What do stim pads do?
The primary purpose of e-stim therapy is to simulate what happens in the body when you voluntarily contract and release a muscle many times in a row. This process strengthens and repairs tissue, particularly muscles which have become shortened, weakened, or atrophied due to injury or disease.
How does a stim unit work?
A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) sends electrical pulses through the skin to start your body's own pain killers. The electrical pulses can release endorphins and other substances to stop pain signals in the brain. TENS can reduce pain.
How long should you do stim for?
You can safely use a TENS machine as often as you like. Usually for 30-60 minutes up to 4 times daily. TENS can provide relief for up to four hours.
How many times a day should you stim?
You can begin with one 15-minute therapy session. Repeat for another 15 minutes if needed. Use up to three times per day at a maximum. During each therapy, rate your pain before and after the session, 1 (low) to 10 (high) in order to gauge the true reduction of pain.
Does electrical stimulation help nerve damage?
All experimental results indicated that electrical stimulation facilitates regeneration of injured nerve; direct stimulation caused better recovery than TENS with respect to functional and morphological parameters during the six weeks of the experiment.
Where should TENS pads not be placed?
Never place the pads over:the front or sides of your neck.your temples.your mouth or eyes.your chest and upper back at the same time.irritated, infected or broken skin.varicose veins.numb areas.
Can you Alpha-Stim too much?
Since the Alpha-Stim® works at a level of electricity similar to the body's own bioelectricity, generally no harm can come from its overuse. However, prolonged ear clip treatment at higher than necessary current intensity may cause dizziness or nausea.
Can TENS cause nerve damage?
In addition, although short-term electrical stimulation is not damaging to nervous tissue, chronic electrical stimulation can damage nerve structure.
Can I overuse a TENS unit?
TENS is safe, so you can use it as much as you like, although it's good practice to take regular 10-minute breaks every hour or so. Some people use TENS for more than five hours a day. It may be worth buying a TENS machine for home use.
What does estim feel like?
You'll get a tingly, “pins and needles” feeling at the site. Depending on the type of e-stim, you may feel a muscle twitch or contract repeatedly. Each e-stim therapy session may last 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the condition being treated.
Can you sleep with TENS machine on?
Can I sleep with a TENS machine on? It is not recommended to use Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation while you are sleeping. This doesn't mean you can't lie down on the bed for labor pain relief, or for back pain management, using TENS on your lower back.
Can TENS unit help with weight loss?
Surprisingly, without modifying their exercise or diet, the EMS did indeed cause significant effects on decreasing waist circumference, abdominal obesity, subcutaneous fat mass, and body fat percentage, leading the researchers to conclude: “The use of the high-frequency current therapy may be beneficial for reducing ...