Transdermal Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

Transdermal Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a frequently used method of electroanalgesia.

We use this method in the Center of Chronic Pelvic Pain, for the treatment of pelvic pain, genital pain, and urinary incontinence.

The main action is the inhibition  of painful (noniceptive) signalling from the region of body that suffers to the brain, where it becomes perceptible as pain.

Theoretically it is based on the Gate Control Theory that proposed by Melzack and Wall in 1965.

The TENS unit  is constituted by a small generator of electric vibrations and the electrodes, which can have either the form of simple self-adhesive surface electrodes (so they can be used by the patient), or needle electrodes when the appliance is used by the doctor.  

Transdermal Electrical Nerve Stimulation as a method is separated into two main categories:

A) Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation that can be executed fro the doctor, or personally from the patient.

In the second case the patient use the equipment at home, following doctor's instructions, and after testing of various frequencies and intensities, finds the right combination of them  that provide better control of pain for him/her.

The most optimal regulation of parameters is subjective and is determined by the method of trial and fault. Usually, the electrodes are placed in the skin near the painful region, but also in other regions (e.g. above dermal nerves, nerve routes) so can give us better alleviation of pain.

B) Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is performed only from the doctor. Using a minipunture method a needle electrode is placed through the skin, and the electric stimulation is directed precisely to the pre targeted nerve region. 

The basic advantage here is that the electrode bypasses skin resistance to electric current and we achieve thus more precision with less electric current intensity.

 Medical complications that result from the use of TENS are infrequent. And usually they include a mild dermal irritation. In general, the method provides initial alleviation of pain in the 70-80% patients, but 20-30% of patients may need retreatment.