Living with chronic neck pain can prevent you from living a fulfilling life. Unfortunately, there is no single remedy for neck pain. What works for one patient may not work for the other. Some patients will respond well to pain relievers, while others will respond better to physical therapy. Other patients may need a different solution to help in relieving their neck pain. It is, therefore, essential to know about the available options when seeking treatment for neck pain.
Electrotherapy is among the latest treatments developed for managing chronic pain. It involves the use of mild electrical impulses to kill discomfort in a particular part of the body. Electrotherapy utilizes a device with electrodes to deliver low-voltage electrical pulses to parts of the body where you are experiencing pain.
Electrotherapy is nowadays used in pain management because it provides an alternative to prescription medicine. Some medicines used in chronic pain management have adverse effects on patients. Electrotherapy enables patients to manage their pain without having to deal with the side effects of conventional medicine.
There are different types of electrotherapy treatments that you can choose from. The type of electrotherapy treatment you choose to manage pain will depend on the source and severity of the pain. It is recommended that you talk to a health professional before using electrotherapy to treat pain. Most of the time, a chiropractor or physical therapist will need to test these devices in their offices before you can use them for pain management. Electrotherapy devices come at different prices, and the cheapest one will cost you about $20. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is the most common among electrotherapy devices, and it can be used to manage neck pain.
A TENS unit is a simple battery-operated device that resembles the equipment used to revive a patient during a heart attack. The device comprises of sticky pads that you place on the part of the body where you feel pain. Your physician or chiropractor will show you the best areas to place the sticky pads.
Using TENS Unit to Treat Neck Pain
TENS therapy involves the use of TENS device to manage acute and chronic pain. The electrodes from the TENS unit are placed on the part of the body in pain. The device then sends current through the electrodes, which stimulate the nerves. Once the TENS device is turned on, it creates a tingling sensation that helps to reduce the pain. The device also comes with a hand-held controller that lets you select from a range of options. For instance, you can choose between low frequency and high-frequency current as well as sophisticated stimulation patterns.
Many patients who chose TENS therapy are introduced to it during physical therapy sessions or by a chiropractor. Therefore, by the time you decide to purchase the TENS unit, you already know how to use it and whether it can help in managing your neck pain. Nowadays, TENS products are marketed as wearable devices. The device is strapped to your body, for instance, to a leg, knee, or shoulder from where it delivers current to the affected body part. Mostly, these devices aren’t visible under clothing.
Does TENS Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain Management Work?
TENS therapy is the most used treatment for managing chronic and acute neck pain. It may come as a surprise to learn that there have been no conclusive studies on the effectiveness of TENS therapy. However, numerous tests on these devices have shown that they can help in pain management. Patients who use TENS therapy report feeling better after undergoing the treatment. But how long does the pain relief last?
After a session of TENS therapy, some patients can experience pain relief for up to 24 hours. However, for other patients, pain relief is short-lived. Considering that TENS therapy produces varying results for different patients, it’s always essential to test the device for your type of pain before buying it. The effectiveness of TENS therapy will mostly depend on the location and the intensity of the pain.
TENS therapy provides more benefits than any other pain management treatment. It is an all-natural pain relief solution that doesn’t come with the side effects of prescription medication. It’s a great alternative, especially for individuals seeking to avoid the effects of opioids. TENS therapy also stimulates the release of endorphin hormones, which is the body’s natural pain reliever. TENS therapy is versatile since it can be used for various conditions, including fibromyalgia, back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, diabetic neuropathy, cancer-related pain, chronic fatigue, osteoporosis pain, among others.
Do you have chronic pain, and you want to learn how TENS therapy can help? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our doctors. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
