A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 20 studies with a total of 1239 subjects. No definite conclusions could be drawn regarding the effectiveness of electrotherapy for neck pain based on the available small trials. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) and repetitive magnetic stimulation (rMS) might be more effective than placebo, while transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) showed inconsistent results. Galvanic current, iontophoresis, electric muscle stimulation(EMS), and static magnetic field did not seem to reduce pain or disability.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment and lack of blinding), by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes and variability in results across studies), and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).
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