Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults

Amputee pain may present in a body part that has been amputated (phantom pain) or at the site of amputation (stump pain), or both. Phantom pain and stump pain are complex conditions and affect up to 80% of amputees. The underlying causes are not fully understood. Drug therapy is the most common treatment yet the condition remains poorly managed. The need for non-drug interventions has been recognised and TENS may have an important role to play. TENS is an inexpensive, safe and easy to use analgesic technique which consists of a battery powered, portable device which generates electrical currents that are passed across the intact surface of the skin to activate underlying nerves. A search of various databases found no studies that met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review which prevents any judgement on the effectiveness of TENS for phantom pain and stump pain. A large multicenter randomised controlled trial is needed.