TENS Units

Pain is the body's warning system and is intended to prevent additional injury. Pain is important because, without it, vital parts of our bodies might be damaged or injured without our knowledge. However, long-lasting, presistent pain, often called chronic pain, once diagnosed serves no apparent purpose. TENS is developed to help relieve some types of chronic and acute pain.

TENS, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, means the transmission of small electrical pulses through the skin to the underlying peripheral nerves. TENS is thought to work in two different ways. First, "high frequency" continuous, mild, electrical activity may block the pain signal traveling to the brain. Brain cells perceive pain. If the pain signal does not get through to the brain, the pain is not "felt". The second way TENS is thought to work is by stimulating the body's own natural pain-control mechanism. "Low frequency" or short bursts of mild, electrical activity may cause the body to release its own pain easers, called beta endorphins.