Medisana TDB Manual page 24

GB
2 Useful Information
2.1
Valuable information
about stimulation
current
2.2
Fighting pain
(TENS)
18
Your Medisana back pain treatment unit is a TENS/EMS device.
TENS = Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
EMS = Electric Muscle Stimulation
It provides treatment in the low frequency range using the TENS/EMS
method. Using this method, weak electrical pulses are conducted through
the skin using the electrodes thus stimulating muscles, nerve fibres and
acupuncture meridians in order to utilise the body's own pain relief
mechanisms.
Stimulation current is used primarily to combat pain.
TENS is understood as electrical nerve stimulation through the skin.
Pain is a natural and important warning signal of our body telling us that
"something is wrong". If the reason for pain is diagnosed, but cannot or can
only partially removed, a long-lasting, persistent pain evolves (= chronic
pain). Now, this is in its former function as warning signal useless and can
largely affect the life of the person suffering, maybe even cause after-
effects like tensions, depression or less joy of living.
Chronic pain can be treated with different methods: e.g. with medicaments
or operations, but also with alternative, methods like acupuncture or TENS
that are free of side-effects.
On the one hand, the TENS treatment can block pain signals by interrupting
the transmission of impulses through the skin to the painful parts by means
of electric impulses. The signal "pain" is not given on to the brain and thus
not felt as pain.
On the other hand, special TENS applications activate the body's control
mechanisms. Gentle electric currents make the body to release so-called
"endorphins" that function as pain reducer. The pain is thus stopped, eased
or removed by the body itself.
This electrical stimulation cannot remove the causes or cure the disease, but
change the painful feeling. Painless conditions or conditions freed of pain
can help the chronically suffering person to make new, positive experiences,
from which he or she can gain power and energy.