Pain alleviation by vibratory stimulation.

In the present study 366 patients suffering acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain of different origin were given vibratory stimulation for the pain. Many of the patients had previously had treatments of various kinds without satisfactory relief. The effect of vibratory stimulation was assessed during and after stimulation using a graphic rating scale. Sixty-nine per cent of the patients reported a reduction of pain during vibratory stimulation. The best pain reducing site was found to be either the area of pain, the affected muscle or tendon, the antagonistic muscle or a trigger point outside the painful area. In most patients the best pain reducing effect was obtained when the vibratory stimulation was applied with moderate pressure. To obtain a maximal duration of pain relief the stimulation had to be applied for about 25-45 min.