What is TENS?

TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, is a back pain relief treatment that uses low voltage electric current to relieve pain.
TENS delivers gentle electrical impulses to electrode pads that are placed directly on your skin that travel to the nerves. When TENS stimulates the sensory nerve endings, it blocks the pain signal from traveling to the brain. This creates a pleasantly relieving, tingling sensation in the place of pain. The current that a TENS treatment sends can also produce endorphins.
TENS therapy is often used to manage pain while the body is healing in situations like post-surgery recovery, athletic or other types of injuries, and chronic or acute pain.

How Does TENS Relieve Pain?

A TENS Unit works to relieve pain in two ways. The first theory of TENS inhibiting pain signals from reaching the brain is now referred to as the gate control theory. The non-painful signals from TENS “close the gate” and prevent the pain signals from going to the brain. Imagine that these signals are two trains on separate tracks. Each of these two tracks converges into one single track that goes to the brain. The train on the right is the pain signal, and it’s headed for that single track to the brain. But, when the non-painful signal is stimulated—the train on the left—it heads for that same track to the brain, taking over the tracks and preventing the pain signal from getting through.

The other explanation for the effectiveness of electrotherapy as a pain reliever was the observation that the TENS treatment released endorphins, the body’s natural opiate-like painkiller. Often endorphins is referred to as the bodies “feel good chemical.”

What the Science Says about TENS

Scientific Studies Proving the Safety and Effectiveness

  • This study evaluated patients who were given transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

    • Patients who were treated with TENS had significantly fewer hospital and clinic visits
    • Had fewer physical therapy visits
    • Required less back surgery than patients receiving other treatment modalities.
    • Total annual costs for chronic low back pain patients without neurological involvement were lower in TENS patients, even when the cost of the device was taken into account.

  • Cochrane Review Examines Available Evidence on TENS

    Despite its wide use and theoretical rationale, there appears at first glance mixed scientific evidence to support its use. This Cochrane review examines the available evidence on TENS for the treatment of chronic back pain through an exhaustive search of the literature. After considerable examination of all available research it was found that there was evidence that TENS reduces pain and improves range of motion in chronic back pain patients.

CONCLUSION: Shows People Treated with TENS had Fewer Hospital & Physical Therapy Visits and Required Less Surgery. Cochrane study shows evidence that TENS reduces pain and improves range of motion in chronic back pain patients.

Why iReliev TENS Units?

 FDA Cleared. Safe & Effective. Medical Grade.

For relief of acute and chronic back pain symptoms. Prescription strength relief that is comparable to devices used in medical clinics and chiropractic offices.

 Highly Rated. Exceptional Reviews.

We are honored to have helped so many people.

 Highly Portable. Take with You on the Go.

Our devices are designed to be portable so that you can take with you on the go or use in your home.