Comparison of the effectiveness of auricular vagus nerve stimulation and conventional low back rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain

The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of articular vagus nerve stimulation with conventional low back rehabilitation in patients with chronic low back pain (CBA). Sixty patients, aged between 18-60, with ongoing low back pain for the last 3 months and who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study were included. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Conventional rehabilitation and home exercise were given to group 1, articular vagus stimulation treatment and home exercise were given to group 2. The treatment program was planned as a total of 15 sessions for three weeks, five days a week. Participants, patient identification form, lumbar joint range of motion and mobility (inclinometer, modified Schober test, hand finger-ground distance test and lateral hand finger-ground test), muscle strength (CSMI-Cybex Humac-Norm isokinetic dynamometer and Lafayette manual muscle strength measurement device) and endurance tests, assessment of postural control and balance (Biodex Balance System), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Beck Depression Scale (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PUKI), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Measurements were made before and after the treatment. As a result of the applied treatment program, in-group evaluation results in all groups; It was found that it had positive effects on functional status, depression and sleep (p<0.05). More improvement was observed in Group 2 in pain level, trunk flexor endurance time, flexor and extensor muscle strength results (p<0.05). A significant improvement was found in Group 1 in some parameters of isokinetic lower extremity flexor and extensor muscle strength and fall risk scores (p<0.05). Auricular vagus stimulation was found to be more effective on pain, trunk muscle strength and endurance, functional status, depression level and sleep states. In conclusion, auricular vagus nerve stimulation may be included in the treatment of patients with CBA in whom conventional physical therapy is inadequate or cannot be applied.