Although transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is commonly used to treat the pain of osteoarthritis, the effectiveness of this type of stimulation for pain relief remains controversial. This review found statistically significant results favouring conventional and acupuncture-like stimulation for pain relief and stiffness relief. Mixed stimulation was effective in reducing knee pain but had less effect on hip pain. Burst nerve stimulation resulted in statistically significant relief of knee stiffness and increase in long-term pain relief. Conventional, burst, acupuncture-like, and mixed transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation have some benefit over placebo for certain aspects of osteoarthritis-associated disability, and can be used as an adjunct therapy for treatment of patients with arthritis involving the hips and/or knees.

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