system
Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Adult, Aged, Cross-Over Studies, Disability Evaluation, Double-Blind Method, Dystonia, Dystonic Disorders, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Muscle, Skeletal, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation, Treatment Outcome, Wrist.
user
Is tENS harmful in primary writing tremor? Context: It is unclear whether primary writing tremor (PWT) is a tremulous form of dystonia or a tremor per se. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at 50 Hz applied for 2 weeks was reported to improve the writing capabilities of patients with writer's cramp (WC). We explored whether such a beneficial effect can be obtained in patients with a PWT. In a cross-over, double-blinded randomized study we tested whether 2-week periods of 5, 25 or 50 Hz TENS applied to wrist flexor muscles, improved the score of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin scale of nine patients with PWT. Excitability of neurons and of various intracortical circuits in the motor cortex were also tested before and after TENS by using transcranial magnetic stimulation. TENS at 5 and 25 Hz did not have any effect while TENS at 50 Hz worsened the clinical condition and the cortical excitability.
assistant
TENS is not a new treatment alternative for PWT. Final Decision: yes