What should you know about an electric TENS unit?

TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The handheld unit connects to adhesive electrodes and sends controlled pulses across the skin. You may feel tingling, pulsing, or tapping. It should not feel like a sharp shock, and stronger stimulation is not automatically more effective.

Pain relief may make walking, exercise, or sleep easier for a period. TENS does not show why pain is present, repair an injured structure, or replace a diagnosis and rehabilitation plan.

Read the instructions and follow the settings recommended by your clinician. Apply pads to clean, intact skin around the painful area, not over the eyes, front of the neck, or broken skin. Turn the unit off before moving pads. Do not use it in water, while sleeping, driving, or using machinery.

Check the skin after use and keep pads clean and properly stored. Stop if you develop pain, burning, unusual muscle contractions, or a rash.

Seek urgent assessment for pain with new limb weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, fever, or major trauma. Contact a clinician for persistent pain, worsening symptoms, or pain that repeatedly limits normal activity, even if TENS gives short-term relief.

Ask whether TENS fits your condition, where each electrode belongs, which programme to choose, and how to combine it with exercise. Tell your clinician about a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, reduced sensation, pregnancy, epilepsy, or skin disease before using it.