In 1780, Luigi Galvani conducted an experiment that proved that electricity is an integral component of animal biology. Galvani connected a pair of wires to a pair of amputated frogs legs and observed that the amphibian’s limbs would twitch whenever he introduced an electric current.
This ‘bioelectricity’ became a controversial topic that attracted the interest of many prominent scientists and physicians. Other investigators of bioelectricity, who include Nikola Tesla and Dr Golding Bird, saw the potential use of electric currents in medicine. Consequently, the TENS therapy offered at our Activa Clinics facility in Kitchener is the culmination of centuries of research in the field of electrotherapy.
Conditions
Braces and supports help in a variety of situations, such as recovering from an injury or just leading an active lifestyle and needing to protect your joints. Here are just a few examples of when braces and straps can help:
Injuries
Post-operative rehab
Joint conditions like Arthritis
Conditions related to Athletic Injuries
Jobs involving heavy lifting or repetitive motions
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
Patellar Tendonitis (Jumper’s Knee) and conditions related to Runner’s Knee
- Tendinitis/Tendonitis in your legs or hands that makes using affected limbs difficult due to excruciating pain
- Tumours in your hands or legs that cause severe chronic pain
- Arthritis in your Hands, Wrist, Fingers and Knees which makes carrying out everyday tasks difficult and turns walking into a nightmare.
Note that the conditions listed above are not exhaustive of the vast array of ailments that we remedy using TENS Therapy at our facility in Kitchener. Activa Clinics TENS Therapy is also suitable for post-traumatic and post-surgical acute pain, and labour pain.
To truly appreciate why TENS Therapy is an effective treatment for chronic and intermittent pain, you need to first familiarize yourself with the four pillars of electrotherapy.
- The pain that you ‘feel’ is generated in your brain, whereby this versatile organ translates electrical signals from special sensory receptors called nociceptors.
- Nociceptors feature free nerve endings that detect changes within your muscles, joints, digestive tract, skin, eye corneas, oesophagus and trachea.
- Nociceptor nerve endings can detect chemical, mechanical, and thermal changes in various parts of your body.
- When nociceptors detect internal changes, the Pain signals they transmit first reach the Peripheral Nervous System before the Central Nervous System which ultimately conveys the signals to the brain.
Medical researchers have proposed three mechanisms to explain the efficacy of TENS electrotherapy in combating pain.
The electric current applied during a TENS Therapy session overloads the nociceptors within the targeted region, be it your hand, leg or back. The outcome is that these specialized pain receptors become incapable of transmitting pain signals to your brain.
As a consequence, you experience instantaneous pain relief, an effect that can last up to 2 hours after your TENS session.
This mechanism presents a different view in that it’s based on the brain’s natural pain management system. During a TENS Therapy session, applied electrical signals reach your brain where they cause the pituitary gland to release natural opioid neuropeptides, otherwise known as endorphins.
The endorphins proceed to overwhelm all sensory input from nociceptors, resulting in effective pain relief. Note this pain relief persists as long as endorphin levels remain high, which explains why TENS Therapy is effective up to 2 hours after your session.
- TENS Induces a Placebo Effect
This mechanism is somewhat similar to the proposed effect of TENS Therapy on the brain’s natural pain management system. Some researchers propose that you enter a Placebo state while undergoing TENS Therapy whereby the pituitary gland in your brain begins to secrete pain-combating endorphins. Consequently, you experience pain-relief that can last up to 2 hours after your TENS Therapy procedure.
The frequency of your TENS therapy sessions at Activa Clinics’ Kitchener rehabilitation center depends on two factors:-
- The severity of your condition, i.e., the extent of hand functionality limitation due to intense intermittent/chronic pain
- The rate of recurrence of your condition, e.g., whether the condition that’s causing you partial/complete loss of hand functionality is short-term or life-long.
If your condition exhibits severe wrist pain, you can undergo TENS therapy at Activa Clinics once every three days, with up to 1o sessions per month, i.e., regardless of whether the pain is due to a short-term or lifelong muscoloskeletal condition.
Furthermore, most lifelong conditions like Arthritis of the hands often require longterm TENS therapy treatment, with a session frequency as low as once or twice every month.
Your Activa Clinics’ TENS Therapy session at our Kitchener rehabilitation center is simple and straightforward. First, a HTCC certified physiotherapist begins the session by carefully cleaning the skin overlying the part of your body exhibiting chronic or intermittent pain.
He/she does this using rubbing alcohol to remove all traces of contaminants that can inhibit electrical impulses, i.e., body lotions, creams, gel, moisturizers, etc.
Next, the Kitchener physiotherapist places self-adhesive electrodes on the periphery of the target region. However, it may be necessary to place the electrodes at two different locations, depending on the severity of pain that your condition manifests, i.e.,
- At the nerve root of your Peripheral Nervous System located on the spine, if your condition manifests intense pain in your shoulder, back, forearm, elbow or other body part.
- At muscle trigger spots if your particular condition is localized within a muscular region of your body, as with muscle sprains and shin splints.
Once the electrodes are in place, your Kitchener Activa Clinics physiotherapist then progressively adjusts the Frequency and Intensity of the applied electrical signal until pain relief manifests within the target region. He/she then ensures you are comfortable during the 20 -30minute duration of your TENS session.
Note that while TENS Therapy is effective at alleviating pain, people undergoing this physiotherapy often complain about a buzzing, tingling, or prickling sensation. Fortunately, this unnerving sensation diminishes after a few minutes into your TENS Therapy session.
You leap several benefits when you book a TENS Therapy sessions at Activa’s Kitchener Clinic, which include: –
- TENS Electrotherapy helps to speeds up wound healing
- TENS Therapy allows muscles to relax which alleviates intense pain
- TENS electrotherapy is crucial in preventing muscle atrophy such as when a body part is immobilized with an orthotic brace or plaster cast.
- TENS Increases local blood circulation in the affected area which accelerates healing
- TENS Therapy alleviates post-traumatic and post-surgical pain
- TENS Therapy is suitable for a wide array of conditions
- TENS Electrotherapy is suited for nerve degeneration that occurs due to Diabetes
- TENS lowers the consumption of expensive prescription pain medication
- Kitchener TENS Therapy combines multiple therapeutic techniques, including massage therapy, nerve block injections, yoga, etc.
Do not hesitate to call our 1-800 number, email us with the specifics of your condition or visit our Kitchener facility for expert and effective TENS Therapy treatment.
Choosing the Right Brace
With the wide variety of braces available, it can be hard to find the right one for you, as there are knee sleeves, knee straps, knee braces and back braces for lower back pain to choose from, but our experienced medical professionals can help.
Cost and Coverage
Our team includes physiotherapists, kinesiologists, chiropractors, and more. They have a thorough understanding of biomechanics and how to keep you moving properly. By analyzing your issues and goals, they will help you find the best solution. To learn more about our functional braces and straps, give us a call or schedule a consultation today.
Visit one of our conveniently located clinics that serve communities in and around Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, Scarborough, or Kitchener.
Kitchener Tens Therapy | Activa Clinics FAQs
Does TENS Therapy Make You Sore?
No. Any side-effects you are likely to experience as a result of TENS Therapy take the form of a mild prickling/tingling sensation while undergoing physiotherapy. This slight discomfort typically disappears once your TENS therapy session is complete.
Will TENS Therapy Help Meniscus Tear?
Yes. TENS Therapy for your Meniscus Tear can help combat the intense knee pain associated with this condition. The reason being, this therapeutic procedure effectively overrides the numerous nociceptors located within the knee joint, providing you with instantaneous pain relief. Furthermore, the pain-relief that TENS provides can last up to 2 hours after the therapy.
Do You Need a Prescription for Tens Treatment?
No. You do not need a prescription for TENS Therapy treatment. However, it is advisable to consult your physician before scheduling a TENS session. Doing so eliminates the risk of aggravating an existing condition, including epilepsy, cardiac arrhythmia, etc.