L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques

Trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment against pain that uses the application of an electric current. Some studies suggest that TENS would reduce the pain associated with certain types of cancer and this treatment is regularly used in therapy in contexts of interdisciplin...

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Main Authors: Laliberté, Maude, Dyer, Joseph-Omer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BioéthiqueOnline 2012-11-01
Series:BioéthiqueOnline
Subjects:
Online Access:http://bioethiqueonline.ca/1/20
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author Laliberté, Maude
Dyer, Joseph-Omer
author_facet Laliberté, Maude
Dyer, Joseph-Omer
author_sort Laliberté, Maude
collection DOAJ
description Trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment against pain that uses the application of an electric current. Some studies suggest that TENS would reduce the pain associated with certain types of cancer and this treatment is regularly used in therapy in contexts of interdisciplinary practice specializing in palliative oncology. However, the use of TENS in cancer cases is a matter of controversy, and its application is contraindicated by Canadian standards governing the practice of physiotherapy. This article aims to present, through a case study, some principles to guide decision making regarding the choice of this therapy in cases of cancer. Scientific evidence, standards of practice and ethical principles that should guide the choice of therapy are discussed. The use of TENS therapy in palliative care is a paradigmatic example of a common situation: the weighing by health care professionals of the benefits and potential costs, such as potential adverse effects of treatment. In the case of TENS, the benefits are associated with the reduction of pain, while a potential adverse effect would increase tumour proliferation. This difficult calculation has implications for the various stakeholders such as patients and health professionals.
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spelling doaj.art-9c9f70519a4b46978072880df4ee2ca72022-12-22T02:42:01ZengBioéthiqueOnlineBioéthiqueOnline1923-27992012-11-01120L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiquesLaliberté, MaudeDyer, Joseph-OmerTrans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment against pain that uses the application of an electric current. Some studies suggest that TENS would reduce the pain associated with certain types of cancer and this treatment is regularly used in therapy in contexts of interdisciplinary practice specializing in palliative oncology. However, the use of TENS in cancer cases is a matter of controversy, and its application is contraindicated by Canadian standards governing the practice of physiotherapy. This article aims to present, through a case study, some principles to guide decision making regarding the choice of this therapy in cases of cancer. Scientific evidence, standards of practice and ethical principles that should guide the choice of therapy are discussed. The use of TENS therapy in palliative care is a paradigmatic example of a common situation: the weighing by health care professionals of the benefits and potential costs, such as potential adverse effects of treatment. In the case of TENS, the benefits are associated with the reduction of pain, while a potential adverse effect would increase tumour proliferation. This difficult calculation has implications for the various stakeholders such as patients and health professionals.http://bioethiqueonline.ca/1/20TENSphysiotherapistprecautionary principlepalliative careoncology
spellingShingle Laliberté, Maude
Dyer, Joseph-Omer
L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
BioéthiqueOnline
TENS
physiotherapist
precautionary principle
palliative care
oncology
title L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
title_full L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
title_fullStr L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
title_full_unstemmed L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
title_short L’utilisation du TENS en physiothérapie : la situation particulière des soins palliatifs oncologiques
title_sort l utilisation du tens en physiotherapie la situation particuliere des soins palliatifs oncologiques
topic TENS
physiotherapist
precautionary principle
palliative care
oncology
url http://bioethiqueonline.ca/1/20
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