Comparison Between Infrared and Electrical Nerve Stimualtion

Electrical stimulation is the standard technique for peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation as a treatment for chronic pain. However, recent research has shown the feasibility of stimulating a nerve with pulsed infrared laser beams. This alternative excitation method could become a practical form of neural stimulation but currently it is not without limitations. One limitation is caused by the thermal effects of the excited tissue and the other limitation is due to its low efficiency in energy delivery for stimulation. Electrical stimulation does not exhibit these limitations. This paper is intended to provide an informative comparison between electrical stimulation and pulsed infrared stimulation with an emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages of each.