Effects of acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on cold-induced pain in normal subjects.

The effects of acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at high (100 Hz) and low (8 Hz) frequency and placebo on pain induced by cold immersion of the hand were studied in 46 young healthy male and female volunteers. Acupuncture produced significant elevations of pain threshold, while 100 Hz TENS or placebo had no effect. Eight Hertz TENS produced elevation of pain threshold with significant variation in response between individuals. There was some evidence that the L scale score of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire predicted analgesic outcome for 8 Hz TENS. No significant relationship was found between baseline pain threshold or tolerance and personality variables.