TENS
Units (TENS)
The “TENS” or the transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation is one of the current electric devices that can stimulate
nerves. It is used for therapeutic purposes. TENS refers to the nerve
stimulation therapy that uses low voltage of electric current for pain relief.
TENS unit is usually connected in the skin
and uses two or more electrodes. A typical battery-operated unit has the
ability to modulate your pulse width, intensity, and frequency. This TENS
applied in a high frequency has the intensity to produce motor contraction.
Clinical studies prove that TENS is very effective and there has been no
controversy to the conditions of the device so it is safe to be used for
treating pain.
This is a kind of method used in ancient
Rome during 63 A.D. in controlling pain. It said that the pain is relieved by
the means of standing on electrical fish at the seashore. In the year of 16th
up to 18th century, there are different electrostatic devices used
for pains like headaches. One of the most proponents of this method is Benjamin
Franklin. In year 19th century, a new device called electreat was
used to cure cancers and control pain. Until the development of modern TENS or
the TENS Units, it has been credited to C. Norman Shealy.
In 1974, the first modern TENS unit was
patented in the United States. It used to test the tolerance of the chronic
pain of most patients through electrical simulations before the true
implantation of the electrodes in spinal cord dorsal column. Electrodes
attached in the receiver received power from antenna to get relief from TENS.
There are number of companies starting to
manufacture TENS units after the success of the Medtronic device. Dr. Charles
Ray, Ed Schuck and Don Maurer founded it where they develop applications to the
electrical stimulations device to treat Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and other
disorders of your nervous system. Nowadays, lots of people becomes confused
about TENS together with electrical muscle stimulation. These two devices are
both using electrodes and lead wires. The EMS stimulates muscles while the TENS
blocks the pain.
The TENS Units is used for medical
purposes. It is now available in market and is used as a non-invasive nerve
stimulation to reduce chronic pain. However, this TENS unit is said to be
useful in diabetic neuropathy pain. According to some analysis treatment
fidelity, it shows that the higher fidelity trials it have, the more positive
outcome it can provide.
Some studies also shows that TENS suppress
and modulate pain signals in the brain evoke cortical potentials of electric
stimulation of peripheral A-beta sensor fibers and suppress A-delta fiber of
nociceptive process. The other two
studies used FMRI or functional magnetic resonance imaging that when TENS has
high frequency it decrease pain that related in cortical activations in most of
the patients. Tthe carpal tunnel syndrome shows that low frequency from TENS
unit decrease modulated pain that is induced in activation of the brain and
shoulder impingement pain.
TENS unit that is head-mounted called
Cefaly, has been approved by United States Food and Drug Administration to
prevent migraine. This device was found to be very effective when it comes to
preventing attacks of migraine from a randomized trial. It considered as the
very first TENS unit that has been approved by the FDA when pain prevention is
talked about.
TENS unit was extensively used for
non-odontogenic orofacial pain relief. Moreover, the TENS especially the low
frequency ones are commonly employed to treatment and diagnosis of TMD or
temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
In addition, there are lots of significant
TENS units that targets the use of labor pain although some study showing that
it has no effect in labor pain.
There are different anatomical locations
wherein TENS electrodes are contraindicated and these are:
·
Directly over the spinal cord
·
Over tumour or malignancy
·
Wounds or broken skin areas
·
In the chest by means of
posterior anterior electrode position
·
Internal except in the anal,
vaginal and dental applications that needs specialized TENS units
·
In front of the neck due to the
risk of acute hypotension or
laryngospasm
·
Transcerebrally
·
In the eyes due to high risk of
intraocular pressure
TENS units are used across artificial
cardiac pacemaker that causes failure and interference of implanted device.
There are some serious accidents recorded wherein this principle is not
observed. In year 2009 electrotherapy review where TENS unit is included says
that it is an inappropriate treatment. However, reports on pacemakers are mixed
and there are some programmable pacemakers that were inhibited by the TENS
device.
By using the TENS, some experts says that
it is safe. However, this unit can cause harm if it is misused. You should only
allow your professional physical therapist in your conventional medication to
show you the right way of using this device. TENS device requires you to follow
the instructions. You can tell your doctor that you use alternative therapy and
think about combining your conventional medical treatment and alternative
therapy. It will become safer to continuously undergo the conventional
treatment while you are also relying on your alternative therapy which is the
TENS units.
There are also some precautions once you
use the TENS units and these are:
·
The use of electrodes in the
abdominal during labor can interfere with the foetal equipment monitoring so it
is best to avoid it.
·
There is a need to avoid active
epiphyseal regions especially in children.
·
Those patients that have
epilepsy needs to be treated by a professional therapist and with the help of
medical practitioner to be provided with the proper treatment about their upper
thoracic and neck areas.
·
Do not use electrodes in the
eyes.
·
If you suffer from abnormal
skin sensation, position your electrode somewhere to ensure you that it will
have an effective stimulation process.