This study was designed to evaluate the effect of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in the resolution of Chronic Pain. Participants will be Veterans from the first Gulf War (GW1) who often suffer from chronic pain problems.
A number of studies have been conducted on the health of Veterans deployed to Iraq during GW1. The focus of these studies has been primarily to define the nature of symptoms and symptom clusters and to determine if evidence supports the definition of a new unique illness. Most noteworthy is the "Iowa Study", a cross-sectional study of 3,695 Veterans from Iowa consisting of those who were and were not deployed in GW1. In telephone interviews the Gulf War deployed Veterans reported approximately twice the number of symptoms compared to those who were not deployed. The often ambiguous and seemingly treatment resistant symptoms presented by GW1 Veterans represent a challenge to the Veteran's Affairs Health Care System on two fronts; efficacy in treatment and cost. In particular, unlike most medical conditions which can be diagnosed by objective medical findings, pain is a subjective experience (International Association for the Study of Pain, 1994). Therefore the investigators propose to engage in a clinical trial of rTMS in chronic pain that occurs in the context of multiple medical symptoms in the GW1 population. The symptom category approach will be applied with the restriction that enrolled GWI diagnosed patients will have symptoms of chronic pain as outlined in the musculoskeletal category and at least two additional symptoms.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
17
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Placebo Device that simulates active rTMS treatment
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, California, United States
Change in the Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form) Score
The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is one of the most widely used measurement tools for assessing clinical pain. The BPI allows patients to rate the severity of their pain and the degree to which their pain interferes with common dimensions of feeling and function. The basic pain scale rating is a rating of 0-10 with 0 as no pain, and 10 the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Comparison of baseline BPI and end-of-treatment BPI (time 3-4 weeks)
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.