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INTRODUCTION TO TENS
What is TENS?
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is a pain control treatment. It is often called
TENS for short.
A TENS unit is a portable, pocket-sized, battery-powered device.
The TENS unit uses mild, safe electrical signals to help control pain and delivers the
electrical signal to the body through self-adhesive conductive electrodes.
How does TENS work?
The most common TENS programmes use
high-frequency stimulation, which is the first choice for both acute and chronic pain.
High-frequency stimulation sends impulses to the nervous system’s own pain-inhibiting
mechanisms, which block the pain.You can use it as often and as long as you like, but each
treatment should last at least 1 hour.
Another type of TENS is low-frequency stimulation. Low-frequency TENS treatment can
alleviate pain by stimulating muscles to release the body’s own morphine-like substances,
called endorphins.
SKIN
NERVE
MUSCLE
