How to Check the Output of a TENS Unit

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy can help relieve pain in patients with short-term injuries and chronic conditions. TENS units use electrodes to send small electrical impulses to the nerves to scramble pain signals and prevent them from reaching the brain. The output of a TENS unit refers to the strength of the electrical impulses. Most TENS units have similar controls and it is easy to check the output.

Instructions

• 1

  Read the numbers next to the arrows for TENS units with printed knobs. Most TENS units measure output in terms of pulse width (also called pulse duration) and pulse rate. Pulse width refers to how many microseconds there are between electrical pulses. Pulse rate is measured in Hertz (Hz) and ranges from 1 to 200 or 300 on most units.

• 2

  Press the down arrow on a digital TENS unit to display the current output. Some digital TENS units display the pulse rate and width on the screen continuously, but some displays time-out requiring you to press a button before the output will show.

• 3

  Check the printed knob or digital display to read the output mode. Some TENS units have several different types of stimulation, such as continuous, burst and modulation. Read your unit's user manual for information on how the unit displays these modes. Some units use the first letters of each word, while others use symbols or numbers.