![]() Place the pads either side of the pain.Make sure the skin where the pads are applied is clean and dry and there are no cuts, grazes or areas of skin irritation.Test the machine by holding the pads between the fingers and then carefully turn it on.Before placing the electrode pads on the skin make sure the machine is switched off.You can tuck the machine into a pocket or clip it on to a belt. TENS machines are designed so that you can move around with them working.Always follow the manufacturer's instructions supplied with your machine. There are various types and brands of machine. Your GP can help you reduce them safely so you have fewer side-effects. If you are on either a lot of strong painkillers or a number of different ones, it might be worth consulting your GP for advice. Also don't stop all your normal painkilling medication too quickly. Don't try to do too much too soon (as you may hurt yourself and make the pain worse). If you are new to using a TENS machine, take things slowly, even if you are finding it useful. If you plan to try TENS in labour, your midwife or local National Childbirth Trust (NCT) branch should be able to locate one to rent. It is probably best if you hire or borrow one first, to try it out. ![]() Importantly, TENS machines can be expensive. A TENS machine might be worth a trial, particularly if conventional pain relief methods have been tried and exhausted. Although you might need to try a few settings on your TENS machine before finding the best one for you, there are no real side-effects from using a TENS machine. The use of a TENS machine might allow reduction of the amount of painkilling medicines you take. TENS machines can be used alone for pain relief or be combined with other treatments. Other less common uses include migraine headaches, period pains, sports injuries and sometimes (quite rarely) non-painful conditions such as tiredness, insomnia or dementia. They are also often used for pain relief in the early stages of labour, particularly whilst a pregnant woman remains at home. TENS machines are most commonly used for people with musculoskeletal pain, such as long-term (chronic) back pain or knee joint arthritis. Typically, a machine would be used for 15-20 minutes per session, several times per day. This means its settings can be adjusted, without having to visit a medical professional. See separate leaflets called Painkillers, Heat and Ice Treatment for Pain, Anti-inflammatory Painkillers and Topical Anti-inflammatory Painkillers.Ī TENS machine is personally controlled by the user. You may need to try other painkillers and treatments first before using TENS machine or use it in conjunction with other painkillers. They are not suitable for all types of pain or all conditions. It is best to use a TENS machine only on the advice of a doctor or other health professional. These act a bit like morphine to block pain signals. When the machine is set on a low pulse rate (2-5 Hz) it stimulates the body to make its own pain-easing chemicals called endorphins.It explains why, if you injure yourself, rubbing that area can temporarily reduce the pain. In effect, the brain is busy dealing with the messages it receives quickly from the TENS machine, rather than the slower (more painful) pain signals that the body is receiving from elsewhere. TENS machines are thought to stimulate certain non-pain-carrying nerves and close the gate. When the gate is closed, these pain messages are blocked and we do not feel pain. ![]() When the gate is open, pain messages get through to the brain and we feel pain. This proposes that there is a gate mechanism in the brain and spinal cord nerves (the central nervous system). This is due to the gate control theory of pain.
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