How To Select The Best Tens Settings For Back Pain
One of the most common questions asked is, “which TENS unit setting is best?” There is no best setting as no pain is universally the same. Also, some people are equipped with nerves that are more responsive to TENS therapy. Meanwhile, others may require a higher setting. Below, we’ve highlighted our essential tips for selecting TENS unit settings.
How Long Do Back Epidural Injections Last
Physicians may recommend epidural steroid injections for pain that is chronic in nature. For pain relief, the healthcare provider injects steroid or corticosteroid medication into the epidural space of the spinal cord in your lower back. The lumbar spine is the lower back region of your spine. This is made of five vertebrae, and these vertebrae largest of your spine. Between these vertebral bones, there are disks that provide cushioning for your vertebrae and flexibility for your body. Lumbar vertebrae have several important roles in supporting and stabilizing your upper body and allowing twisting and bending movements. Our spinal cord contains an important bundle of nerves that runs from your brain to your lower back. It is like a super highway that connects nerves located all over your body to your brain. Through this brain can communicate with the rest of your body.
Choosing A Pulse Rate Setting
Pulse rate ) refers to the number of electrical pulses delivered per second. Lower pulse rates are more effective for chronic pain whereas larger rates are better for acute pain. Below, you’ll find which range of Hz is ideal for muscle stimulation, acute, and chronic pain.
- Acute Pain: 80-120Hz
- Chronic Pain and Endorphin Release: 2-10Hz
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How Often Can You Use A Tens Unit Can You Use A Tens Unit Too Much
Because of the low-risk treatment of TENS units, you can use them for as long and as often as needed. Professional doctors and physical therapists usually recommend pain treatment sessions of 30 minutes at a time with 20 minute break periods in between.
If over-used some soreness may occur while having the settings up too high can lead to uncomfortable muscle twitching. Some have reported a burning sensation to the skin when over-treating the affected area.
Side Effects And Other Drawbacks Of Tens
Before deciding whether or not TENS might be an appropriate treatment for yourself, you need to be aware of the fact that it does have some potential side effects. These include:
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What Does Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Do
TENS units use electrical stimulation and electrothermal therapy to deliver short-term pain relief by placing electrodes on the skin and delivering a low-voltage electrical current. While researchers are not sure how the therapy relieves pain, they believe the electricity stimulates nerves, confusing the brain and blocking pain signals from getting through.
These units can be purchased for at-home use, and they can be effective in the short term for many conditions. However, they are not a substitute for addressing the root cause of pain. Simply controlling pain is rarely the best course of treatment. In fact, after reviewing studies on the treatment of low-back pain lasting three months or longer, the official position of the American Academy of Neurology is that TENS has not been shown to be effective at reducing chronic low-back pain.
Talk to us before you purchase an at-home TENS unit. If you suffer from low-back pain or another ailment, make an appointment so we can assess your symptoms and the causes of your pain. The most effective long-term treatment will almost always include a course of exercises that you can perform at home.
We can design an individualized program of strengthening and stretching exercises, and guide you through the exercises here in our office. Performing these regularly will not only speed recovery but also keep your muscles, joints and discs healthy, lessening the chance of future back-pain episodes.
Does A Tens Unit Help A Herniated Disc
Having a herniated disc can be extremely painful and debilitating. While there are plenty of treatment methods out there like NSAIDs, physical therapy, and muscle relaxers, they only seem to provide short-term relief, and they dont work for everybody.
So, does a TENS unit help aherniated disc? A TENS unit can be used to relieve lower back pain and improve posture in those with herniated discs and lower back conditions. It can also help to reduce swelling and stiffness in the lower back. This can help to improve your mobility and overall range of motion.
Herniated discs tend to be quite complicated conditions. So, were going to review what exactly a herniated disc is, how this condition is typically treated, and how a TENS unit might help with pain relief.
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What Are The Benefits Of Using Tens
Reviews suggest that TENS is effective for osteoarthritis, postoperative pain, painful diabetic neuropathy, and some acute pain conditions. Below are the situations in which TENS can help:
Do Tens Units Work For Back Pain
Professional physical therapists and chiropractors have used TENS units for years to enhance treatments for back pain.However, there isnt enough evidence for the NHS to recommend it . For example, one 2014 study found positive trends for chronic back pain, whereas another found it to act as a placebo.Meanwhile, thousands of positive reviews showcase its effectiveness in blocking pain. Medical experts and researchers arent quite 100% sure how TENS therapy works. Still, many users have reported this treatment method as an excellent method of short-term pain relief and much safer than pain medications.
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What Is A Tens Machine For Back Pain
TENS therapy, also called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, involves using a TENS device to send low voltage electrical currents to the skin. These small pulses stimulate nerves to eliminate the sensation of pain.
TENS back therapy is an excellent pain relief tool for various types of back injuries, including:
How To Properly Use A Tens Unit For Back Pain
When it comes to back pain, there are several possible solutions you can turn to reduce the painful symptoms you may feel. There are solutions for short-term relief and long-term relief.
One such method for short-term back pain relief is electrotherapy, more specifically, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for back pain.
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What Is A Tens Unit And How Can It Help Relieve Lower Back Pain
TENS is an acronym for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. A TENS unit uses electrical impulses to stimulate the nerves through the skin.
The unit itself is a small battery-operated electrical device made up of a pair of pads that connect to the main body of the device with wires. When placed on the area of the body that’s causing discomfort, these pads will send electrical impulses to the affected nerves.
The electrical impulses are low-current and harmless, but they do disrupt the way the nerves in the body send pain signals to the brain, helping provide relief from the aches and pains in your lower back.
TENS units can be operated at low to high frequencies and at varying intensities. Sensory intensity is when the effect is strong enough to feel a strong but comfortable sensation that doesn’t stimulate muscle contraction. Motor intensity is when that effect is strong enough to produce a contraction in the muscle but not strong enough to cause pain.
A study published¹ by the National Institutes of Health found that different frequencies activate different opioid receptors in the spinal cord and brainstem. Activation of these opioid receptors plays a role in how the machines reduce pain. However, at the spinal level, the device has been shown to increase the concentration of an inhibitory neurotransmitter known as GABA. Inhibitory neurotransmitters block the impulses between nerve cells, helping to reduce pain.
Tens Unit To Treat Herniated Discs
Since herniated discs are often characterized by the immense amount of pain they cause, it should come as no surprise that a TENS unit can help to relieve your pain. In fact, there are plenty of recent studies that have proven this exact concept.
Now, were going to review some of the scientific data that backs up the benefits of a TENS unit on herniated discs.
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Conditions Treated With Tens
Conditions responding well to TENS include, but are not limited to:
- Neck pain and stiffness. Pain was reduced in severity over the short term in a study of people treated at several clinics who were provided TENS therapy.1
- Fibromyalgia pain. Tolerance during physical activity significantly improved for patients after a single TENS treatment in one research study.5
TENS is typically applied at the site of the pain, but is sometimes effective when used in other areas as well. Experimenting with various electrode placements and using a TENS unit for several days is recommended before buying a unit. Attaching electrodes in the area surrounding the site of the pain, over the nerve supplying the area in pain, or even on the opposite side of the body, may be useful.
Electronic Pulses Block Pain Signals
Using the best tens unit for back pain means the electrode pads deliver electronic pulses to nerves. During a treatment this feels like a tingling or similar kind of sensation. It is from this transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for back pain where signals get blocked. Normally these signals travel to the brain in an attempt to alert it that something wrong is happening
Instead, the brain releases good feeling endorphins, which are natural pain killers produced in the body.
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Omron Electrotherapy Pain Relief Device Pm3030
The Omron electroTHERAPY TENS unit is one of the most affordable choices on the market. This simple and basic unit lacks the many options offered by more expensive devices, but it still manages to provide an effective solution for pain relief.
3 simple programs allow you to choose between arm, lower back and leg/foot areas. Each of these programs has 5 levels of intensity so you can customize the session. The program is administered using the electrode pads provided with the unit. These pads have a long lifespan and can last for up to 150 uses. There is a holder for the pads so that you can keep them together and protect them from damage.
This TENS unit is small and lightweight. You can transport it in a pocket with ease so you can use it discreetly in any location. It is fully approved for home use and utilizes the same TENS technology that has been proven to be effective for the past 30 years.
What Is A Tens Machine
A TENS machine is a therapy device that provides low levels of electric current to relieve joint and muscle pain.
The current feeds through connected wires between the machine and electrode pads which are placed on the skin covering the painful area.
TENS machines range in size and can be plug-in or battery-operated.
Although commonly used for back pain, TENs machines can also be used for a wide variety of muscle and joint pain located just about anywhere on the body.
How Do TENS Machines Work?
There are a few theories about how TENS machines work to combat pain.
If the pads are strategically placed across sensory nerve fibers, then the electrical pulse can block pain information thats usually sent to the brain.
Another idea is that electrical impulses contract muscle tissue to improve circulation.
Lastly, a low voltage setting can release endorphins which counteract pain.
Is It Useful For Back Pain?
Although the use of TENS treatment dates back to the 1960s, there is very little empirical evidence that TENS actually works for back pain.
Researchers first theorized that TENS treatment works under the gate-control theory. Electrical impulses travel along nerve fibers, closing a gate mechanism for pain in the spinal cord.
If this is true, then pain will stop during TENS treatment but immediately return after the treatment is finished.
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Best Practices For Tens Unit Use
So, youre now the proud owner of a TENS unit. Congratulations! Here are some tips to make the most of your device.
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Check with your doctor first. A TENS unit is not recommended if you have a pacemaker. Similarly, if you have another type of electrical implant, youre pregnant, or you have epilepsy or a cardiac problem, get your doctors okay first before using a TENS unit for spine or other pain.
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Try out different intensities, adjusting the setting for comfort. Go up to a point where you feel tingling, but not where its contracting muscles, Dr. Kahn says. If you think youre having a muscle spasm, aim for a low level of muscle stimulation if your TENS machine offers muscle stimulation mode. TENS units are made to use long term, Dr. Kahn says. Over time, as you adapt to using a TENS device, the tingly, prickly sensation of electricity may dissipate, but the treatment can still be therapeutic.
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Watch the time. For the most potential benefit, limit TENS unit use to 10 to 15 minutes sessions in muscle stimulation mode. In pure TENS mode, a TENS unit can be used for up to two hours per treatment, up to two to three times daily, in the same body area. For total spine pain cervical, thoracic and lumbar it would be feasible to use a TENS unit on each area for up to two hours at a time, Dr. Kahn says. But after two hours, a TENS unit is not recommended because the electrical current may irritate the skin.
How To Use A Tens Machine Properly
Each individual TENS unit comes with an instruction manual which will explain the different settings and most include pictures to show you where to stick the the electrodes. Every brand of machine is slightly different so please do read your instruction manual.
You can choose to use either 2 or 4 electrode pads depending on how large the area of pain is that you are treating.
If your lower back pain is on one side, try using two electrodes. Place one pad at the top point of the pain and one pad below . Try to place the pads on the muscle as opposed to directly onto your back bones:
If you have pain in the middle of your back or either side of your spine, try using 4 electrodes. Place placing one electrode either side of your spine at the top point of your pain about 1 inch out from the spine. Place the other two either side of your spine at the base of your pain, again 1 inch out from the spine:
The unit itself can be hooked onto a belt loop or the to of your trousers, so you can carry on with your normal activities whilst using it.
Settings
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Stretch Flex Or Even Fidget
Any kind of movement works from yoga poses to walking briskly around the room or running up several flights of stairs.
The NASA program included seated marches, standing calf raises, push-ups with hands on the desk, standing leg curls and neck, shoulder, and back stretches.
Chair Sit & Stand:
“Your body is always talking to you,” said Marceleus M. Venable, a personal trainer in Washington D.C.. and co-author of the NASA exercise program. “Your hands cramp, you have hip pain and neck pain … it’s saying: ‘hey, can you stretch me?’
No one set of exercises works for every body. Rather, people should focus on movements that challenge areas of weakness, strengthen multiple parts of the body at once and that they enjoy, says Katy Bowman, a Carlsborg, Wash., biomechanist and author of the book Move Your DNA.
“It’s not as simple as, everyone with back pain, do these four moves,” says Bowman. “It’s just like dietary nutrition. Just as you need a spectrum of dietary nutrients, you need a spectrum of movements that make the body strong from head to toe.”
Seated Ceiling Reach:
“I’m a big advocate of fidgeting,” she says. “Keep repositioning yourself you can’t really sit and not move for hours and hours a day and expect your body to be happy with that.”
