6 Things to Consider When Opting for Electrotherapy Machines
What is an Electrotherapy Machine?
Electrotherapy machines, also known as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Units, are now popular among patients with chronic pain due to fibromyalgia, arthritis, menstruation and sports injury. These machines are also beneficial for those who have undergone surgery or multiple surgeries and experience excruciating aches as a side effect of the surgery. The machines send two kinds of electric pulses, one in high frequency and the other in low frequency, to block the pain transmission and release endorphins respectively. If you have made up your mind to buy an electrotherapy machine for your personal or professional use, then we will guide you how to do that.
Tips to Choose a Suitable Electrotherapy Machine:
With the proliferation of various models of electrotherapy machines in the market, choosing the right kind can be a perplexing task at times, especially if you are not familiar with the technology involved. Different Tens units have different modes of operation, and some guidance from experts will prove to be helpful:
- The intensity of the output: Before you opt for electrotherapy machines, check out the digits that represent the output intensity and the respective settings. Give particular attention to the mA numbers, as these indicate the force of the electrical waves used by the machine. The greater the magnitude of the digits, the greater is the impact on your pain-affected zones.
- The battery life of the machine: The recharge facility of the battery is another factor that must be taken into consideration. There are many inexpensive units that operate finely on 3AA or 9-volt batteries. On the surface, these might seem like a practical choice, but for a daily user, the annual cost will be too high to be paid. So, go for a model that runs on rechargeable batteries or the ones that have a decent battery life.
- The range of power: When you select electrotherapy machines, make sure that the power potential is within acceptable levels. Pain tolerance levels vary from person to person, and it is natural that you would want a unit that is intense but does not hurt. The machines with lower price ends have a very low power potential top limit and hence, no substantial benefit is achieved. Eventually, one has to upgrade one’s machine to a better version, resulting in unnecessary expenditures.
- The number of electrode pads: The greater the number of the electrode pads in the electrotherapy machine, the greater will be the surface area covered. These work as output channels. If the pain is in smaller areas, like an ankle or wrist, then a unit with two electrode pads would suffice. However, if the pain areas are multiple or if there are multiple injuries on your body, you need to opt for an electrotherapy machine with at least four electrode pads. The same goes for treating pain in broad areas like the shoulders and the hips.
- Mode of the machine: Electrotherapy machines come with different electronic modes to cater to various kinds of pain. You can adjust the mode according to your requirements. A few modern low-priced models come with very less number of modes, while the high-quality ones have a wider range of modes. It is, therefore, advisable to buy higher quality units as wider the range of modes, the greater is the satisfaction of the user.
- Customer Service: Although this might seem trivial, reliable customer service is an essential factor when it comes to purchasing an electrotherapy machine. Should there be any technical fault in your machine, you need to consult an expert to address your concerns in the gadget. If the company is reputed, they can easily provide you with one such consultant. They should be able to guide you at least via phone or email.
With these tips, you will be able to choose the right kind of electrotherapy machine that suits your need. There are many electrotherapy machines within a reasonable rate which are portable and can be used at home. These will help you recover from your pains without using prescriptive drugs.
AUTHOR BIO:
This post was written by Melissa Hamler, a professional blogger who loves to write on various topic blogs. I hope the above piece written by me about 6 Things to Consider when Opting for Electrotherapy Machines will help the readers.