Zewa TENS Unit: What to Know

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, uses adhesive pads placed on the skin near a painful area. The device delivers pulses at a chosen intensity and pattern. You should feel a tingling sensation, not a painful shock. Pain relief varies and may continue only while the device is running or for a short time afterwards. TENS can complement an agreed rehabilitation plan, but it does not identify or correct the cause of pain. Read the specific device instructions because pad placement and controls differ between models.

Check the skin before placing pads and apply them to clean, dry, intact skin. Start at a low setting and increase only to a comfortable tingling level. Keep pads away from the front or sides of the neck, head, broken skin, and areas with reduced sensation unless a clinician specifically directs otherwise. Do not use it while driving, sleeping, bathing, or operating machinery. Ask a clinician before use if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electrical device, are pregnant, or have a condition that affects sensation.

Turn the unit off and remove the pads if you develop burning, a rash, worsening pain, dizziness, palpitations, or an unusual sensation. Seek urgent care for chest pain, fainting, severe breathing difficulty, or new weakness. Arrange medical review when pain is new, severe, progressively worsening, or accompanied by fever, major swelling, or loss of bladder or bowel control; electrical stimulation should not delay diagnosis.

Ask whether TENS is appropriate for your diagnosis, where each pad should go, how long to use it, and which setting to try first. Ask how it should fit with exercise, medicines, and other treatment, and what skin changes mean you should stop. A clinician can also show you how to check the electrodes and replace them safely.