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Acute or Chronic Pain | Acute or Chronic Pain | ||
Benefits of Electrotherapy | '''Benefits of Electrotherapy ''' | ||
Electrotherapy includes a range of treatments using electricity to reduce pain, improve circulation, repair tissues, strengthen muscles, and promote bone growth, leading to improvements in physical functioning. | Electrotherapy includes a range of treatments using electricity to reduce pain, improve circulation, repair tissues, strengthen muscles, and promote bone growth, leading to improvements in physical functioning. | ||
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*Improvement in the effectiveness in delivering prescription drugs-electromotive drug administration (EMDA) | *Improvement in the effectiveness in delivering prescription drugs-electromotive drug administration (EMDA) | ||
'''Side Effects of Electrotherapy''' | |||
'''Cautions''' | |||
This machine is basically an electrotherapy pain relief device, and you should use it sparingly. Ask your doctor how many times you should use the machine, for some it will be daily and others weekly. Don't overuse your machine, you should change how often you use it based on your injury, your pain levels, and other factors. | |||
Always make sure your machine has full batteries before activating it. Turn both knobs down all the way before turning it on and make sure to clean your skin first with rubbing alcohol. Make sure your skin is dry and apply gel to both electrodes. You should use a sticky pad to hold the electrodes in place, do not hold them with your hands or duct tape. | |||
'''The Place of Pads''' | |||
Do not place pads in a way that directs the current through the chest wall (i.e. by placing one electrode on the back and the other opposite this on the front of the chest) | |||
Do not place pads on the front of your neck. | |||
This risks stimulating the carotid sinus, which could cause cardiac problems (usually hypotension) | |||
Do not apply pads over the eyes | |||
Do not place pads across the temples on the head | |||
Do not place pads over incisions or broken skin, sores and areas of eczema and psoriasis | |||
Do not use with very high intensity if you find that your skin feels like it burns (dermal reaction due to electrical irritation) | |||
'''Side Effects and solutions (sometimes)''' | |||
Side Effect : Skin Irritation or Burning | |||
What to do : Always clean you skin before applying the machine, ensure that pads are sticky enough, change the position of pads | |||
Side Effect : Increased pain, muscle twitching or muscle soreness | |||
What to do: Lower the intensity level | |||
Side Effect : Skin Allergy | |||
What to do : Change the conductive gel | |||
Burn Marks | |||
Damage to Open Wounds | |||
If TENS unit pads are placed on or too close to open wounds or damaged skin, the wound can become further irritated. The wound may also take longer to heal. Because of this, avoid placing electrode pads on or near damaged skin | |||
Potential fetal harm | |||
Muscle Pain and soreness | |||
Loss of muscular control | |||
Unpleasant electric shocks to the Skin | |||
'''Don't use if..''' | |||
If you are in your first trimester of pregnancy | |||
If you have numbness or less feeling over a painful area | |||
If you have pre-existing lymphoedema. | |||
T.E.N.S. may affect lymphatic circulation, causing further fluid retention. Issues of skin integrity should also be considered | |||
If you have a pacemaker | |||
If you have a cardiac condition | |||
If you currently have Cancer or if you have previously had cancer | |||
If you have recently experienced unexplained noticeable weight loss | |||
If you have undiagnosed pain | |||
If you have epilepsy | |||
If you have had a stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident – CVA) or mini-stroke (Transient Ischemic Attack – TIA) | |||
If you are driving or operating potentially dangerous machinery | |||
If you are in the shower | |||
T.E.N.S. can be used for either acute (recent or short-term) or chronic (long-term) pain. The settings on the T.E.N.S. unit can be adjusted to more effectively treat either type of pain. Again, a physical therapist can assess your pain and advise you on the settings that would be best for your type of pain. The two electrodes that attach to the TENS machine are called the anode and the cathode. The anode is positively charged, and sometimes represented by a + (plus) sign (sometimes coloured black). The cathode is negatively charged, and sometimes represented by a - (minus) sign (sometimes coloured red). The electrical current travels from the anode to the cathode, so the sensation is often stronger under the anode. | T.E.N.S. can be used for either acute (recent or short-term) or chronic (long-term) pain. The settings on the T.E.N.S. unit can be adjusted to more effectively treat either type of pain. Again, a physical therapist can assess your pain and advise you on the settings that would be best for your type of pain. The two electrodes that attach to the TENS machine are called the anode and the cathode. The anode is positively charged, and sometimes represented by a + (plus) sign (sometimes coloured black). The cathode is negatively charged, and sometimes represented by a - (minus) sign (sometimes coloured red). The electrical current travels from the anode to the cathode, so the sensation is often stronger under the anode. |
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