Diadynamic Current and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Summary

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), first described by Paget in 1854, is the most common entrapment neuropathy. Conservative treatment approaches are prioritized in patients with mild to moderate CTS. Conservative management includes education, tendon and median nerve gliding exercises, physical therapy modalities, kinesiotaping, manual therapy techniques, injection options, and oral medical treatments. First-line treatment generally consists of education, exercise, and splinting.

Tendon and median nerve gliding exercises represent key components of conservative treatment. Splinting is recommended at all stages of CTS, with wrist splints designed to maintain a neutral position being the most commonly preferred option. The prevailing approach in the literature supports the use of splints primarily during nighttime.

Diadynamic current (DDC) is considered to have a composite analgesic mechanism, primarily explained by the gate control theory. Additional mechanisms suggest that DDC affects both sensory and motor nerves and may increase endorphin release, contributing to pain relief. A single treatment session typically does not exceed 12 minutes. Some studies indicate that the analgesic effect of DDC may be greater than that of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Although TENS is widely used in physical therapy and rehabilitation practice, DDC may represent a realistic alternative for clinical pain management.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of diadynamic current therapy on clinical symptoms in patients with CTS and to investigate its impact on electrophysiological findings of the median nerve.

Conditions

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Diadynamic Current

Diadynamic current (DDC) is a routine therapeutic modality applied in the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic to alleviate symptoms in various conditions. In individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), DDC is routinely administered in cases where sufficient benefit is not achieved with splinting and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). For this purpose, diadynamic current is applied to the palmar surface of the hand and the volar surface of the forearm using equal-sized carbon electrodes (6 × 6 cm). A sequence of different types of diadynamic currents is administered for a total duration of 10 minutes as follows: diphase fixe (DF) for 2 minutes, monophase fixe (MF) for 3 minutes, longues périodes (LP) for 3 minutes, and courtes périodes (CP) for 2 minutes. The treatment duration, parameters, and sequence of diadynamic currents are based on Bernard's current methodology and are identical to the procedure described by Ratajczak et al.

PROCEDURE

Wrist Splint

In individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome, splinting is routinely prescribed as a first-line conservative treatment. A resting wrist splint extending from the distal forearm to the hand and maintaining the wrist in a neutral position is provided to both groups. The splint is worn every night before bedtime, maintained throughout the night, and removed in the morning upon waking.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Duzce University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-04-21

Primary Completion

2025-12-15

Completion

2026-04-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations