Introduction - Chattanooga Group Intelect TENS Manual Del Usuario

INTRODUCTION:

What is Pain: Pain warns our body of injury. This warning system is intended to prevent additional
damage. The sensation of pain is important, because without it, vital parts of our bodies might be
injured without our knowledge. However, long lasting and persistent pain, often called chronic pain,
once diagnosed, serves no apparent purpose. TENS is developed to help relieve certain types of
chronic and acute pain.
How Does TENS Work? TENS or Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation refers to the transmission of
small electrical pulses through the skin to the underlying peripheral nerves. The theory of TENS
suggests two different modes of operation:
Conventional (high frequency) TENS is based on the theory that continuous mild electrical activity may
block the pain signal traveling to the brain. If the pain signal does not get through to the brain, the pain
is not "felt."
The second way TENS is thought to work is by stimulating the body's own natural pain-control
mechanism. "Low frequency" or short bursts of electrical activity may cause the body to release its
own pain relieving substances, called endorphins. Ask your physician or therapist for more details. No
matter what pain theory is used, TENS has been proven useful in pain management for many pain
patients.
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