Mild Electrical Nerve Stimulation Specialists NYC

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, is a non-invasive pain relief therapy. NYC pain management specialists sometimes rely on TENS for treating certain types of pain — primarily muscle and nerve pain. Studies have shown that the technique works most of the time for most people, depending on the source of your pain.

The therapy uses electrodes attached to your bare skin over the painful area, often over muscles. When the electricity is turned on, a low-voltage pulse of electricity passes from the electrodes into your body, enlivening the nerves in the vicinity of the electrodes. The electricity flows through your skin into your body. In fact, “transcutaneous” simply means “through the skin.”

A Shocking Way to Relieve Pain

If you have never heard of TENS, you’re not alone. Although the idea of treating pain with electricity dates back to the 1960s, it’s only been fairly recently — after years of testing — that TENS has become more widely recognized as an effective pain relief therapy. The University of Rochester Medical Center suggests that mild electrical stimulation can best be used to treat nerve pain, such as:

What It Feels Like

But it’s not really shocking, in any sense of the word. The process takes only about 15 minutes, often including the set-up. Your pain management doctor in Manhattan sticks the electrodes to the outside of your skin with a small pad. The electrodes are attached to two wires. When your doctor turns on the power, the electrodes send a mild electrical current through your body.

You’ll likely feel some tingling while the electricity is moving through your body. It’s not painful, and it certainly feels better than the pain you had been feeling. Because the electrodes are placed over the areas that are causing the most pain, those areas get the most “juice.” When the treatment is over, you should feel immediate relief.

A Safe Solution to Pain

The only danger from TENS therapy stems from incorrect placement of the electrodes or too high a voltage. Your pain management specialist knows not to put the electrodes near your throat, eyes, heart or brain. Before your doctor turns on the power, he’ll ask if you’re pregnant or have a pacemaker or infusion pump. If you answer in the affirmative, you should not have the TENS treatment.

Otherwise, you can have a TENS treatment as often as you need pain relief. The pain-relieving effects of the therapy last for varying durations among different people, but it’s not considered a permanent solution. But as non-invasive pain relief therapies go, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is about the safest treatment you can get. Ask your NYC pain management doctor about it.

Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates
51 East 25th St, 4th Floor, Ste B
New York, NY 10010
(212) 533-3954