November 18, 2024
TENS is short for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. It is generally considered a safe (when used correctly), inexpensive, and non-invasive method of stimulating nerves by applying electricity to the surface of the skin.
In one study, the TENS unit reduced shoulder pain and improved shoulder joint mobility of 90 participants with shoulder pain from paralysis on one side of the body (hemiplegia). TENS also improved their overall quality of life.
A study of 60 patients with upper back pain found that using a TENS unit reduced pain better than placebo.
In another study of patients with back pain, those who used TENS ended up making fewer hospital and clinic visits.
A study in arthritis patients found that using a TENS unit helped reduce pain during walking and at rest.
A study with 54 patients that underwent spinal surgery found that TENS had a pain-reducing effect (analgesia). It reduced the number of needed painkillers and their side effects.
Patients who used a TENS machine after surgery required less pain-relieving medication in another large study of 1,350 people.
Those who used a TENS unit after surgery had lower levels of pain than those in the control group in a study of 40 patients who underwent surgery that required a large chest incision (a procedure called posterolateral thoracotomy, often used for lung or heart surgery).
In a study with 40 patients who underwent open-heart surgery, using the TENS unit at acupuncture points (“Acu-TENS”) helped to return blood pressure and heart rate to normal more quickly and using fewer medications (compared to patients who did not use TENS).
Both high- and low-intensity TENS treatment helped relieve pain following major surgery in another study of 64 patients.
Patients who used TENS after surgery had improved breathing, less pain, and required less pain-killing drugs than patients who did not use TENS in a study with 50 patients who underwent chest surgery. A related study concluded that using a TENS unit alongside painkillers may relieve pain better than just the medication.
