Study of Immediate and 1-Week Effects of Sciatic Nerve Electrical Stimulation on Long-Term Low Back and Leg Pain

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the immediate and short-term effects of a treatment called Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation PENS for people with long-term low-back related leg pain, commonly known as sciatica. This condition involves nerve irritation or compression in the lower spine, causing symptoms like shooting, burning pain, tingling, numbness, or leg weakness. Since existing treatments such as painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, or surgery do not always provide lasting relief, the study explores safe, non-drug, and non-surgical options to manage this pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups PENS involving thin needles inserted near the sciatic nerve with electrical stimulation Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation TENS using adhesive skin electrodes delivering mild electrical pulses dry needling without electrical current involving needle insertion without stimulation or a placebo group receiving simulated treatments without active electrical current. Each treatment session lasts about 30 minutes and uses ultrasound guidance to ensure precise needle placement and safety. During the study, participants will have their pain levels, disability, quality of life, nerve-related pain features, flexibility, movement, pressure sensitivity, and nerve stiffness assessed before and immediately after treatment and again one week later. Researchers will also monitor global improvement and any side effects over an average of two years. The trial uses questionnaires, physical tests like the Straight Leg Raise, and ultrasound elastography imaging to gather detailed information about treatment effects and safety.

Immediate and 1-week Efficacy of a Single Session of Sciatic Nerve Electrical Stimulation in the Management of Low-back Related Leg Pain