Noxipoint Therapy Versus Standard Physical Therapy Using Electrical Stimulation for Chronic Pain

"Patients will be treated with a TENS device, following Noxipoint Therapy guidelines:~1. Find the cause of the pain via Noxipoint: For each injured muscle/tissue, it is discovered that there are always a pair of points at the skin surface locations of its nociceptors that are painful at light press (named Noxipoints).~2. Stimulate the corresponding pair of Nocipoints following a narrowly defined combination of intensity/ frequency (inducing the C-fiber response) and duration (about 1.5-3 minutes) of TENS at the two targeted Noxipoints.~3. Repeat (a) to (b) above for each identified injured muscle group until all pain areas are eliminated or when the session time is up.~4. Instruct the subject not to use the newly recovered muscle/tissue too much an estimated rest period depending on his/her age."

"The 1.5-hour physical therapy in the control arm are provided both as standard of care and sham device comparison to Nocipoint Therapy, following these guidelines:~1. TENS stimulation (45 minutes):~ • Electrodes will be placed around the patient-identified general pain area on the neck /shoulder for TENS. Rotate the electrode pads around the pain area and stimulate again.~2. Other modalities of PT per the therapist's choice:~ * Infrared treatment on the pain areas (about 15 minutes)~ * Manual therapy to cervical and/or rotator cuff areas (about 15 minutes).~ * Exercise and training:~ * Neck exercises: Range of motion exercises to include foraminal opening for about 15 minutes, and/or~ * Shoulder exercise: Range of motion exercises to include walking the arm on the wall, rotation of the upper arm for about 15 minutes~ * Hot/cold pack to the pain area for about 15 minutes"