Using a TENS Unit for Chronic Pain
For those in chronic pain, non-invasive and non-pharmacological modalities are often requested before surgery and medication management. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units are a non-invasive, non-pharmacological method to aiding in controlling chronic pain. The use of electrical stimulation to control pain dates back to ancient Greece, where the use of electrical fish was recorded by physician and pharmacologist Scribonius Largus. The technology has improved greatly since then, and TENS units are prescribed often to chronic pain patients. Consisting of a portable battery pack connected to two or more electrodes, TENS unit users are educated on their use in the office, and then are allowed to take them home. Electrodes are attached to the skin, delivering small electrical impulses to the nerves beneath the skin. These small electrical impulses not only create endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever, but also have been shown to stop pain signals from traveling to the brain. TENS units can be used during acupuncture (electroacupuncture). Similar to basic acupuncture, sterilized, single-use, fine-gauge needles are inserted in points strategic to your pain. Dissimilar to basic acupuncture, however, the needles are attached to the TENS unit, which controls the pulse intensity and frequency depending on the pain condition being treated. TENS units have shown useful for those with chronic neck pain, back pain, and sciatica, including a host of other chronic pain conditions. Back to Arizona Pain Monthly
