Effect of Cryotherapy versus Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Patients with Hypertension

Abstract Background: One billion of the world's population has hypertension, resulting in four million deaths per year. Data on the prevalence of hypertension in the Arab world are very limited. Only 13 studies were identified in the literature from 10 Arab countries. The overall estimated prevalence of hyper-tension was 29.5%, which indicates a higher prevalence of hypertension among Arab compared to people from the USA (28%) and sub-Saharan African (27.6%). Aim of Study: Of this study was to investigate the effect of cryotherapy versus transcutaneous electrical nerve stimu-lation on hypertensive patients. Subjects and Methods: Forty men were recruited from Disuq General Hospital, Disuq, Kfr El-Shiekh. They were assigned into two equal groups. Their ages ranged from 40 to 50 years. Group (A) with mean age (46±3.5) years and Group (B) with mean age (47.8±2.7) years. Group (A) received ice application for 30 minute three times per week for 4 weeks. Group (B) received TENS application for 30 minute three times per week for 4 weeks. Blood pressure was measured before and after every session as acute effect of applications and also was measured after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks as a chronic effect. Results: As an acute effect: In group (A) there were significant differences in systole except in 3rd, 4th and 6th sessions while there were significant differences in diastole except 7th session. In group (B) there were significant differ-ences in systole and diastole. As a chronic effect: In group (A) there were no significant differences in systole while there were significant differences in diastole. In group (B) there were significant differences in systole and diastole. Conclusion: Ice and TENS applications had significant effect on improving hypertension but in favor to TENS appli-cation.