Systematic review of the effectiveness of self-initiated interventions to decrease pain and sensory disturbances associated with peripheral neuropathy

ConclusionThis review identified that a number of self-management strategies that were initiated by patients, including heat, exercise, meditation, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy, may reduce self-reported PN symptoms. As the available studies were of low quality, these strategies warrant further investigation with more homogeneous samples, using more rigorously designed trials and larger samples.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsPatients experiencing PN may find a range of self-initiated strategies beneficial in reducing PN symptoms and improving quality of life. However, because of the low quality of the available studies, clinicians need to monitor patients ’ responses to determine the effectiveness of these interventions as adjuncts to clinician-initiated interventions.
Source: Journal of Cancer Survivorship - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research