What should you know about electro pads for a TENS unit?

Each adhesive pad carries the unit's electrical pulses across the skin. Good contact helps stimulation feel even; a loose, dry, or damaged pad may feel prickly or produce uneven sensation. Pads are not intended to diagnose pain or treat its underlying cause.

Placement depends on the painful region and the programme. Pads are generally positioned around, rather than directly on, the most sensitive spot. Your physiotherapist can show spacing and direction for your particular problem.

Wash and dry your hands and skin before applying pads; avoid lotion or oil underneath them. Place them only on intact skin, press the edges down gently, and turn the unit off before removal or repositioning. Return the protective film after use and store pads in their sealed packaging as directed.

Replace pads when they no longer stick evenly, look dirty, or cause irritation. Never share used pads. Do not cut, fold over, or connect pads in a way the manufacturer does not describe.

Remove the pads if you feel burning, sharp pain, persistent tingling, marked redness, blistering, or an unusual rash. Get urgent care for new weakness, bladder or bowel changes, groin numbness, fever, or severe pain after injury; pads should not delay assessment of these symptoms.

Ask which pad size and position suit your symptoms, how to prepare sensitive skin, how often to replace pads, and whether your medicines or implanted electronic device affect TENS use. Request a demonstration if the sensation is uneven or uncomfortable.