How to Buy the Best Tens Machine for Your Needs

How to Choose the Best TENS Machine or EMS Machine for You

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What is a TENS Machine?

A TENS machine provides an easy to use and drug free method of electronic pain relief.

TENS is an abbreviation ofTranscutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. Transcutaneous means "across the skin". In simple terms, a tens machine stimulates your nerves via an electrical current through your skin.

A tens machine is usually a small battery operated machine that produces pain relieving electrical pulses. Either two (single channel) or four (dual channel) self-adhesive tens machine electrodes are applied to the skin and attached to the tens machine with lead wires.

Modified electrical pulses are then passed from the tens machine, via the lead wires and tens electrodes, to the nerves which lie underneath the skin surface.

The tens machine electrodes are normally positioned over the area of pain but other more advanced tens applications may often prove better.  Your physiotherapist is an expert in the application of a tens machine.  If you are in doubt, please ask your physiotherapist or contact us at PhysioWorks for specific advice to assist your pain relief via a tens machine. 

Private Health Insurance Rebate Information

TENS Machine Health Fund Provider Rebates

What Conditions can a TENS Machine Help to Relieve Pain?

Your TENS machine is an electronic pain relieving machine that may assist you in the relief of pain associated with:

• Arthritis
• Back Pain
• Bursitis
• Childbirth (Labour Pain)
• Soft Tissue Injuries: eg Bruising, Sprains and Strains
• Headaches
• Joint Pain: Hip, Knee, Foot, Shoulder, Elbow, Hand
• Ligament Injuries
• Muscular Strains
• Neck Pain
• Period Pains
• Phantom Limb Pain (Post-Amputation)
• Post-Operative Pain
• Sciatica
• Sports Injury
• Tendonitis
• Tennis Elbow

What are the Benefits of using a TENS Machine?

• A TENS machine does not involve the use of drugs.

• A TENS machine is a strong electronic pain reliever. 

• A TENS machine is very powerful even though it is only battery powered. 

• A TENS machine is portable because they are battery powered. You can take your TENS machine anywhere.

• A TENS machine is commonly used as an alternative to epidurals and other drugs during childbirth.

How Does a TENS Machine Relieve Your Pain?

A number of systematic reviews or meta-analyses have confirmed that a TENS machine can be effective for postoperative pain, osteoarthritis, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. 

There are two main methods that a TENS machine uses to provide you with pain relief.

Pain Gating - Bombarding your nerves with "pleasant" sensations to override the pain signals. 

Stimulation of Chemical Release;- Endogenous Opioids and Serotonin

If you'd like to know more about the scientific rationale of how tens works, visit the following link:

How a TENS Machine Works? Scientific Explanation

How to Choose the Best TENS Machine for Your Needs

Choosing the Best TENS machine or EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulator) for your individual needs is often difficult.

To help you, PhysioWorks has designed a Quick Online Interactive TENS Machine Decision App.

Simply answer a few questions and the Best Tens Machine or EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulator) for your specific needs will be identified immediately.

TENS Machine Decision App to discover yours.