TENSPLUS

Introduction

The Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation System which is used for the symptomatic relief and management of chronic intractable pain and as an adjunctive treatment in the management of post-surgical and post-traumatic acute pain problems. Effectiveness is dependent upon patient selection.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation delivers most stimulation to the surface of the skin directly under the electrode. It uses discrete electrical impulses delivered at low frequencies.

What is pain?

There are different types of pain.

One type of pain is a warning system. The body uses pain to alert us that something may be wrong.
For example, an abnormal condition such as an ulcer might go undetected if it were not for the sensation of pain.

However, other types of pain do not appear to serve any known purpose. For example, long-lasting, persistent pain threats do not warn us about any particular condition and serve no apparent purpose.

How pain messages are transmitted?

We don't feel pain until a coded " message " travels to the brain where it is decoded, analyzed and then responded to. The pain message travels from the affected area along small nerves leading into the spinal cord. Here the message is relayed to different nerves that travel up the spinal cord to the brain.

To stop pain

There are several ways to stop pain. Sometimes you can stop pain by simply moving away from the pain-causing situation. You stop pain this way when you let go of a hot utensil, for example.

Medications are used to relieve some type of pain. Surgery can also remove some pain-causing conditions.

Electrical stimulation Another method of pain relief is electrical stimulation - the kind provided by your stimulator.

Scientific research supporting the use of electrical stimulation In 1965, researchers Melasck and Wall presented their concept of a "gate" mechanism for the control of pain.

They theorized that a " T " cell transmits to the dorsal horn ( in the spinal column ), and that the stimulation of large nerve fibers may block pain tranmission.

Recently, investigators have proposed that multiple gates exist in the peripheral and/or central nervous system.

They suggest that electrical nerve stimulation passing through the skin activates one or more of the pain gates. Pain message blocked

When this happens, peripheral pain signals are prevented from reaching the brain. In other words, part of the pain "message" is blocked. As a result, an individual may be relieved of much of their pain.