What is Tens?

It is a form of electrical stimulation with surface electrodes to modulate pain perception. TENS is short for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The unit is used to stimulate nerves in the skin. This can result in pain relief either by reducing the number of pain signals reaching the brain, or by the production of the body’s own pain killing chemicals.

How will Tens unit help reduce your pain?

TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) works by passing mild electrical impulses through the skin, via electrode pads, into the nerve fibres which lie below. The TENS impulses help your body produce its own pain killing chemicals, such as ‘endorphins’. The level of pain relief obtained varies from person to person. It is a simple, non-invasive analgesic technique that is used extensively in health-care settings by physiotherapists, nurses and mid- wifes. It can be administered in the clinic by health-care professionals or at home by patients who have purchased a TENS device. TENS is mainly used for the symptomatic management of acute and non-malignant chronic pain During TENS, pulsed currents are generated by a portable pulse generator and delivered across the intact surface of the skin via conducting pads called electrodes. Evidence suggests that this will produce pain relief in a similar way to ‘rubbing the pain better’. In practice, conventional TENS is delivered to generate a strong but comfortable paraesthesia within the site of pain.

Why do physiotherapists use it?

• To reduce pain perception
• To reduce spasticity
• o reduce nausea and vomiting (cancer patients or post-op)

What stages of healing can we use TENS?

• acute stage
• sub-acute
• chronic

What conditions would benefit from TENS?

• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Cervical spondylosis
• Low back pain 
Fibrositis/Myofascial pain 
syndromes
• Tendinitis/Bursitis
• Carpal Tunnel syndrome Radiculopathy
• Peripheral nerve injuries Phantom limb pain
• Post operative pain
• Spinal cord disorders
• Pain in the terminally ill Labour pain