Q. I have noticed on my TENS machine that there is a burst or continuous button. I have arthritis in my knee and I wonder which of these functions would be better for my condition as the leaflet is not clear? I also wonder how often should I use the machine – will it stop working if I use it too often?
A. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) is often the first treatment approach in acute and chronic pain, either by itself or with other therapies. It is used successfully for a wide variety of ailments, such as low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, and arthritis. It is not a cure for your pain, but it does help to relieve it. It consists of a pocket-sized battery-operated stimulator, leads and electrode pads. The stimulator sends mild electrical impulses to the pads, which you apply to your skin The pulsing action of the machine stimulates the skin and the nerves that respond to light touch. In doing so, the deeper pain-carrying nerves are prevented from passing the message of pain to the spinal cord (“closes the Pain Gate”). It can be compared to the age-old remedy of “rubbing it better”.
People often ask how long they should use it for and which settings are the best. As with most things there is no hard and fast rule and the main thing is to keep it simple and find the setting that suits you best. You are the person that knows your pain best and how it responds. It is useful to get advice from a health professional who has experience in the use of a TENS machine.
As a guide, the two main settings to use are continuous (constant pulsing action) or burst
(intermittent pulsing action). The continuous setting is sometimes more helpful in nerve-type pains and the dull continuous-type pains in the spine and joints, possibly caused by arthritis or muscular problems. The burst setting should be tried whenever the continuous setting does not give adequate relief, and is also very useful for sciatica, muscular pains and if you have a loss of sensation.
When using the machine on the continuous setting, you must have it on for at least 30 minutes to have any effect, but you can have it on for much longer periods. The burst setting can be used like a treatment, 30-40 minutes 4-6 times a day. Some people use the machine every day, others alternate days. It is important to fit it in with your lifestyle and then you have more chance of success.
If you felt that the machine was not giving you the same amount of pain relief, just try stopping it for a few days. This may enable you to use it regularly again without any problems. Research has shown that you do not gain a tolerance to the machine and in fact it can be used very successfully for many months and in some cases even years.
Electrode pads are usually placed in or around the painful area, or mainly in the extremities, over nerves in the painful area. However once again it is probably better to get advice to ensure you get the most benefit from the machine by placing the pads correctly.
Care must also be taken of your skin to ensure you do not suffer any irritation. Make sure your skin is always clean and dry before applying the pads and inspect your skin regularly. You should not use a TENS if you have a pacemaker fitted, or are in the early stages of pregnancy, but apart from that it is very safe.
A. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) is often the first treatment approach in acute and chronic pain, either by itself or with other therapies. It is used successfully for a wide variety of ailments, such as low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, and arthritis. It is not a cure for your pain, but it does help to relieve it. It consists of a pocket-sized battery-operated stimulator, leads and electrode pads. The stimulator sends mild electrical impulses to the pads, which you apply to your skin The pulsing action of the machine stimulates the skin and the nerves that respond to light touch. In doing so, the deeper pain-carrying nerves are prevented from passing the message of pain to the spinal cord (“closes the Pain Gate”). It can be compared to the age-old remedy of “rubbing it better”.
People often ask how long they should use it for and which settings are the best. As with most things there is no hard and fast rule and the main thing is to keep it simple and find the setting that suits you best. You are the person that knows your pain best and how it responds. It is useful to get advice from a health professional who has experience in the use of a TENS machine.
As a guide, the two main settings to use are continuous (constant pulsing action) or burst
(intermittent pulsing action). The continuous setting is sometimes more helpful in nerve-type pains and the dull continuous-type pains in the spine and joints, possibly caused by arthritis or muscular problems. The burst setting should be tried whenever the continuous setting does not give adequate relief, and is also very useful for sciatica, muscular pains and if you have a loss of sensation.
When using the machine on the continuous setting, you must have it on for at least 30 minutes to have any effect, but you can have it on for much longer periods. The burst setting can be used like a treatment, 30-40 minutes 4-6 times a day. Some people use the machine every day, others alternate days. It is important to fit it in with your lifestyle and then you have more chance of success.
If you felt that the machine was not giving you the same amount of pain relief, just try stopping it for a few days. This may enable you to use it regularly again without any problems. Research has shown that you do not gain a tolerance to the machine and in fact it can be used very successfully for many months and in some cases even years.
Electrode pads are usually placed in or around the painful area, or mainly in the extremities, over nerves in the painful area. However once again it is probably better to get advice to ensure you get the most benefit from the machine by placing the pads correctly.
Care must also be taken of your skin to ensure you do not suffer any irritation. Make sure your skin is always clean and dry before applying the pads and inspect your skin regularly. You should not use a TENS if you have a pacemaker fitted, or are in the early stages of pregnancy, but apart from that it is very safe.
Fiona Macpherson
Pain nurse specialist
Pain nurse specialist
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