The transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation device “offered immediate, on-demand relief,” say researchers.

RT’s Three Key Takeaways:

  1. Improved Fatigue and Pain Relief: The high-dose TENS group experienced 26.1% more pain relief and improved walking ability (8% during fast walking) compared to the placebo group, demonstrating its potential to alleviate long COVID symptoms.
  2. Wearable and User-Friendly: Participants benefitted from the device’s wearable design, which allowed for seamless use throughout daily activities, contributing to high compliance and perceived benefits.
  3. Potential for Broader Applications: Researchers suggest the device may also help manage fatigue and pain in other conditions, such as post-hospitalization weaknesses, fibromyalgia, or chemotherapy-related side effects, though further studies are needed.

A wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device can provide relief to people experiencing the persistent pain and fatigue linked to long COVID, a study co-led by UCLA and Baylor College of Medicine researchers suggests.

Long-COVID, a complex and lingering condition following COVID-19 recovery, affects approximately 1 in 13 adults in the United States. Symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness often continue to disrupt daily activities, including walking and basic tasks.

The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, focused on a wearable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device, which uses low-voltage electrical currents to reduce pain, fatigue, and mobility issues associated with long-COVID.

Study Design and Findings

The project was co-led by Bijan Najafi, PhD, research director of the Center for Advanced Surgical & Interventional Technology at UCLA Health and co-director of NSF IUCRC Center to Stream HealthCare in Place, who said the device could have wider applications.

“While this study focused on managing pain and fatigue caused by long COVID, it may also have potential applications for addressing similar symptoms in individuals with other respiratory diseases, those who have experienced extended ICU stays and developed post-hospitalization weaknesses, and conditions involving chronic fatigue and pain, such as fibromyalgia or chemotherapy-related side effects,” Najafi says in a release. “But further studies are needed to confirm these potential uses.”

In the study, 25 participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and gait difficulties were assigned either a high-dose (active) TENS device or a low-dose (placebo) device. Both groups used the TENS device for three to five hours daily over a four-week period.

Results Highlight Symptom Relief

Researchers measured participants’ pain levels, fatigue, and walking performance before and after the therapy period. Findings indicated that the high-dose TENS group experienced notable improvements in pain relief (26.1% more relief compared to placebo) and walking ability (8% during fast walking), suggesting that wearable TENS therapy may help reduce long-COVID’s impact on daily life.

The high-dose TENS group also reported a slightly higher perceived benefit (71.2%) compared to the low-dose group (61.4%), underscoring the potential of wearable TENS technology to support long-COVID recovery.

Wearable Technology and Future Directions

One factor in the study’s success was likely the high rate of daily device usage, Najafi says in a release. The wearable nature of the TENS device allowed participants to use it seamlessly throughout the day, without disrupting their routines.

“This wearable TENS system offered immediate, on-demand relief from pain and fatigue, making it easy to integrate into daily activities,” Najafi says in a release.

He also cautions that more research is needed. This study provides some hope for finding an effective, non-invasive solution for managing lingering COVID-19 symptoms that continue to affect millions,” he says in a release. “But our sample size was limited, so further research is needed to confirm these findings.”

Photo credit: Bijan Najafi Research Team

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device