Comparison between TENS and EMS currents

Comparison between TENS and EMS currents:
 

Abbreviation for TENS:

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
Abbreviation for EMS:

Electrical Muscle Stimulation.

Functioning of TENS:

Melzack and Wall’s gate control theory and increased production of endorphins in the CNS.
Functioning of EMS:

muscle contraction – maintenance of contraction – relaxation of muscle tension.

Type of impulses used in TENS therapy:

symmetrical and asymmetrical bipolar rectangular pulses.
Type of impulses used in EMS therapy:

unipolar rectangular pulses.

Duration of treatment with TENS:

Approximately 30 minutes.
Duration of treatment with EMS:

Approximately 15 minutes.

Purpose of the treatment with TENS:

chronic analgesic therapy and stimulation of skeletal muscles.
Purpose of the treatment with EMS:

·         prevent or inhibit muscle spasms,

·         re-education of lost muscle function,

·         maintain or increase the range of motion in the joints,

·         protection against atrophy,

·         increase local blood circulation,

·         postoperative thrombosis prevention by stimulating the lower leg muscles,

·         in sports training: during warm-up, in exercises of strength, speed, resistance and press.

Indications for TENS:

·         disk disease,

·         degenerative joint disease,

·         joint pain and pain syndromes during rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis,

·         neuralgia and compression syndromes,

·         periarticular inflammation,

·         shingles,

·         postoperative pain,

·         other pain syndromes besides the cancerous origin,

·         partial injury to afferent nerve fibers,

·         muscle atrophy due to immobilization and partial denervation.
Indications for EMS:

Muscular injuries of various types

Contraindications for TENS and EMS:

·         patients with implanted electronic devices (such as pacemakers) or other implants (e.g. endoprosthesis, metal plates) should be consulted by a doctor before the treatment,

·         local acute inflammation in the area to be treated,

·         tendency to bleed,

·         thrombosis,

·         pregnancy,

·         changes in the skin at the points where the electrodes are applied,

·         cases in which the skin cannot be wet.