TENS - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
TENS - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
At first, the term 'TENS' tends to invoke a subject related to some kind of numbers or list. However, it is an acronym for a medical term and its full form is Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. This kind of nerve stimulation is performed in pain management using a battery powered pocket sized device, called a TENS Unit, which sends mild electrical signals to specified parts of the body.
These electrical signals are very mild and are able to increase the level of endorphins that are produced by our brains as natural painkillers. The result is a reduction or total elimination of feelings of pain in the affected area. However, there is a lot of claims and counter-claims about the effectiveness of TENS therapy, but some specialists believe that this kind of nerve stimulation has a very low risk and is non-invasive in nature, helping to reduce both chronic and acute pains.
The TENS Unit
As mentioned earlier, this treatment is provided with the help of a TENS unit that is connected to the skin through two or more electrodes to produce mild electric pulses. These units target many types of pains that may include long-term pains such as that resulting from chronic conditions like arthritis, muscular and back pain, as well as short-term pains like those from a recent surgery or an accident.
Some patients with chronic conditions might need to use the TENS unit throughout the course of a day and night; however, it is necessary to remove the electrodes at least once during a day's time. The area where the electrodes had been place should be cleaned properly. Also, sleeping with the unit turned on is not advised and it's important to not get into water while using the TENS unit machine.
Easy to Use
The TENS Unit machine is quite easy to operate and use, after consulting your health professional, of course. You only have to place the self-sticking pads on opposite sides of an area where you are experiencing the pain, and then turn on the dial up until you start feeling a 'tingling' sensation. This tingling sensation will give you a feeling of a massage and you should let it run for twenty minutes or so.
The only things that you want to learn carefully will be to adjust the frequency and voltage of the unit, change its batteries and learn to operate the TENS unit by correctly placing its electrodes on the right spots on your body.
Is it Safe to use the TENS method?
The Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is considered to be a safe method for alleviating pain and may be used over most parts of the body except the eyes, the front of the neck and the heart. It does not interfere with any medications being taken by a patient and doesn't require invasive tools like injection needles etc. However, like all medical procedures, one needs to take informed precautions as outlined ahead.
Notes of Caution
Although it's very simple to use the TENS unit by oneself, it's absolutely essential that this be done only under the guidance and directions of a qualified medical professional, like a doctor or an occupational or physical therapist.
It's also important for the patient to alert the therapist if any twitching in the muscles is experienced during the TENS treatment. The twitching may be caused due to the TENS unit sending out too strong or fast signals. On the other hand, if there is no tingling sensation being experienced, then that indicated the electric signal being too low to have any effect.