Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as an adjunctive intervention for pain, fatigue, and function in fibromyalgia: A literature review

Introduction

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive impairment, and reduced quality of life. Current management emphasizes patient education and non-pharmacological interventions, particularly physical activity. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may be relevant as an adjunctive approach because of its potential to modulate pain mechanisms and support activity tolerance. Methodology: A structured search of the PubMed database was conducted to identify studies evaluating TENS in fibromyalgia, published between 2011 and 2026. Randomized controlled trials were prioritized, particularly those assessing pain, movement-evoked pain, fatigue, physical function, quality of life, and clinical tolerability. Clinical trials, observational studies, secondary analyses, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were also included when clinically relevant. Only English-language free full-text articles were included. The selected publications were analyzed qualitatively.