14.10.4 Treatment of lumbosciatic pain
Patients suering from lumbosciatic pain most often present lumbar pain that commonly originates from
chronic contractures of the lumbar paravertebral muscles.
In addition, involvement of the spinal nerve root leads to irradiation of pain over a shorter or longer
distance along the sciatic nerve and in some cases, along one or the other of its branches (common
peroneal or tibial).
The combination of the Lumbosciatica programme and the TENS programme is the preferred treatment,
as it produces - through its endorphinic eect (Lumbosciatic programme) – a significant analgesic eect
on chronic contractures of the lumbar region and – through the TENS programme – reduces the medullar
input of the nociceptive impulse (Gate control) due to painful irradiation of the sciatic nerve.
Combining endorphinic stimulation with TENS stimulation is entirely appropriate here as on one hand, it
treats low back pain caused by chronic contractures of the muscles in that area, and on the other hand,
relieves neurogenic pain of the sciatic nerve, for which TENS is the treatment of choice.
14.10.4.1 Protocol
Lumbosciatica: 10 to 12 sessions.
The Lumbosciatica programme is designed to provide endorphinic stimulation on the first channel and
TENS stimulation on the other three channels.
14.10.4.2 Treatment frequency
Three to five sessions per week for two to three weeks (10 to 12 sessions in total), a session should last at
least 20 minutes.
Ideally, it may be beneficial to carry out two successive stimulation sessions within the Lumbosciatica
programme, ensuring a ten-minute rest period is taken between the two sessions to allow the stimulated
muscles to recover.
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