Pain is something you’ll experience more than once in your life. Whether you’ve suffered an injury in your joint, or you’ve broken a bone, pain usually lingers for a while and then resolves on its own. However, in some cases, your pain could become chronic and stay around for a long time. In this case, TENS therapy could be just what you need.
Our team at Commonwealth Musculoskeletal Medicine specializes in treatments that help you relieve chronic pain. Dr. Mark Conliffe is our board-certified neuromusculoskeletal medicine specialist who provides physical medicine and TENS therapy to help you deal with chronic pain.
TENS therapy, also known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, is a form of treatment that helps with chronic pain. It uses low dose electrical currents to help reduce the feeling of pain in your body.
TENS therapy can be used in a clinical setting like our office or sometimes at home. The device works with sticky pads called electrodes. These electrodes are connected to leads, or wires, that connect to the machine.
The electrodes are placed around the area where you’re feeling pain. Once they’re in place, Dr. Confliffe turns the TENS unit on and slowly begins to turn up the electrical impulses until you don’t feel pain.
Receiving an electrical impulse sounds unpleasant. However, with a TENS machine, the impulses aren’t uncomfortable; it’s a light, tingling sensation that blocks pain signals in your nerves and releases endorphins. Endorphins are your body’s natural pain fighter.
The intensity of the electrical current can be adjusted up and down, depending on how you’re feeling. The TENS is only kept on temporarily to relieve pain, but the effects can last long after the machine is turned off.
TENS therapy is used for a number of different conditions that lead to pain in your body. This type of treatment isn’t just used for chronic pain, but acute pain as well.
At our facility, Dr. Conliffe uses TENS therapy as a pain management technique as part of a physical medicine therapy. This type of therapy focuses on a holistic approach, instead of surgery, to getting your pain under control.
If you’re suffering from pain, either chronic or acute, TENS therapy may be what you need to get more comfortable. Whether you’ve suffered an injury from a sporting event or you’re dealing with osteoarthritis, this treatment can help.
The great thing about TENS therapy is that it’s noninvasive. This means that if other treatments don’t treat your pain, you can turn to TENS therapy to help. It takes the place of more invasive treatments like surgery or injections.
Although TENS therapy is a safe and effective way to relieve many types of pain, there are some instances in which this treatment should not be used. Dr. Conliffe doesn’t suggest TENS therapy if you:
Before using the TENS unit, Dr. Conliffe talks to you about your medical history and symptoms to make sure this type of treatment will work for you.
Don’t continue to let pain get in the way of your life when TENS therapy could help. You can call our office today at 502-771-1012, or book an appointment online with Dr. Conliffe using our booking tool.
