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Activities Using a TENS Unit

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation--commonly abbreviated as TENS--is a medical treatment often used to control pain. A TENS unit is a small device usually powered by a nine-volt battery. The unit sends electrical signals through lead wires attached to conductive patches, or electrodes, that are placed on a patient's body. The patches transmit mild electrical stimulation to the nerves under the skin. In effect, the TENS stimulation blocks pain signals that nerves would normally transmit to the brain. The TENS unit also appears to stimulate the brain's release of chemical endorphins that act as analgesics.

  1. Pain Relief

    • A TENS unit is standard equipment in the field of sports medicine and physical therapy. It is frequently used for stress reduction and relief of muscle spasms. Regular TENS treatments can aid in increasing a patient's range of motion, and in some instances, may speed healing.

    Chronic Illnesses and Injuries

    • Medical doctors and chiropractors may prescribe TENS therapy. Acute injuries, such as strains and sprains, might require less than a week of treatments. People who suffer from chronic maladies such as arthritis are sometimes advised to use the unit several hours per day for much longer periods. Amputees afflicted with phantom-limb pain often avail themselves of TENS therapy on a nearly constant basis. Cancer patients or people recovering from serious accidents sometimes find that the pain-blocking capabilities of a TENS unit brings them relief.

    Muscle Toning

    • Various companies began marketing variations of the TENS machine in the late 1980s, billing the product as a muscle-toning device. TENS units do cause muscles to contract and relax, and numerous claims were made that TENS therapy would allow people to achieve toned, muscular bodies without exercise. The claims usually centered on users achieving a flat stomach in record time.

      According to Vanderbilt University, there is no proof that TENS units will provide the type of muscle growth and tone promised by the manufacturers of these devices.

    TENS Warnings

    • TENS units should never be used by pregnant women or people with heart pacemakers. A person prone to seizures is advised to refrain from placing the conductive patches of a TENS unit on his head. Those with blood pressure or blood vessel problems should never place the patches on the head or neck area.

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