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TENS History and Theory
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Easing Pain with TENS
Are you one of those who have a fear for pain? There are a lot of painkillers out there to help you ease the pain. But have you heard of TENS? This is another way to help reduce pain.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation or TENS is a treatment that passes mild electrical impulses to the nerve fibers underneath the skin. The contact is made through the skin by TENS electrodes. These electrodes are placed around or over the painful area or acupuncture points. These TENS impulses help the body in producing its own natural painkillers.
Please remember that a TENS unit does not cure the problem causing pain to your body. However, it helps lessen the pain. It can also help in the healing process of the body since it can stimulate anti-inflammatory substances.
The usage of therapeutic electrical stimulation to reduce pain can be traced way back since the early times. On 2500 BC, during the Egyptian Fifth Dynasty, stone carvings show that to treat pain, early people used electric fish. And on 46 AD, it was recorded by Scribonious Largus, a Roman physician that the electrical powers of a fish was used for curing gout and headache. Until the end of the nineteenth century, the electric catfish and electric rays were being used for treating pain in some parts of the world.
It was during the mid-eighteenth century that the electostimulation using static electrical machines gain its popularity. However, since in the twentieth century, there have been a lot of analgesic drugs produced, electrostimulation fell out in the options in reducing pain.
It was on 1965, when a landmark paper written by Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall entitled “Pain Mechanism: A New Theory”, did the use of TENS made its way to present clinical medicine. Its use expanded from pain clinics to surgeries, labor wards, emergency departments, operating rooms and even self-care.
There are two accepted theories on how TENS works. These are the following:
1. The Gate Control Theory
In this theory, when nerves are stimulated electronically, a gate mechanism is being closed in the spinal cord that block the pain message from reaching the brain. In here, the TENS message is carried faster to the spinal cord that the pain message. This TENS treatment is also called conventional or high frequency treatment. This applies when the pulse rate is at 60 to 80 pulses per second or more. There is a tingling or buzzing sensation with this treatment. This is the quickest way of relieving pain and it can provide many hours of relief even after a treatment of about an hour.
2. Acupuncture-like TENS
Acupuncture-like TENS is also known as low frequency TENS treatment. In here, the body is being stimulated to release endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killing substances. This applies when the pulse rate is at or below 4 pulses per second. These low frequency treatments create a tapping or pulsating sensations. When adjusted, low frequency treatment produces slight muscle twitching. Compared to high frequency treatment, this treatment will take longer for the pain to lessen. Treatment can last at least 20-30 minutes for it to be effective. But a 30-60 minute treatment can give relief for a longer period or even days.
You should always remember that different people have different degree of pain relief. And usually the result will depend on how appropriate the electrode position was selected and the frequency setting for the pain was chosen. You can never guess how effective TENS treatment will work not until you try it yourself.
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