Can Hospital Electrical Stimulation Calm Long-Term Sciatic Nerve Pain? French University Hospitals Tested This for 6 Months**

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Dec 18, 2025
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This article is part of the ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST series.

In this series, we share real scientific research about electrical stimulation in a way that is easy to read, easy to understand, and fun to explore.

We do not give medical advice.
We do not promise cures.

We simply explain what researchers discovered.

At the end of every article, we always include links to the original studies, so:

research lovers can download the full paper,
readers can fact-check everything,
or skip our explanation and read the science directly.

Our mission is simple:
spark curiosity and help people start their own learning journey.

WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY TRY TO ANSWER?

Can electrical stimulation applied through the skin help people with long-lasting sciatic-type nerve pain feel better?

And more specifically:

Does the type of electrical stimulation matter?

WHO DID THIS RESEARCH — AND WHEN?

Who:
A large team of doctors and researchers from multiple French university hospitals, including:

Saint-Philibert Hospital
Catholic University of Lille
Saint-Vincent Hospital
Roubaix Hospital Center
Béthune Hospital Center

Where:
France 🇫🇷

When:
Patients were studied from 2019 to 2022, and results were published in 2024–2025.

Why this matters:
These are real hospitals, treating real patients, not a lab experiment.

WHO PAID FOR THIS STUDY?

The study was supported by:

the Hospital Group of the Catholic Institute of Lille
Santelys, a healthcare organization

The funders did not control the results and did not write the conclusions.

WHAT WAS THIS STUDY ABOUT?

This research focused on people with:

Chronic radicular pain (pain running along a nerve, like sciatica)
Pain lasting more than 3 months
Pain with neuropathic features (nerve-related pain)

Researchers tested transcutaneous electrical stimulation, meaning:

electrical signals sent through the skin
using electrode pads
without surgery
without injections

WHO WAS STUDIED?

74 adults with long-lasting nerve pain were included.

Key details:

Average age: about 52 years
About 2 out of 3 were women
Most had pain for nearly 4 years
Pain often traveled into the leg or arm
Most were already using pain medication

This reflects real-world patients, not “perfect” test subjects.

HOW WAS THE STUDY DONE?

This was a randomized crossover hospital trial.

That means:

Every patient tried two types of electrical stimulation
Each type was used for one full month
Patients acted as their own comparison

Each day:

Patients used electrical stimulation 3 times
Each session lasted 1 hour

WHAT TYPES OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION WERE TESTED?

1️⃣ Conventional transcutaneous electrical stimulation

High-frequency
Low-intensity
Designed to activate nerve pathways linked to pain signals

2️⃣ Mixed transcutaneous electrical stimulation

Combines high-frequency and low-frequency signals
Designed to activate multiple pain-control mechanisms

Both are non-invasive and used at home.

WHAT DID THE RESEARCHERS FIND? (POSITIVE FINDINGS ONLY)

✅ Pain Levels Went Down

After one month of use:

Average nerve pain scores decreased
This happened with both types of stimulation

Pain reduction was meaningful, even in people who had pain for years.

✅ About 1 in 5 Patients Dropped Below “Moderate Pain”

Roughly 20% of patients improved enough that:

their pain moved from moderate/severe
down to mild levels

For chronic nerve pain, this is important.

✅ Daily Function Improved

Patients reported:

better ability to move
better daily activity scores
less interference from pain in everyday life

✅ Benefits Lasted Beyond Sessions

Relief often continued for:

1–2 hours after each session
and many patients continued using stimulation for 6 months

✅ High Long-Term Use

At 6-month follow-up:

over 85% of patients chose to keep using electrical stimulation

People tend not to continue something that gives no benefit.

✅ Safety Was Very Good

Very few side effects
Mostly mild skin sensations
No serious complications reported

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN SIMPLE WORDS?

Electrical stimulation:

did not cure nerve pain
but helped many people manage it
even after years of discomfort

Both stimulation styles worked similarly well.

This shows electrical stimulation can be:

flexible
adjustable
personal

WHY COULD EMS-STYLE STIMULATION BE INTERESTING?

Electrical muscle stimulation:

activates muscles and nerves
encourages movement without heavy effort
may help people who struggle with exercise
can be used at home

This study supports the idea that regular electrical activation of nerves and muscles can change how pain is experienced.

HOW MIGHT THIS HELP EMS USERS?

For people using EMS devices for:

muscle engagement
relaxation
recovery
daily movement support

This research shows that consistent electrical stimulation can influence nerve-related discomfort over time, not just for minutes.

STUDY INFORMATION

Original Research Title:
Transcutaneous neurostimulation parameters for neuropathic radicular pain: Results from a two-period crossover randomized trial

Simplified Name:
Can Skin-Applied Electrical Stimulation Reduce Long-Term Sciatic Nerve Pain?

Source:
Published in Joint Bone Spine, a respected international medical journal by Elsevier.

This journal is:

peer-reviewed
widely used by hospitals
trusted in musculoskeletal research

📄 Full study available via ScienceDirect

👉 Transcutaneous neurostimulation parameters for neuropathic radicular pain: Results from a two period crossover randomized trial — Joint Bone Spine (Elsevier):
🔗 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1297319X24001088

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ABOUT ORIEMS FIT

At Oriems Fit, a 100% Australian Award-Winning Brand, we’re proud to be recognized as YEAR’S BEST in 2024 and 2025.

We specialize in Wide-Range Targeted Muscle Stimulators using EMS technology to support:

muscle engagement
relaxation
everyday wellness

Whether you’re active or have limited mobility, nothing should stop you from moving better.

STUDY SUMMARY TABLE

Category	Details
Study Type	Randomized crossover hospital trial
Country	France
Participants	74 adults with chronic nerve pain
Duration	2 months active + 6 months follow-up
Intervention	Daily transcutaneous electrical stimulation
Main Positive Finding	Reduced nerve pain and improved daily function
Safety	Very well tolerated
Long-Term Use	Over 85% continued at 6 months

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Would you like to see more hospital-based EMS research explained simply?

Leave a comment and join the discussion 👇

⚠️ MANDATORY DISCLAIMER

This blog post is for informational and recreational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
Full disclaimer:
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