers, according to their scores on a preferred coping-style questionnaire, were assigned to one of two groups, one designated "monitors" (information seekers) and the other designated "blunters" (information avoiders). All subjects were administered varying levels of two types of NMES, one causing both afferent stimulation and muscle contraction and one causing only afferent stimulation. Subjects judged the intensity and unpleasantness of each current type using magnitude estimation. Data were analyzed using a 2x2x2x3 (coping stylexcurrent typexpain descriptorxcurrent level) analysis of variance. The results indicated that the rate of increase of magnitude estimates for unpleasantness and pain intensity that corresponded to increases in current were dependent on (1) the preferred coping style of the subject, (2) whether the stimulus caused a muscle contraction, and (3) whether the subject was judging the intensity or the unpleasantness of the applied stimulus. Behavioral styles appear to affect how subjects characterize the discomfort associated with NMES, and involuntary muscle contractions contribute to the discomfort felt from NMES. These results suggest that interventions tailored to a preferred coping style may increase a subject's level of tolerance to NMES and thus provide a more beneficial treatment.

Key Words: Electrotherapy, electrical stimulation • Pain • Pain measurement

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Jules M Rothstein
Physical Therapy 1992 72: 421-422. [Abstract] [PDF]

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