Table 1.
Summary of findings: Information on formation and stimulation parameters extracted from 136 systematic review papers
| Author | Goal | Stimulator | Stimulation site | Pulse type | Waveform | Intended intensity | Phase pulse width (μs) | Biphasic pulse Width (μs) | Cycle frequency (Hz) | Max amp (mA) | Pulse train duration (s) | Elec surface (cm2) | Duty cycle (% on) | Max current density [mA/cm2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdelatief (2020) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Medserve.Ltd, Prostim / ET3000, S/N:0314 | Middle face | Monophasic | Square | Muscle contraction | 100 | 30 | 48 | |||||
| Abraham et al. (2016) | Other | Middle face | 3 | |||||||||||
| Alakram and Puckree (2010) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | EV-803 Digital SD TENS | Upper and middle Face | Muscle contraction | 10 | 10 | 10 | 600 | ||||||
| Alyassiri and Zaidan (2019) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | |||||||||||||
| Baad-Hansen et al. (2006a) | Pain relief/induction | Lower face | Pain threshold | 300 | 300 | 333 | 1 | 0.01 | ||||||
| Baad-Hansen et al. (2006b) | Blink reflex | Lower face | Pain threshold | 300 | 300 | 333 | 1.18 | 0.01 | ||||||
| Baduni and Krishnamoorthy (2017) | Other | Middle face | 80 | 720 | ||||||||||
| Baijens et al. (2008) | Pain relief/induction | VitalStim® Therapy | Upper and middle face | Muscle contraction | 700 | 700 | 80 | 17.5 | ||||||
| Benoliel et al. (2011) | Other | Middle face | Monophasic | Sensory threshold | 200 | 0.5 | ||||||||
| Bergenheim et al. (1991) | Pain relief/induction | ISSAL 1412 | Pain threshold | 25 | ||||||||||
| Bischoff et al. (1993) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| Boelhouwer et al. (1982) | Blink reflex | Upper face | Monophasic | Square | 100 | 100 | 0.1 | |||||||
| Boiardi et al. (1975) | Other | Multistim DISA | Upper face | Square | 50,000 | 50,000 | 1 | |||||||
| Borodic et al. (1991) | Other | Upper face | Muscle contraction | 100 | 100 | 1 | 0.03 | |||||||
| Bour et al. (2000) | Blink reflex | Upper face | Muscle contraction | 20 | ||||||||||
| Cacho et al. (2022) | Pain relief/induction | Enraf Nonius S82 | Upper and middle face | 220 | 180 | 9.6 | ||||||||
| Casanova-Molla et al. (2011) | Middle face | Muscle contraction | ||||||||||||
| Chia (1997) | Blink reflex | Upper face | ||||||||||||
| Choi (2016) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Vitalstim | Biphasic | Muscle contraction | 350 | 700 | 80 | 14 | 1800 | |||||
| Conte et al. (2010) | Other | Square | 200 | 3600 | ||||||||||
| Conti et al. (2014) | Pain relief/induction | GrindCare, Medotech A/S | Upper face | |||||||||||
| Cui et al. (2021) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | NT6021, Dundex | Upper and middle face | Biphasic | Square | Sensory threshold | 100 | 200 | 20 | 20 | 600 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 0.33 |
| Currier (1963) | Cosmetic | Upper, middle, and lower face | 500,000 | |||||||||||
| da Silva et al. (2022) | Cosmetic | TONEDERM, Fortis model M40 | Middle face | 5 | ||||||||||
| De Giorgi et al. (2017) | Pain relief/induction | NeuroTrac® TENS (Verity Medical Ltd., Farley Lane, Braishfield, Hampshire, UK) | Biphasic | 50 | 50 | 3600 | ||||||||
| de Sire et al. (2022) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Imperium 400 | Upper, middle, and lower face | 900 | ||||||||||
| de Tommaso et al. (2001) | Blink reflex | Upper face | 100 | 60 | ||||||||||
| Didier et al. (2019) | Pain relief/induction | Myomonitor | 500 | 0.66 | 2700 | |||||||||
| El-Ebiary (1971) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Upper face | Square | 100 | 2 | |||||||||
| Eliav et al. (2003) | Other | Upper, middle, and lower face | 200 | 0.5 | ||||||||||
| Esteban and Prieto (1999) | Blink reflex | Upper face | 65 | |||||||||||
| Farronato et al. (2022) | Other | Upper and middle face | 2700 | |||||||||||
| Ferreira et al. (2017) | Pain relief/induction | Neurodyn Sapphire Compact Line, by Ibramed® | Upper and middle face | 100 | 100 | 1500 | 7 | |||||||
| Ferreira et al. (2004) | Other | |||||||||||||
| Findler and Feinsod (1982) | Other | Nicolet CA-1000 - Constant Current | Lower face | Sensory Threshold | 30 | 20 | 0.02 | 0.03 | ||||||
| Fisch (1980) | Other | Biphasic | Sensory Threshold | 0.02 | 0.07 | |||||||||
| Fukumoto et al. (2001) | Other | Trio-300, Ito Physio-Therapy and Rehabilitation Constant current / constant voltage modes | Upper and middle face | 60 | 60 | 100 | 1800 | |||||||
| Gandiglio and Fra (1967) | Other | MS3R MEDELEC apparatus | Middle face | Biphasic | Square | Sensory Threshold | 0.1 | |||||||
| Goto et al. (2018) | Emotion/mood modulation | Custom | Middle face | 7.07 | ||||||||||
| Geissler and McPhee (1986) | Pain relief/induction | The TENS Pulsar (TENS Pulsar, Spembly Ltd, Newbury Road, Andover, Hants., UK) | Middle face | Pain Threshold | 20 | 1800 | ||||||||
| Gittins et al. (1999) | Other | Model 120Z; ITO, Tokyo, Japan Constant current / constant voltage modes | Upper face | 200 | 200 | 200 | 1 | 2.54 | ||||||
| Gündüz et al. (2016) | Other | Upper and lower face | monophasic | Muscle Contraction | 20 | |||||||||
| Haginomori et al. (2008) | Other | Lower face | Biphasic | Square | Muscle Contraction | 200 | 200 | 1 | 0.6 | |||||
| Hansson et al. (1986) | Pain relief/induction | Pain Threshold | 100 | 2700 | 17.5 | |||||||||
| Hansson and Ekblom (1984) | Pain relief/induction | Cefar SIII | Upper, middle, and lower face | monophasic | Square | Pain Threshold | 200 | 200 | 100 | 0.08 | 6 | |||
| Hansson and Ekblom (1983) | Pain relief/induction | Cefar SIII | Upper, middle, and lower face | monophasic | Square | Pain Threshold | 200 | 200 | 2 | 1800 | 6 | |||
| Hyvärinen et al. (2008) | Other | (Prizm Medical Inc., Duluth, GA) | Middle and lower face | monophasic | Sensory Threshold | 100 | 100 | 20 | 2.5 | |||||
| Ilves et al. (2019) | Other | custom | Upper and middle face | Biphasic | Square | Muscle Contraction | 400 | 800 | 250 | 10 | 0.08 | 1.5 | 20 | 2.98 |
| Ilves et al. (2020) | Other | custom | Upper face | Biphasic; (polyphasic) | Square; (Sine wavelet) | Muscle Contraction | 400 | 800 | 250 | 48 | 1 | 1.5 | 20 | 14.31 |
| Jadidi et al. (2011) | Other | Lower face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 220 | 0.5 | ||||||||
| Kapadia et al. (2019) | Emotion/mood modulation | Complex Motion | Middle face | Biphasic | Muscle Contraction | 75 | 150 | 60 | 15 | 15 | ||||
| Kavanagh et al. (2012) | Cosmetic | Slendertone | Middle face | 100 | 100 | 70 | 35 | |||||||
| Kim et al. (2000) | Other | Neurometer CPT by Neurotron Inc. constant current | Middle and lower face | Sensory Threshold | 250 | 20 | 300 | 0.5 | ||||||
| Kim and Choi (2016) | Other | Kwangwoo Medix, Inc., Seoul, Korea, version 3 | Lower face | Monophasic | Square | 1.4 | 3.14 | |||||||
| Kim et al. (2009) | Other | EMGFES 3000, Cybermedic | Middle face | Biphasic | Square | 50 | 50 | 60 | 40 | 2 | 3.14 | 0.6 | 0.99 | |
| Kurimoto et al. (2019) | Other | Mayo© Corporation | Upper face | Biphasic | Square | 20 | 1 | 1800 | ||||||
| Liao et al. (2007) | Blink reflex | Upper and lower face | Sensory Threshold | |||||||||||
| Livermore et al. (1993) | Other | Digitimer DS7, UK constant current | Middle and lower face | Square | Sensory Threshold | 0.02 | ||||||||
| Lugo et al. (2018) | Other | Middle face | Square | |||||||||||
| Maillou and Cadden (2008) | Other | Lower face | Muscle Contraction | 4.5 | ||||||||||
| Maisonobe et al. (1998) | Other | Upper face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 0.16 | |||||||||
| Makela et al. (2020) | Other | Upper face | Pain Threshold | 250 | 24 | 1 | 1.5 | |||||||
| Mäkelä et al. (2021) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | custom | Upper face | Biphasic | Square | 400 | 800 | 250 | 24 | 1 | 1.5 | 20 | 7.16 | |
| Manca et al. (2001) | Blink reflex | Upper face | ||||||||||||
| Marcelli et al. (2013) | Blink reflex | Digitimer DS7A; Digitimer, Hertfordshire, UK constant current | Upper face | Biphasic | Muscle Contraction | 200 | 3.5 | 2 | ||||||
| Marchand et al. (1991) | Other |
two-channel Medtronic adjustable stimulator (TENS 7720). |
Middle face | monophasic | Square | Pain Threshold | 125 | 125 | 100 | |||||
| Marotta et al. (2020) | Pain relief/induction | imperium 400; Brera Technologies | Upper, middle, and lower face | Biphasic | Square | 700 | 80 | 1800 | 4 | |||||
| Mastryukova et al. (2020) | Other | Middle and lower face | 24 | |||||||||||
| Matsuo et al. (2013) | Other | Upper face | Monophasic | 200 | 15 | 0.2 | ||||||||
| Maul et al. (2019) | Pain relief/induction | Upper face | 900 | |||||||||||
| May and Hawkins (1972) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Hilger Nerve Stimulator | Muscle Contraction | 5 | ||||||||||
| May et al. (1976) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Hilger Nerve Stimulator | Muscle Contraction | 5 | ||||||||||
| Mercante et al. (2020) | Blink reflex | Winner stimulator (Fisioline biomedical instrumentation, Verduno, CN, IT) | Middle face | Biphasic | Square | Pain Threshold | 50 | 120 | 18 | 30 | ||||
| Merlo (2020) | Pain relief/induction | Ibramed Neurodyn II | Upper and middle face | Biphasic | Square | Muscle Contraction | 300 | 10 | 12.25 | |||||
| Montero et al. (2007) | Blink reflex | Middle face | Muscle Contraction | |||||||||||
| Mummolo et al. (2020) | Pain relief/induction | QuadraTENS, BioResearch Associates Inc. | Middle face | Biphasic | 300 | 300 | 600 | 1800 | 12.16 | |||||
| Muñoz et al. (2003) | Blink reflex | Upper, middle, and lower face | ||||||||||||
| Murphy (1990) | Pain relief/induction | Dynex II | Upper, middle, and lower face | Biphasic | Sensory Threshold and Motor Contraction | 110 | ||||||||
| Nakashima and Takahashi (1991) | Pain relief/induction | Lower face | Sensory Threshold | 500 | ||||||||||
| Natori et al. (2015) | Other | Stimuplex NHS12 | Upper face | Muscle Contraction | 2 | 4 | ||||||||
| Nowak et al. (2005) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| Núñez et al. (2006) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| O’Neil (1981) | Pain relief/induction | Cefar SIII | Upper, middle, and lower face | Sensory Threshold | 100 | 600 | ||||||||
| Öge et al. (1993) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Square | 100 | 100 | 100 | 0.1 | ||||||||
| Orhan et al. (2011) | Pain relief/induction | Muscle Contraction | ||||||||||||
| Palmeri et al. (2000) | Blink reflex | |||||||||||||
| Paracampo et al. (2016) | Other | DS7A, Digitimer | Middle face | Monophasic | Square | 200 | 200 | 6 | 0.41 | |||||
| Pavesi et al. (2000) | Other | Dantec 13L20; Dantec Medical, Copenhagen, Denmark | Upper, middle, and lower face | Monophasic | Square | 200 | ||||||||
| Pilurzi et al. (2013) | Other | DS7, Digitimer | Upper and lower face | Monophasic | Square | 200 | 25 | |||||||
| Pilurzi et al. (2020) | Other | DS7, Digitimer | Lower face | Monophasic | Square | 200 | 25 | 0.0002 | ||||||
| Priya et al. (2017) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| Puls et al. (2020) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Paresestim (Krauth + Timmermann, Hamburg, Germany), PierenStimParese (Schwa-Medico, Ehringshausen, Germany), or Stimulette r2x (Dr. Schufried, Vien, Austria) | Middle and lower face | Biphasic | Triangle | Muscle Contraction | 500 | 20 | 600 | 24 | ||||
| Raphael et al. (2013) | Bruxism relief | Grindcare device | Upper face | Biphasic | Sensory Threshold | 204 | 450 | |||||||
| Raslan et al. (2020) | Pain relief/induction | Microstim, Krauth & Timmermann GmbH, Hamburg, Germany | Middle face | Monophasic | Square | Muscle Contraction | 0.63 | |||||||
| Rimpiläinen (1994) | Other | Nihon Kohden Neuropack Four device | Upper and middle face | 200 | 30 | |||||||||
| Rode et al. (2012) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| Rösler et al. (1995) | Pain relief/induction | |||||||||||||
| Rossi and Scarpini (1992) | Other | Upper face | 500 | 20 | ||||||||||
| Rossi et al. (1979) | Blink reflex | Upper face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 200 | 200 | ||||||||
| Roth and Thrash (1986) | Pain relief/induction | Alpha Stim Model 2000 | Middle face | Biphasic | 5 | 500 | 1200 | |||||||
| Adour et al. (1996) | Other | Hilger model 2-R Facial Nerve Stimulator | Upper and lower face | 50 | 0.28 | |||||||||
| Safi (2022) | Other | Ampcares ES | Lower face | Biphasic | 50 | 30 | 5000 | 2.5 | ||||||
| Safi et al. (2017) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | AMPCARE ES; Restorative Medical Inc., Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA | Lower face | Biphasic | Square | Sensory Threshold | 50 | 100 | 30 | 78.4 | 5 | 4.9 | 0.3 | 0.88 |
| Safi et al. (2018) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | AMPCARE ES; Restorative Medical Inc., Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA | Sensory Threshold | 50 | 30 | 5 | 4.9 | |||||||
| Schmidt et al. (2016) | Pain relief/induction | Digitimer DS7 constant current stimulator | Upper face | Monophasic | Pain Threshold | 500 | 33 | 15 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 3.3 | 13.62 | ||
| Schmolesky et al. (1996) | Blink reflex | Devices Isolated Stimulator (type 2533) coupled in series with a Grass CCU-1A constant current unit | Upper face | Monophasic | Square | Muscle Contraction | 100 | 16 | ||||||
| Schoenen et al. (1994) | Other | Lower face | 200 | 0.1 | 25 | |||||||||
| Seifi et al. (2017) | Pain relief/induction | TENSTem dental device (Schwamedico BV; The Netherlands) | Middle face | 50 | 15 | 1800 | ||||||||
| Seki et al. (1990) | Other | Middle face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 100 | |||||||||
| Serrao et al. (2015) | Pain relief/induction | Digitimer DS7A | Upper, middle, and lower face | Pain Threshold | 1000 | 167 | 67.2 | 0.018 | 0.8 | 33.4 | 48.55 | |||
| Serrao et al. (2003) | Other | Upper face | Square | Pain Threshold | 500 | |||||||||
| Shimada et al. (2019) | Bruxism relief | |||||||||||||
| Singh and Singh (2016) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Muscle Contraction | 10 | 10 | 600 | |||||||||
| Sommerauer et al. (2021) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Paresestim device; Krauth+Timmermann GmbH, Hamburg, Germany | Muscle Contraction | 100,000 | 10 | |||||||||
| Sundaram et al. (1999) | Other | Lower face | Sensory Threshold | 200 | 2 | |||||||||
| Suzuki et al. (2004) | Other | Lower face | Square | Sensory Threshold | 50 | 1 | 5 | |||||||
| Tada et al. (2015) | Bruxism relief | constant-current stimulator (Neuropack Four mini: Nihon Kohden, Japan) | Middle face | Square | 1000 | 2 | 0.3 | |||||||
| Tal and Sharav (2005) | Bruxism relief | constant current stimulator (Iso-Flex AMPI) | Lower face | Pain Threshold | 450 | 1000 | 0.02 | |||||||
| Tankéré et al. (2000) | Blink reflex | constant current stimulator | Upper face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 100 | 0.16 | 30 | ||||||
| Targan et al. (2000) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | NT-2; BMR NeuroTech Inc, Bunbeg, Ireland | Upper, middle, and lower face | Monophasic | Sensory Threshold | 86 | 1.4 | 6 | 0.78 | |||||
| Tian et al. (2020) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Lower face | Biphasic | Square | 700 | 80 | 25 | 1800 | ||||||
| Tian et al. (2019) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Custom Built Device | Upper face | 10.6 | 3.14 | |||||||||
| Topçu et al. (2018) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | RehaStim-1, Hasomed GmbH | 60 | 30 | 40 | 0.63 | ||||||||
| Topka and Hallett (1992) | Other | Upper and lower face | 300 | |||||||||||
| Treacy (1999) | Bruxism relief | Middle face | Muscle Contraction | 4 | ||||||||||
| Tuncay et al. (2015) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Dytron 438 device (Enraf, Germany) | Upper, middle, and lower face | Monophasic | 100,000 | 2.5 | 3 | |||||||
| Valls-Solé et al. (1994) | Blink reflex | Upper face | ||||||||||||
| Wang et al. (1999) | Other | constant current | Lower face | Square | 100 | 2.8 | ||||||||
| Westerhof and Bos (1983) | Other | Bio-Medical Research (BMR) P8 unit | 250 | 120 | 1800 | 78.5 | ||||||||
| Wilson and Ronan (2010) | Facial paralysis/weakness treatment | Empi 300 PV NMES unit (Empi, St. Paul, MN) | Middle and lower face | Biphasic | Muscle Contraction | 200 | 50 | 7.9 | ||||||
| Yamamoto and Nishimura (1987) | Other | Nihon Koden, Type SEM-2301 | Upper, middle, and lower face | Square | Muscle Contraction | 1000 | ||||||||
| Yavlal et al. (2020) | Blink reflex | Upper face | 200 | |||||||||||
| Yıldız et al. (2004) | Other | Lower face | 5 | |||||||||||
| Zariffa et al. (2014) | Emotion/mood modulation | Compex Motion stimulators (Compex SA, Vaud, Switzerland) | Upper and middle face | Biphasic | Muscle Contraction | 150 | 60 | 9 | 3.12 | |||||
| Zayan et al. (2020) | Pain relief/induction | TENS device (RS Medical, Vancouver) | Upper face | Sub-Pain Threshold | 100 | 19.6 | ||||||||
| Zhang et al. (2020) | Pain relief/induction | TENS unit (J5 Myo-monitor; Myotronics-noromed, INC., Seattle, USA) | Square | Sub-Pain Threshold | 500 | 0.67 | 2700 |