Can TENS Therapy Finally Ease Your Fibromyalgia Pain?

New studies have found that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators and fibromyalgia therapy can deliver lasting pain management.

While it has been known that the therapy reduces pain at the point of application, a new study has revealed a way to increase pain tolerance beyond the therapy action for longer relief, which is making many people reconsider the use of TENS machines.

What is a TENS machine?

A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator is often called a TENS machine.

These small, portable devices consist of an impulse generator and two electrodes.

The electrodes are attached to the body, and the generator sends an electrical impulse through them to stimulate the muscles and nerves.

They are generally battery-operated and are now made as affordable home units.

How do you use it?

TENS machines are very easy to use. The electrodes are placed in pads that are then put over the area experiencing the pain.

A small electrical current is sent through the electrodes, crossing the muscles and nerves from one electrode to another.

This stimulates the muscle and nerve endings. In studies where the nerves are specifically targeted, this type of stimulation has increased the person’s ability to handle pain and decreased the amount of pain experienced.

The length of time and the current rate are set before you begin according to the recommended stimulation rates for that area of your body.

Are there any risks involved?

There are a few risks involved with using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators and fibromyalgia therapy.

You should follow the directions closely, as too high a charge or improper placement of the electrodes can result in a minor skin burn.

You should not use a TENS machine if you have a pacemaker or use it across the heart/chest region.

If you have a history of seizures, you should talk to your doctor before using one as well.

Special units designed for use on the head are available, but they are not recommended for home use and have not been studied for relief from fibromyalgia symptoms.

The only other caution associated with the units is that the pads must be changed after 6 to 8 uses.

Is a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator and fibromyalgia a good combination?

To the surprise of many doctors and scientists, there is demonstrable relief from fibromyalgia pain when transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator therapy is used.

The surprise comes from the failure of the TENS devices to provide relief for other muscle conditions. Still, for those with chronic pain – their ability to disrupt the pain impulse transmission is most effective.

TENS units have been shown to provide relief from pain during use, and there is an indication that methods of use can extend that pain relief beyond the therapy session.

To understand how this works, you have to understand the theory of pain management with fibromyalgia.

The theory of pain management with fibromyalgia

When you approach pain management with fibromyalgia, the common misconception is that the goal is to eradicate the pain.

Fibromyalgia is very difficult to treat as the pain is chronic and pervasive. There are no means to eliminate the pain, but there are very many different ways that you can reduce the pain levels to manageable amounts so you can do more with your life.

Pain management allows you to then approach lifestyle changes that will further decrease the pain you experience and build up resiliency for flare-ups.

Many people give up on lifestyle changes because they are still experiencing pain and turn to increasingly higher doses of pain medication for relief.

The risk of the higher doses of pain medication eradicates the short-term benefit of their use.

What science found makes it most effective

While studies have found that transcutaneous nerve electrical stimulators and fibromyalgia pain can work together to relieve pain in the very short term, another study looked at how to prolong that relief.

It has been found that when exercise is combined with the use of the TENS unit, women with fibromyalgia experience longer-lasting relief from their trigger pain points than with either done without the other.

Doing fibromyalgia stretching and trigger point exercises can help you build an effective routine.

Use the TENS machine before you exercise to loosen the muscles and reduce the pain so you can do more movement. This will allow you to decrease your pain and increase mobility quickly.

Once a routine of exercise and TENS use was established, results generally equaled the pain relief provided by low doses of pharmaceuticals.

Other aspects of fibromyalgia management that are needed

In addition to combining exercise and stretching with the use of a TENS machine, studies have shown that engaging in alternative and complementary therapies for fibromyalgia can do much to improve the quality of your life.

There are things to avoid and seek out in your daily diet that will help reduce flare-ups, such as exercise and movement programs designed for those with stiffness and joint pain, stress reduction techniques, and natural supplements.

All of these should be a part of your toolkit for treating and managing fibromyalgia.

There is no known cure for the disorder, but much more is known about what can be done to make your quality of life better while living with fibromyalgia.

Talking to your doctor about TENS

Talk to your doctor about transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators and fibromyalgia therapies.

There are many different kinds of units available, and therapy can be done at home. There is little risk involved, so it can be worth a try.

You should discuss the result with your doctor, as they may have different suggestions for placement and time ranges of the therapy to increase the benefits you receive.

Resources

http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/early/2014/10/28/ptj.20140218.abstract

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/224820048_Efficacy_of_supervised_exercise_combined_with_transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation_in_women_with_fibromyalgia_a_prospective_controlled_study

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304395913004119

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23900134