Pain management treatments can drastically improve your quality of life when dealing with constant muscle soreness, injuries, or short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) health conditions. Pain can cause discomfort, and it can gradually or immediately show up. The intensity of pain differs depending on your injury or health condition. Pain can present itself as a burning, throbbing, sharp, or radiating (shooting) sensation. Fortunately, there are now various effective pain management treatments available. Physiotherapy, pain specialists, oral pain medications, electrotherapy are all effective treatments for pain. Most of these pain management treatments need professional healthcare help. However, you can perform electrotherapy treatments with a personal mini TENS machine. Electrotherapy uses electrical impulses to help reduce your pain via nerve stimulation. The iTENS device from iTENS Australia can effectively stimulate your nerves for pain relief.
There are other home remedies for self-pain management. However, none of them come close to the long-lasting effects of a mini TENS machine. The other viable options for pain management are hot and cold packs. Their effects can last from a few minutes to one to two hours only. On the other hand, TENS device users report pain relief from four up to ten hours and have the possibility of lasting even longer. Moreover, another advantage TENS therapy has over traditional home remedies is that it is easy to set up. You can turn on the device and have your pain management treatment ready.
Mini TENS Machine: What is a TENS Machine?
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a form of electrotherapy that uses low-voltage electrical currents for nerve stimulation. Stimulation with a mini TENS machine falls under the “Gate Control Theory” of pain management. This theory states that constant electrical stimulation to our nerves can cause the closure of specific sensory pathways. These pathways are where our pain signals pass through to reach our brains. Closure of these pathways blocks away the pain signals, thus, reducing the pain we’d typically feel. Devices like the iTENS from iTENS Australia can help include the Gate Control theory. Moreover, these devices are available for personal use, allowing users to perform effective pain management treatments in their homes.
TENS Therapy can also induce endorphin release. Endorphins are our body’s natural painkillers. Furthermore, these hormones can also cause other positive effects on our bodies. People also refer to this hormone as the “happy hormone” because of its effects. Additionally, this hormone can help improve a user’s comfort during TENS therapy. Using a mini TENS machine to increase endorphin release can help with:
- Pain reduction
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Mood
- Relaxation
- Sleep (due to the relaxation TENS therapy provide)
Owning a Mini TENS Machine
There are plenty of advantages to owning a mini TENS machine for pain management. Firstly, always having a TENS machine ready with your can drastically help improve your comfort throughout the day. Pain can appear at any time, and it is unpredictable. A highly compact TENS device like the iTENS from iTENS Australia can help you treat your pain anywhere and anytime. Secondly, TENS devices are now easy to use. The iTENS, for example, allows you to start your pain management treatments with just a push of a button. Lastly, TENS devices are highly versatile, and they can treat almost any area with ease. TENS devices induce pain relief via nerve stimulation, and this can help reduce the pain symptoms from health conditions like:
Moreover, a mini TENS machine can also help treat many different areas. You can also use TENS therapy to treat:
- Neck pain
- Lower back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Wrist pain
- Elbow pain
- Knee pain
- Ankle pain
Purchasing a Mini TENS Machine: iTENS
When looking for a mini TENS machine, it is essential always to consider the device’s convenience and effectiveness. The iTENS from iTENS Australia can meet both of those requirements because of the innovative features. Firstly, the iTENS is an entirely wireless device capable of Bluetooth connection. This connection allows the iTENS to connect to smartphones seamlessly. Having a smartphone connection allows the user to access the iTENS app. Users can use the iTENS app to activate and control the iTENS wirelessly. Furthermore, users can use the app and select the available pre-set treatment parameters. This feature allows users to start their pain management treatments by pressing a button. Moreover, having pre-set treatment parameters can significantly benefit users who don’t have much electrotherapy experience. Users with limited experience can still treat themselves effectively with optimal treatment parameters.
To help improve comfort and add personalization during treatments, the iTENS mini TENS machine also has a “manual mode” users can choose. This mode allows you to manually set your intensity, frequency, pulse width, and duration. Furthermore, this model can help users accommodate the electrical stimulation more steadily at their own pace.
Using the iTENS
When using a mini TENS machine, it is essential to remember to always put on the device first before turning it on. Attaching it to your skin first can help prevent sudden electric shocks. Next, pair it with your smartphone once you attach the iTENS to your skin. Through the iTENS app, you can easily select a form of treatment for a specific body area or health condition. For example, you can choose the “sciatica” option from the iTENS app when treating sciatic pain. Moreover, it is also crucial for users to pay attention to their pad placements. Effective pad placement can drastically help with the effectiveness of the nerve stimulation. Therefore, users should ensure that they are placing the pads correctly. You can set the pads around, near, or just over the painful site. It is best to have the painful area between two electrode pads.
Pad sizing is another critical aspect people should consider when using a mini TENS machine. It is essential always to have the right size for the specific body area. For example, a small electrode pad might not be enough for regions like the back. When using the iTENS, you can use the large electrode wing pads for areas like the back. For smaller areas like the wrist and ankle, you can use the small iTENS wing pads. Furthermore, you can use the long electrode wing pads for elongated treatment areas like the back down to the leg (conditions like sciatica).
Are TENS Devices Safe?
Electrotherapy with TENS devices like the iTENS from iTENS Australia is a non-toxic, safe, and all-natural pain and stress relief method. Unlike some oral pain medications, TENS devices do not have any adverse side effects. This allows users to buy and use a mini TENS machine without worry. Moreover, you can use a TENS device throughout the day. However, it is essential to remember to take 20-minute breaks in between sessions. Furthermore, the iTENS unit has FDA clearance to be a safe personal pain relief device. Additionally, before purchasing your first TENS device, you may consult a doctor or physiotherapist to ask them about the benefits of electrotherapy. People with epilepsy, cancer patients, and people with cardiac pacemakers should avoid TENS machines.
