Do you want to relieve yourself from pain or live with it for the rest of your life? Probably, you would like the former to happen but not the latter. Everyone wants to live life away from stress and pain. So, there is a wireless tens machine to take your body and muscle pain away. Yes, you read it right! T.E.N.S. is an acronym for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. TENS machines are just the size of an iPod and offer a safe, non-invasive, drug-free method of pain management. They are small battery-powered devices that relieve chronic, acute, and postoperative pain.
TENS can help you decrease the need for pain medication and supplement treatment for pain control, such as physical therapy, chiropractic, spinal decompression, or manipulation under anesthesia. Moreover, these devices can treat almost every condition associated with muscles, joints, or bones, including osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, back pain, neck pain, tendonitis, or bursitis. It is also favourable to treating labour pain and cancer pain.
How does the TENS machine work?
TENS is a powered by a battery and utilizes low voltage current to relieve pain. It consists of two electrodes and a wire that conducts electrical current. The machine is placed on the portion of the body where you are having pain. It then creates electrical impulses that travel along your nerve fibres to block pain in the body. Although mild electrical currents effectively block pain messages transmitted to the brain. You will feel a tingling sensation during the therapy, but it should not be painful. It will take approx 30 minutes to feel the effects; however, it depends on the severity of the pain.
It is advisable not to use TENS without the direction of a doctor or a therapist. This is because it has to be used accurately to be able to take the pain away immediately. You have to ensure that the electrodes are placed correctly. Before placing the electrodes, wash the skin area where you intend to place them. This allows proper skin stimulation to the targeted tissues, reduces the risk of skin irritation, and extends the life of the electrodes. You must learn how to operate the unit and change the batteries. You should also learn how to change the controls and settings of the unit.
Three standard-setting options include conventional, acupuncture-like, and pulsed. A traditional setting uses a high-frequency and low-intensity setting. The duration of the pulse is short. Pain relief is effective while the device is on, but the pain returns when it is off. The acupuncture-like setting delivers a low-frequency high, intensity stimulus. It can be uncomfortable, and some patients cannot tolerate it; it is used when the conventional method does not work. Pulsed uses low-intensity firing in high-frequency bursts.
Who should not use a TENS machine?
Though the TENS machine is suitable for all individuals, it is advisable to consult your physician if-
- You are using a cardiac pacemaker
- You have any form of malignancy
- You are suffering from a condition in which circulation is impaired
- You are a person with a heart problem
- You are an epilepsy patient
Besides this, remember that the wireless tens machine can not be used across the head, over metal implants, or the carotid sinus, and not even with sleep apnea or heart monitors.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation may help to relieve some types of pain, but don’t forget it is suitable for short-term relief. In most cases, pain relief begins immediately upon use of the device and lasts after it is turned off.
