General knowledge about TENS and EMS

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS or TNS) is the use of electric current produced by a device to stimulate the nerves for therapeutic purposes. TENS, by definition, covers the complete range of transcutaneously applied currents used for nerve excitation although the term is often used with a more restrictive intent, namely to describe the kind of pulses produced by portable stimulators used to reduce pain.

The Use Of a TENS Machine

The use of a TENS machine should be as one part of a pain management program under the guidance of your doctor or healthcare practitioner. Always consult your health practitioner before using a TENS machine.

How does it work?

Researchers believe that you can alter your pain perception via a TENS machine in one of two ways:

Sensory Level Stimulation – The Gate Control theory of pain means that the electrical input of the TENS machine interferes with the transmission of pain signals, by blocking the neural “gate” through which the pain travels.

Motor Level Stimulation – The goal of motor level stimulation is to cause the release of the body’s opiate-like substances to achieve pain relief.

If we use back pain as an example, you can use a TENS machine by placing the TENS machine electrodes either side of your spine at the same level as your back. If you have a 2-channel TENS machine, you can also place the second set TENS electrodes either side of your spine at a level above your pain, e.g. between your pain and your brain. You should not place your TENS electrodes on your skull (through your brain), the front of your neck, or through your heart.

For professional advice regarding your TENS electrode placements and dosage, please consult your physiotherapist.

IMPORTANT

Please use your TENS machine only as directed. A TENS machine and EMS machine are electronic medical devices.  Always read the label and instruction manual. A TENS machine may assist you in modest short-term pain relief. Consult your doctor/healthcare professional before use and if symptoms persist.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or electromyostimulation, is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses. EMS has received an increasing amount of attention in the last few years for many reasons: it can be utilized as a strength training tool for healthy subjects and athletes; it could be used as a rehabilitation and preventive tool for partially or totally immobilized patients; it could be utilized as a testing tool for evaluating the neural and/or muscular function in vivo; it could be used as a post-exercise recovery tool for athletes.

There are several theories on how an EMS Machine may assist in muscle strengthening. One potential reason is that when you maximally contract a muscle, at best, only 30% of all your muscle fibres are in a state of contraction. The remaining 70% are dormant and awaiting recruitment when the contracting fibres fatigue. With EMS, you can potentially electrically stimulate these resting muscle fibres to improve their strength. Clinically, EMS appears to be more effective when the muscles are frail, and you have difficulty performing regular anti-gravity exercises.

Another reason that EMS potentially works is via an improvement in the recruitment of nerve conduction rates. Explained simply, it takes approximately 10000 repetitions for your brain to learn how to quickly send a message to your muscles via the quickest nerve pathways. This contraction pattern becomes your “memory engram”. The more frequent your muscle recruits, the better your body becomes at finding the fastest way to recruit that muscle. EMS can potentially provide you with repeated contractions to accelerate this learning process.

To achieve your best outcome, we recommend that you seek professional advice on how to best utilise your EMS machine from your local physiotherapist who has a particular interest in EMS muscle retraining.

IMPORTANT

Use your machine only as directed. A TENS machine and EMS machine are electronic medical devices. Always read the label and instruction manual. A TENS machine may assist you in modest short-term pain relief. Consult your doctor/healthcare professional before use and if symptoms persist.