Introduction to the Use of TENS Machines
The basis for TENS machines has a long history as using electrical stimulation for the relief of pain has been known for a long time. Surprisingly it was used as long ago as 60 AD when pain relief was achieved by standing on electrical fish! Through the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was used for the relief of headaches and other pain and was advocated by Benjamin Franklin as a good method.
Modern TENS machines derive from the first machine patented and manufactured in 1974 in the United States. It was used as a testing device for patients who were having electrodes implanted into their spinal columns as a means of pain relief. However many patients found that the stimulation gave them enough pain relief that they did not need the electrodes implanted. Medtronic began producing TENS machines which were later then produced by Empi.inc after purchasing the TENS line in the 1980’s.
The Difference Between TENS and EMS
TENS is a device for blocking pain by applying a small electrical current to the skin. EMS ont he other hand is used to stimulate muscles and is often sold as a device to tone muscles and to lose inches!
What Types of Pain is TENS Recommended for?
TENS is not suitable for all types of pain and is not recommended for headaches, chest or abdominal pain. In addition you should always consult a physician before using a TENS unit to diagnose the cause of your pain. It is effective for chronic joint, muscle and nerve pain. It should not be used by anyone with a pacemaker or epilepsy and only for those who are pregnant under a doctors guidance.