Electrical Stimulation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy?
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a therapy that uses low-voltage electrical current to provide pain relief. A TENS unit consists of a battery-powered device that delivers electrical impulses through electrodes placed on the surface of your skin. The electrodes are placed at or near the nerves where the pain is located or at trigger points.
How does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) work?
There are two theories about how transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) works. One theory is that the electric current stimulates nerve cells that block the transmission of pain signals, modifying your perception of pain. The other theory is that nerve stimulation raises the level of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain-killing chemical. The endorphins then block the perception of pain.
What is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy used to treat?
TENS therapy has been used or is being studied to relieve both chronic (long lasting) and acute (short-term) pain. Some of the most common conditions for which TENS has been used include:
Osteoarthritis (disease of the joints).
Fibromyalgia (aching and pain in muscles, tendons, and joints all over the body, especially along the spine.
Tendinitis (an inflammation or irritation of a tendon).
Bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints).
Labor pain.
Low back pain.
Chronic pelvic pain.
Diabetes-related neuropathy (damage to the nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body).
Peripheral artery disease (“hardening of the arteries” that circulate blood to the body).
To put it most simply, there are 4 main methods physical therapists use electrical stimulation for during a rehabilitation process
One is to assist in reducing pain, inflammation, and swelling around a joint
This is called interferential stimulation
Second method is used for soft and connective tissues to decrease pain or reinforce a change in the tissue after manual therapy
This is called is called pre-mod
The third type of electrical stimulation is called Russian, this type of current was helpful in strengthening muscles
This type of stimulation is motor versus sensory because it will cause your muscle to contract. It is commonly used to assist a muscle in strengthening more quickly following injury or surgery, such as a quadricep muscle known as the VMO which is often weakened during knee surgery
The fourth type of stimulation is called hi-volt, it uses polarity (positive or negative) to stimulate the tissue
This type of stimulation is typically used to decrease pain, swelling or assist in wound healing