Remember the time when you have a sore back; you couldn’t sleep well at night? Back pain could be a result of improper sleeping posture, or maybe you just need to buy a new mattress. Having a painful lower and upper back could be annoying, especially if you have to go to work during the day. It gives you an unpleasant and uncomfortable feeling throughout the day, where you would constantly stretch your back to soothe the pain. That is why whenever you have a sore back, you always look for treatment to make it go away.
Interestingly, modern technology has developed different ways to treat back pain at home. If you have a sore lower back, taking some oral or topical medications could help you ease the pain. But the treatment doesn’t always have to be in the form of medicine. Some modern treatment uses a technology called “TENS,” which is a proven effective way to relieve lower back pain. What’s more interesting about this device is that you can use it in the comfort of your home. In this article, we are going to look into what TENS is and how we can use it to relieve lower back pain.
What is TENS?
You might be wondering what TENS is and what it can do to the body. TENS is an acronym for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, a therapy performed on a patient to reduce or relieve pain. TENS utilizes a low-voltage electrical current to stimulate the nerves and relieve pain.
Experts perform this therapy with the help of a TENS unit, a device that runs on a battery. A TENS unit works by placing electrodes on your skin, usually near nerves or trigger points, then sending electrical impulses through them.
How do TENS relieve lower back pain?
Now that we already have a brief idea of what TENS is, let us look into how exactly does it help in relieving pain. Despite the many claims that TENS can relieve back pain, its healing effects still lack scientific evidence. This technology has already been present since the mid 20th century, and during this time, scientific researches about pain were already being conducted. The concept of TENS is in accordance with the theory of pain, wherein stimulating the nerves results in the closure of gate mechanisms in the spinal cord. This would then cause the relief to the painful sensation felt at the back.
With this theory in mind, TENS therapy might be extremely helpful as it is done primarily to stimulate the nerves. As mentioned earlier, TENS treatment uses a device that attaches electrodes on the surface of the skin, which would then release a low-voltage electrical current to the body. This process will cause the gate mechanisms to close, which would relieve pain. With this said, the process is very simple: just place the electrodes on the skin at the back where you feel pain. Once the device is running, you will gradually feel comfort as the electrical impulses travel through the electrodes and into your body. After the treatment, you will be relieved from pain and feel a significant improvement in your lower back.
However, the effective effects of TENS still lack evidence to support its validity. Despite the various claims that TENS is an efficient way to treat lower back pain, it is still solely supported by theories and assumptions made by the early studies of pain. Besides the closure of gate mechanisms, it is also theorized that using TENS leads to the production of natural painkillers called endorphins. Endorphins are natural pain killers produced by the body. It helps the body relieve stress and pain, which is why it is a helpful chemical that could treat aching in the lower back.
Using TENS At Home
Over the years, TENS has become increasingly popular with adults and seniors because of the comfort it brings. Interestingly, TENS units have been introduced to the public market, wherein people can buy and use them at home. Having your own TENS unit is a great way to relieve lower back pain as it is easy to use and affordable. So if you are looking for a unique way to treat your back pain, using TENS is something you should definitely try.