Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy in Neuropathic Painful Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Launched by AFYONKARAHISAR HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY · Dec 1, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a treatment called high-frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) to see if it can help reduce neuropathic pain in patients who have suffered spinal cord injuries. Neuropathic pain is a type of pain that occurs when there’s damage to the nerves, and it can be very difficult to manage. The trial aims to explore how effective rTMS is when combined with standard medical treatments, especially since there isn’t much existing research on this specific approach.

To participate in this study, individuals need to be between the ages of 20 and 70 and must have had a spinal cord injury with neuropathic pain for at least six months. Participants should be able to follow simple verbal instructions, be in stable health, and agree to take part voluntarily. However, certain health conditions, like severe heart disease or epilepsy, and specific medical devices, such as pacemakers or in-ear implants, may prevent someone from joining the trial. If eligible, participants can expect to receive the rTMS treatment, which is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain. This trial could provide new insights into managing neuropathic pain more effectively.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Between the ages of 20-70, who applied to the AFSU Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation inpatient service with the diagnosis of spinal cord injury and
• • Having spinal cord injury with neurophatic pain at least six months ago,
• • Able to follow two-stage verbal commands,
• • Agreeing to participate in the study voluntarily and regularly,
• • Patients who are medically stable (no previous myocardial infarction, no musculoskeletal problems) will be included in our study.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Having an important comorbid disease such as severe heart disease (aortic stenosis, angina, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, pacemaker) and uncontrolled hypertension,
• • Epilepsy,
• • History of antiepileptic drug use,
• • Intracranial metal object,
• • Presence of in-ear implant,
• • Cognitive dysfunction,
• • Lower extremity peripheral nerve injury,
• • With malignancy and active infection,
• • Infection on the skin in the application area,
• • Having an open wound,
• • Having inflammatory disease,
• • Orthopedic injuries that can limit maximum effort contractions,
• • Having a brain lesion or a history of drug use that will affect the seizure threshold,
• • Patients with increased intracranial pressure or uncontrolled migraine will not be included.