Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units utilize pads attached to a hand-held device that transmits electrical signals in order to relieve pain due to arthritis, injuries and other causes. Despite its effectiveness at relieving neck pain, TENS units pose a risk of some side effects.
Types of Common Side Effects
Skin irritation and redness at the site on your neck where you apply the pads are common side effects of TENS usage.
Solution
Rotating the exact spot on your neck where you place the electrodes and not reusing the same spot twice in back-to-back treatments helps to prevent some of the skin effects of the TENS unit.
Features
If too much current is allowed to pass through the unit into the pads, you are likely to develop muscle twitching in your neck. When this occurs, you should decrease the amount of current.
Warning
It is important not to place the TENS unit pads over the veins that travel through your neck to your throat or brain, as this has the potential to block blood flow. If you have epilepsy, using a TENS unit on your neck to relieve this pain could cause a seizure.
General Considerations
Because its effects upon fetal development are unknown, you should not use the TENS unit to treat any type of pain if you are pregnant. Additionally, you should not use a TENS unit if you have a pacemaker.
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