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Abstract

German

French

Conditioning electrical stimulation (electro-acupuncture) of 2 stimuli/sec was given via needles or surface electrodes to cheeks and hands of a group of volunteers. The effect on the pain threshold was estimated by constant current pulses applied to intact teeth in the upper and lower jaws. In 27 of 30 subjects the pain threshold increased gradually during the first 15-30 min of the conditioning stimulation and a corresponding gradual decrease of the pain threshold occurred after the end of the stimulation. The time course of this effect was similar in all responsive subjects but the interindividual variation of the threshold increase was considerable. In each individual the increase of the pain threshold was similar in all tested teeth of both the upper and lower jaw. The effects were essentially similar whether the conditioning stimulation was given via needles or surface electrodes. Correlation analysis was performed between certain personality traits, established by personality inventories, and the degree of pain threshold increase. No correlation was found between the degree of pain threshold increase and the personality traits under study, i.e. degree of hysterical character, psychasthenia-sthenia, extra-introversion and neuroticism. It is concluded that the increased pain threshold during low frequency conditioning stimulation is due to basic physiological mechanisms, which need further investigations for elucidation.

Keywords

Pain threshold tooth pulp electro-acupuncture transcutaneous stimulation psychological factors

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Analgesic * Effects of Peripheral Conditioning Stimulation 1. General Pain Threshold Effects on Human Teeth and a Correlation to Psychological Factors

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