Erosive hand osteoarthritis (EHOA) is a subtype of had osteoarthritis characterized by inflammation and pain, with subsequent burden. Few symptomatic treatments are available in EHOA, while this population with EHOA has frequently comorbidities. Stimulation of the vagus nerve (VN), belonging to parasympathetic system, dampens pro-inflammatory cytokines production by splenic macrophages, through to the binding of acetylcholine neurotransmitter to α7nicotinic receptor on macrophages: this is the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). Beyond its anti-inflammatory effects, VNS is analgesic in chronic pain disorders (headache, fibromyalgia). Beside implantable devices, VNS may be performed using transcutaneous stimulation of the ascendant auricular branch of the VN (tVNS) at the left ear localized on the cymba conchae tVNS is well-tolerated therapy avoiding invasive neurosurgery. The investigator do the hypothesis that auricular tVNS using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device could be a novel, simple and well-tolerated analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment of symptomatic EHOA.
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
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Measure of Pain
Timeframe: 1 month