Can you overuse a tens unit

One of the only risks from TENS is the potential skin irritation that can come from leaving pads on in one place for too long. He or she can help you come up with a stretching and exercise program that can help you heal the source of the pain. TENS is there to make it more comfortable along the way, whenever you need it and however often you need it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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Related Posts. Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment. Get Free Rewards Sign up to Newsletter. One is that when the spinal cord receives messages from the nerves activated by the TENS current, these messages override the messages received from the nerves carrying pain sensation.

Another theory is that electrical stimulation causes the release of natural painkillers, such as endorphins, within the body. When used properly, any side effects that occur with TENS machines are minor.

Mild muscle soreness and skin irritation may occur with excessive use. If you experience any negative effects while using your TENS unit, discontinue it and contact your health care provider.

Electrical stimulation from a TENS machine can cause pain and twitching in the underlying muscles if you adjust the intensity too high.

Lower the intensity until you feel just a strong tingling sensation, without muscle twitching. Prolonged use, even at lower intensity levels, may occasionally cause mild muscle soreness. For this reason, it is usually recommended that a TENS machine not be used for more than a few hours at a time. TENS machines may cause mild skin irritation under the pads, producing redness and slight pain.

This is most common with prolonged use, so the pads should be periodically removed to assess your skin. Changing the position of the pads during these checks will help reduce the possibility of skin irritation. Cleaning your skin before you apply the pads will help the pads stick and appropriately disperse the current in the entire area under the pads, so less current is directed at a specific spot. Again, if you experience muscle soreness the day of or the day after TENS therapy, it was probably caused by having the settings too high.

Take a break from your TENS unit for a few days. When you return, be sure to start low, and only increase the intensity as you need it. This sounds, by far, like the most intimidating of the 10 side effects from TENS. However, the only case in which this is possible is if the TENS unit is placed on the face. It is never recommended by any manufacturer to place electrode pads on the face.

To play it safe, steer clear of any area above the neck and around the throat, and you will not be in danger of this side effect. In almost all cases, TENS therapy can be applied throughout the day. The discrete, small machines can be placed underneath the shirt so that TENS can be applied during work, athletic activities or at home while relaxing. However, there is a small chance that while TENS is being applied, it will affect the way you feel and move your muscles.

Because of this, do not drive a car or operate heavy machinery while using TENS. If your skin is wet when applying your TENS unit, or if the pads are not applied correctly, you may feel unpleasant shocks. As you can see, these TENS Unit side effects are mostly due to operator error or are minimal at worst.

The safety and effectiveness of TENS is why it has become the most popular way to relieve pain. If you are in need of electrode pad replacements, check out our Dollar Electrode Pad Club.

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