This tens unit is a two channels, 3 mode unit an comes with it's own case, self-adhesive pads, electrodes, battery & instruction booklet. It's light weight and can be easily worn while going through your normal daily routine.
Because of its effectiveness, TENS therapy is used to treat back and cervical muscular and disc syndromes, RSD, arthritis, shoulder syndromes, neuropathies and other painful conditions.
TENS devices use a two-pronged approach to pain relief.
First, it targets your sensory nerves, stimulating them to block pain signals and prevent their transmission to the brain.
Second, TENS promotes production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain reducing substances.
So why do you need 2 channels and 3 modes?
First, having 2 channels means that there are two independent lead wires attached to the unit. Each lead wire can accommodate 2 electrodes. This gives you a total of 4-electrode placement areas. Now, instead of using only two electrodes to relieve the pain in your neck, you can now also treat the upper back area at the same time. Each set of electrodes can be controlled independently of each other. You can put the electrodes all on your neck if you would like as well. The unit is extremely versatile.
The unit has a Continuous mode, Modulation Mode and a Burst Mode. The Continuous mode allows you to apply a constant level of stimulation to the affected area. The Modulation mode allows the stimulation of the area to slowly move from a higher intensity to a lower intensity, minimizing the accommodation effects. Finally, there is the Burst mode, in which the pulses will be allowed out in bursts or ‘trains’, usually at a rate of a couple bursts per second.
Features:
Dual isolated channels, each controlled separately. Dual pulse amplitude, constant delivered current with burst mode, adjustable pulse width, modulation mode and asymetrical biphasic square pulse waveform.
The pain relief type of stimulation delivered by the TENS unit aims to excite (stimulate) the sensory nerves, and by so doing, activate specific natural pain relief mechanisms. For convenience, if one considers that there are two primary pain relief mechanisms which can be activated : the Pain Gate Mechanism and the Endogenous Opioid System, the variation in stimulation parameters used to activate these two systems will be briefly considered.
First, here is how the Pain Gate control theory works. Sensory messages traveling from stimulated nerves to the spinal cord-the body's pain highway. There, they are reprocessed and sent through open gates to the thalamus, the brain's depot for tactile information. Sharp pains, such as a sudden burn, stimulate different nerves than gnawing, dull pains. Once the nerve signal reaches the brain, the sensory information is processed in the context of the individual's current mood, state of attention, and prior experience. The integration of all this information influences the perception and experience of pain, and guides the individual's response.
The brain's response to these information will determine the extent of pain we get. If the brain sends a message back down to close the gate, the pain signals to the brain are blocked and we experience lower pain. (That message may be carried by endorphins, natural painkillers in the body that are chemically similar to morphine.) If the brain orders the pain gates to open wider, the pain signal intensifies and we can often feel debilitating pain such as migraine headache.
Pain relief by means of the pain gate mechanism involves activation (excitation) of the A beta sensory fibres, and by doing so, reduces the transmission of the noxious stimulus from the ‘c’ fibres, through the spinal cord and hence on to the higher centres. The A beta fibres appear to appreciate being stimulated at a relatively high rate (in the order of 90 - 130 Hz or pps). It is difficult to find support for the concept that there is a single frequency that works best for every patient, but this range appears to cover the majority of individuals.
An alternative approach is to stimulate the A delta fibres which respond preferentially to a much lower rate of stimulation (in the order of 2 - 5 Hz), which will activate the opioid mechanisms, and provide pain relief by causing the release of an endogenous opiate (encephalin) in the spinal cord which will reduce the activation of the noxious sensory pathways.
A third possibility is to stimulate both nerve types at the same time by employing a burst mode stimulation. In this instance, the higher frequency stimulation output (typically at about 100Hz) is interrupted (or burst) at the rate of about 2 - 3 bursts per second. When the machine is ‘on’, it will deliver pulses at the 100Hz rate, thereby activating the A beta fibres and the pain gate mechanism, but by virtue of the rate of the burst, each burst will produce excitation in the A delta fibres, therefore stimulating the opioid mechanisms. For some patients this is by far the most effective approach to pain relief, though is a sensation, numerous patients find it less acceptable than the other forms of TENS.
Special Note: This is for information only and is not meant to be a substitute for contacting your doctor and asking for the optimal settings to provide relief for your specific condition. To order this product, you need to fax your prescription to (609)259-3632.
REFERENCES Key papers/articles/texts Walsh, D. (1997), TENS: Clinical Applications & Related Theory, Churchill Livingstone Ellis, B. (1996), A retrospective study of long term users of TNS, Br J Therapy & Rehabilitation 3(2);88-93 Han, J. et al (1991), Effect of low and high frequency TENS on Met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe and dynorphin A immunoreactivity in human lumbar CSF Pain 47(3);295-298 Garrison, D & Foreman, R. (1994), Decreased activity of spontaneous & noxiously evoked dorsal horn cells during TENS, Pain 58(3);309-315 Walsh, D.& Baxter, D. (1996), Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation - A review of experimental studies, Eur J Med Rehabil 6(2);42-50 Roche, P. & Wright, A. (1990), An investigation into the value of TENS for arthritic pain. Physiotherapy Theory & Practice 6;25-33
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