About TENS

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a highly effective treatment for pain relief. A large number of studies over many years have shown it works in a wide range of painful conditions. Pain clinics, maternity wards, GP's and physiotherapists use it every day. Read how TENS works in more detail here

How Does TENS work?

The small currents stimulate (or excite) nerves and have 4 effects which are

To calm the pain nerve fibres directly
Stop the pain messages reaching your brain
help your body produce it’s own pain killers
stimulate various anti-inflammatory substances which encourage your body’s healing processes.

Nerves are like roads. If you're driving from A to B you have lots of road junctions and different roads to drive along. You can be held up or go straight through with no delay.

Nerves are similar. There are lots of junctions between nerves, especially in the spinal cord and the information can be slowed or even stopped by TENS and other techniques. For a more detailed explanation of how TENS works please click..

High frequency TENS blocks the pain impulses going to the brain. Usually frequencies between 80-100 Hz are used.

Low frequency TENS (often called acupuncture like TENS) uses frequencies of 2 - 4 HZ. This encourages the body to produce its own natural pain killing substances called endorphins and increases local blood flow both of which relieve pain. Pain relief often lasts for hours.

3 Types of TENS

Modulation TENS or Massaging:

6 second cycle of concurrent width modulation and pulse repetition rate modulation: Width starting at 200µS and decreasing exponentially to 100µS in three seconds and then returning back to 200µS in the next three seconds.
Rate starting at 100Hz, decreasing exponentially to 65Hz and then returning to 100Hz

Burst TENS or Tapping

Bursts of 9 pulses [200µS] at 150Hz, repeating twice every 2 seconds

Conventional TENS or buzzing

There is a constant pulse width and frequency (rate). The range is 50 -300µS (microsecomds) and 50-200Hz (pulses per second).

Benefits

Pain relief in minutes that lasts for hours
Quick and easy to set up
Safe to use
No unpleasant side effects
Cut down on the number of pain killers you take
Place sticky electrodes over the pain, switch on the TENS machine and sit back - that's all you need to do
All our TENS machines come with full instructions and suggested electrode positions

How do you use TENS?

TENS on lower back You simply place the self-adhesive pads (also called electrodes) directly onto your skin around or next to the area of pain. (A comprehensive user guide to placement with diagrams is included with all our machines but the final placement will be determined by your own experience).

Choose any one of the available programmes (we recommend starting with a conventional TENS setting that feels like buzzing) and increase the intensity until you feel a moderately strong but pleasant tingling sensation.

You will begin to feel the benefit within a few minutes. The standard treatment time is around 40 minutes and this can provide several hours of significant or total relief from even chronic pain. Because it has no side effects you can use your TENS as often and for as long as you want.

Which conditions can be treated?

The list of painful conditions improved by TENS is large and includes:

Osteoarthritis affecting 1 or more joints
Rheumatoid arthritis
Neck Pain, whiplash, cervical spondylosis
Low back pain whether caused by sprains, disc problems or spondylosis
Referred pain e.g. sciatica
Migraine and headaches generally
Fibrositis/fibromyalgia
Ankylosing spondylitis
Osteoporosis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Post shingles pain
Cancer pain
Acute sprains or strains
Post operative pain
Labour pain

Contraindications

People fitted with a demand type heart pacemaker are advised not to use TENS.
People with poorly controlled epilepsy should not use TENS
Do not use whilst driving or using machinery
Do not use TENS to mask undiagnosed pain
People with heart disease or controlled epilepsy should seek medical advice

Get an accurate diagnosis from your medical or health care advisor before using TENS. It may be dangerous to mask pain associated with a recent uninvestigated injury or unknown illness.

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