Can Someone Tell Me What TENS Therapy Is?!

[Suzi-Qzi]

I'm new here and I'm interested in what TENS Therapy is. Can anyone help me? Much appreciated if so!

[tigger_gal]

http://my.webmd.com/content/healthwise/122/30268
this web site will explai what the tens therapy is. I found it under www.webmd.com
good luck
Brat

[Dixiefireball]

posted 07-30-2003 05:26 AM
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i seen your post a while back and didn't know the answer to it someone else posted today and i seen the answer to it it is about half way down the post. i copy and paste the informtion so i could send it to you i hope it helps.


Electrotherapy devices work in slightly different ways, depending on what type of problem they are treating. Certain devices excel at treating pain, while others specialize in fluid movement.

Select one of the therapeutic categories below to learn about electrotherapy devices that can be used in treatment and how they work.
Pain Control
Muscle Rehabilitation
Fluid Movement
Pain Control

Electrotherapy devices that help control both chronic and acute pain fall into one of three categories: Interferential, Microcurrent, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS). Each type of device works in a slightly different way, but they all provide an effective, non-narcotic alternative or supplement to drug therapy.

Interferential Therapy
Interferential therapy devices use two separate electrical frequencies that work together to stimulate large impulse nerve fibers — ones that "close the gate." Their frequencies interfere with the transmission of pain messages at the spinal cord level, and help block their transmission to your brain. Obviously, the fewer pain messages that make it through, the less it hurts.

Microcurrent Therapy
Microcurrent therapy is thought to mimic the body’s own electrical system. It uses subtle current to build upon naturally occurring impulses to decrease pain. Microcurrent devices take what you already have and make it stronger, amplifying your ability to heal.

TENS
TENS devices use a two-pronged approach to pain relief. First, they target your sensory nerves, stimulating them to block pain signals and prevent their transmission to the brain. Second, TENS promotes production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain reducing substances. Because of its effectiveness, TENS therapy is used to treat back and cervical muscular and disc syndromes, RSD, arthritis, shoulder syndromes, neuropathies and other painful conditions.

Muscle Rehabilitation

It’s a fact that exercise is good for you. Whether you’re biking, walking or playing tennis, your movements are a carefully choreographed series of muscular contractions. Each contraction begins as an electrical impulse generated by your body. Only through repeated motion do your muscles stay strong and healthy.

When injury sets in, muscles become stationary. Fluid builds up between the cells and they begin to lose their strength. Electrotherapy has the ability to counter these effects through neuromuscular stimulation (NMS) and high or low voltage pulsed direct current therapy.

Neuromuscular Stimulation (NMS)
An injured muscle usually experiences little — if any — movement. NMS therapy remedies this by using low-voltages to stimulate motor nerves to cause involuntary muscular contractions.

Like exercise, NMS helps to strengthen the injured area and has been found to effectively treat a variety of musculoskeletal and vascular conditions. Common candidates for NMS therapy are patients recovering from orthopedic surgery, muscle strains or tears, or athletes who’ve undergone cartilage or tendon repair.

High or Low Voltage Direct Current Therapy
Injured tissues are often surrounded by an excess of fluid, which prevents nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood from reaching them. Pulsed direct current devices remove excess fluid and increase blood flow to the injured site to encourage rehabilitation.

Fluid (swelling) is primarily composed of negatively charged proteins. Placing a positive electrode over the injured site within the first 24-48 hours helps prevent the buildup of excess fluid. Placing a negative electrode over the injured site after the first day or two causes the fluid to disperse from the site. This treatment reduces swelling, allowing new blood to move in and speeding up the recovery process.

Fluid Movement

Excessive fluid buildup, known as edema, is detrimental to any healing process. Not only does it cause swelling around the injured area, but it also prevents removal of waste products and hinders circulation. Electrotherapy uses Interferential, NMS, and high or low voltage pulsed direct current devices to move excess fluid from injured areas.

Interferential Therapy
Interferential therapy uses two independent frequencies that deeply penetrate muscles and stimulate parasympathetic nerve fibers for increased blood flow. Like hundreds of tiny rivers, these vessels and capillaries quickly flush out old waste and usher in new blood.

High or Low Voltage Pulsed Direct Current Therapy
High voltage pulsed direct current therapy utilizes two oppositely charged electrodes to move the plasma proteins, which comprise excess fluid and leak into spaces between cells. Initially, the stimulus prevents fluid buildup. Later, using a different protocol, it repels fluid that has built up.

NMS
Neuromuscular therapy induces muscle contractions which pump fluid through both the venous & lymphatic systems. This helps to resolve the swelling or fluid buildup in the area. NMS devices have the ability to increase or decrease the strength of each muscular contraction.

I pray that you don't mind that i copy this from someone else post but it seems like the answer you may have been looking for.

[ICNDonna]

The TENS unit is a little box with wires attached to little pads. The pads are stuck to the skin in the painful areas. The little box is about the size of a pager. When I used one for shoulder pain, I attached the box to my belt.

When the unit is turned on it sends tiny spurts of electricity through the pads. For some reason, this helps relieve pain. I have never used one for IC, but the TENS definitely kept my shoulder pain under control.

Donna

[DebraLeeS]

Hello everyone Brat thanks for posting that I posted it on the other thread.
I am now 1 week with my T.E.N.S unit
They have my pads around my bladder it does seem to help some it relieves but it doesnt take it away(at this point I will try anything once it is a bit hard to get used to beacuse it is a weird feeling.My PT said it was like ants with high heels dancing around.
She wasnt wrong!!
Your PT will try it for a couple of sessiond to see if its right for you.At least that what mine did.
Good Luck.

[DebraLeeS]

Oops sorry thats was SouthrnDixieGal

[Dixiefireball]

thanks for posting the information so i could pass it on i hope you didn't mind I just thought it would be helpful thanks for the great information you had!

[DebraLeeS]

Thanks for passing it along anything that helps is a blessing so please tell peolpe about it.

[tigger_gal]

your welcome wink
brat