First Assessment
Free
45 minutes, at home
- Full clinical examination at the patient's home
- The likely cause explained in plain language
- A realistic recovery plan and what it will cost
- No obligation to book any further sessions
TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The pulses produce a tingling feeling that seems to interfere with pain signals on their way to the brain, and may prompt the body to release its own pain-relieving chemicals. It does not repair a disc, a joint or a muscle. What it can do is take the edge off pain while it is switched on, and for a while afterwards.
Our TENS therapy page gives the general background. This one explains how we use it at home in Swargate, and when we don't.
What the evidence says
The evidence on TENS is mixed. Some people find it clearly helpful for back, knee or nerve pain; others notice little difference, and good trials have been hard to run. That is why we treat it as a tool worth trying rather than a treatment to rely on. If it eases pain enough for you to walk, do your exercises or get through a working day, it is earning its place. If it doesn't, we stop.
Where it fits for people in Swargate
TENS is often most useful for people who cannot simply rest: a trader who has to stand at the counter through a flare of back pain, a carer who still has to help a relative in and out of bed, an older person with knee arthritis who wants to keep walking to the temple. It can also run during a session so that hands-on treatment or exercise is more comfortable.
For back pain it sits alongside the plan on back pain physiotherapy in Swargate. For a deeper, more constant ache, the physiotherapist may compare it with IFT therapy in Swargate.
Who should not use TENS
- Anyone with a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator or other implanted electrical device, unless their cardiologist has agreed.
- Pregnant women, over the abdomen or lower back, except under specific medical guidance.
- People with epilepsy, without medical advice; it is never placed on the head or neck.
- Over broken or irritated skin, areas with poor feeling, or a part of the body with known or suspected cancer.
- Over the front of the neck, the eyes or across the chest.
Pain that hasn't been diagnosed should be assessed before it is masked. If the pain began with a fall, a fever or unexplained weight loss, see a doctor first.
A session at home, and a unit of your own
The unit is about the size of a mobile phone and runs on batteries, so it needs no special set-up. The physiotherapist checks the skin, places the pads around or over the painful area, and turns the intensity up until you feel a strong but comfortable tingling, never pain. It is usually left on for a set period, often while you move or exercise.
If it helps, you will be shown where to place the pads, which settings to use and how long to keep it on, so you can decide whether buying your own makes sense.
Hirabaug has a separate TENS page, and our article on physiotherapy versus painkillers for back pain sets TENS in a wider context. To try it as part of a plan, book a home visit; the Swargate page explains how visits are arranged.