How to use a TENS units & EMS machines for depression and anxiety? Placement of electrode pads (UK)

Disorders such as anxiety and depression are among the most common mental conditions among people of all ages. The severity of these disorders varies from case to case, and the most severe cases can alter the sufferer's lifestyle. For this reason, once the case is diagnosed, it is necessary to apply methods to increase the levels of dopamine and endorphins to reduce the symptoms of depression.

This is where methods such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation come into action, which can be applied on certain patients with anxiety and depression to improve their condition. Below, we will teach you everything you need to know about the most common symptoms of these mental disorders, and how to use TENS therapy to reduce their symptoms.

How to use a TENS electrostimulator for anxiety?

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation offers a variety of positive effects related to the treatment of anxiety symptoms. Among the most outstanding benefits, we can highlight the following.

Benefits

TENS therapy is one of the safest physical therapy modalities, with great potential to treat the symptoms of depression, in addition to offering a large number of benefits for this purpose, among which we can highlight:

• Promotes relaxation: the electrical impulses of the TENS unit, adjusted to an intermediate frequency, promote relaxation of the muscular and fibrous tissue of the treated area.
• Eliminates any sensation of pain: it is an excellent method to reduce ailments caused by stress, helping to relieve it
• Increases the production of endorphins: TENS electrical impulses increase the production of serotonin and endorphins, which can create a general feeling of relief, in addition to reducing general ailments
• Allows to reduce the consumption of medication: as an alternative method for the treatment of depression, it complements perfectly with the use of prescribed drugs, thus allowing to reduce their use.

What intensity to use?

While the conventional application for the treatment of ailments by means of TENS therapy stipulates the standard intensity as an average between 80 and 100 Hz, the treatment of disorders such as depression and anxiety is not within the conditions that can be treated with conventional use.

Due to the positioning of the electrodes required for effective treatment, it is imperative to apply very low frequencies to achieve the desired effects, with the appropriate intensity threshold being between 2 and 4 Hz, with pulses of between 100 and 400 microseconds in duration.

Best TENS machines to combat depression without drugs

One of the main objectives for most people suffering from depression is to be able to treat and combat it using as few drugs as possible, so, in the search for alternatives, it is important to consider electrostimulation devices with appropriate programs for use. Among these machines, we can highlight the following:

The physiotherapy brand Beurer offers its users one of the most versatile electrostimulation devices that can be found on the market. It is the Beurer EM59, which contains an incredible 4-in-1 function that allows you to apply therapeutic massage, muscle stimulation, nerve stimulation and heat therapy, providing a completely different level of relief to its users with its more than 70 programs and 50 intensity levels.

This powerful electrostimulation equipment offers immediate relief for almost any type of ailment using stimulation methods that stimulate the production of natural pain relieving agents within the body. It also works as an effective methods to accelerate muscle growth and regeneration, while combining with heat therapy to provide one of the most complete treatments you will find.

Omron has a wide range of electrostimulation devices in stock, including Omron HeatTens, which combines the therapeutic effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with the effective method of heat therapy, resulting in one of the most complete relaxation and pain relief effects available on the market.

Its operation is really simplified, having 6 preset programs that focus on treating different areas of the body, which you can customize by modifying the 3 TENS massage modes, in combination with the 3 heat therapy modes. It is the best choice for joint and muscle ailments and you will get 1 Omrom HeatTens, 2 Omron gel pads, 1 power adapter and an instruction manual.

The TechCare Plus 24 muscle massager is one of the most comfortable and compact models available on the market. It offers the best solution for any type of muscle pain through its electrotherapy massages, which are a combination of TENS and EMS modalities, which apply low intensity currents to greatly reduce the sensation of pain in the treated area.

It includes 24 modes of use that apply different types of massages focused on dealing with particular ailments. Its lithium battery allows continuous use for more than 20 hours, and has a session timer that can be set from 10 to 60 minutes. The purchase includes 1 mini Plus 24 electro stimulator, 1 carrying case, 6 large electrodes, 2 guide cables, 1 user manual and 1 USB charger.

The wireless electrotherapy device of the OSITO brand, offers its users the functions of TENS massage for the treatment of ailments of all kinds, and TENS electrical stimulation to improve physical condition by creating activity in the muscle fibers. It has 10 modes of use between TENS and EMS modes, with 25 levels of intensity in each one.

Its design is intended to be practical and portable, so you can even keep it in your pocket and use it anytime and anywhere, avoiding the possibility of tangled cables and allowing you to use it much more easily and quickly. It is undoubtedly one of the most complete options in terms of portable electrostimulation.

The muscle stimulator sends an electric current through wires to electrodes on the skin and helps relieve body pain; improves sports injuries, arthritis and sciatica; stimulates muscles, improves blood circulation, relieves fatigue, improves immunity and sleep quality. 10 intensity levels allow precise adjustment of pulse amplitude and frequency, allowing optimal and sensitive control for pain relief; a pre-programmed timer can set a preset duration from 5 to 90 minutes.

The therapeutic device can be used by two users at the same time or by one user to relieve two locations. Treatment intensity is guaranteed at all times. It has 5 treatment modes (massage, acupuncture, tapping, scraping and cupping) to choose from to relieve headache, leg pain, shoulder pain, joint pain, stomach pain, hip pain and leg pain. Automatic treatment interruption, alarm if the electrode falls off.

The E3 model from OMRON is a TENS electrostimulator of compact size and great power, designed to be portable and used to relieve pain caused by exhaustion, injuries or diseases such as sciatica or neuropathy. This device uses TENS stimulation technology, proven and widely used by physiotherapists for its ability to relieve any type of pain.

It has a wide variety of pre-programmed modes of use designed to treat a wide range of ailments. Its compact size makes it incredibly convenient to carry wherever you want, and its specialized long-lasting electrodes can be washed and reused up to 150 times. The purchased package contains 1 OMRON E3 electrostimulator, 1 electrode cable and 1 long-lasting pad.

Dioche has available to the public one of the best TENS machines on the market, which stands out for its ease of use, versatility and portability. You can use it to relieve pain caused by various causes, from neuropathies and arthritis to injuries and muscle contractures.

One of its best features is the presence of a laser line for the nose that will allow you to treat rhinitis symptoms effectively, improving your health conditions considerably. The dual channel function of this rechargeable mini TENS machine allows you to treat multiple parts of the body simultaneously, bringing benefits such as improved circulation, reduced pain and accelerated metabolism.

A perfect combination of TENS and EMS massager. Massages a wide area of the body with a dual output design that sends electrical impulses through electrode pads placed on the skin. To relieve pain in back, knees, shoulders, ankles, neck, wrists and elbows, relieve fatigue and stimulate muscles, improve blood circulation, strengthen the immune system and improve sleep quality.

The 50-level intensity allows you to explore for another unique experience, while the preset timer can be easily adjusted from 5 to 60 minutes. Safe enough to relax at home or in the office. Hydrogel with multi-layer technology, reusable 70 to 110 times when used correctly. Built-in rechargeable lithium battery, 10 hours continuous use after a full charge with USB cable.

The AccuRelief pain treatment system is based on the new technology of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to relieve any type of muscle and nerve ailments, through the application of electrical impulses that stimulate the production of endorphins in the nervous system.

It works by means of a remote control system that allows you to increase or reduce the intensity and frequency of the electrical impulses quickly, so that it adapts to the ailments of the treated area. The box includes the remote control to modify the configuration of the device, and 2 adaptable electrodes to place anywhere on the body, together with 6 AAA batteries necessary to operate.

DIGOT has one of the most complete wireless electro stimulators available on the market, with a variety of functions that will allow you to treat most ailments in many ways. It has 6 modes of use and 19 intensity levels, plus an electric pulse massage function and heat therapy, allowing you to relieve ailments caused by injuries, sedentary lifestyles, and other causes.

The device is wireless and rechargeable, controlled by a very compact and easy-to-use remote control, saving you the hassle of wires and allowing you to take your TENS massager with you wherever you go. The purchase package includes the main machine, 1 massage pad, 1 USB charging cable, 1 user manual and 1 remote control. 1 user manual and 1 remote control.

Video: How to place electrodes pads on the skull for anxiety?

Electrodes for head

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What are the main causes of depression and anxiety?

Despite the misconception that many people seem to have about depression and anxiety, these are not just negative passing feelings. They are mental disorders that affect brain chemistry, decreasing the production of dopamine and serotonin causing quite unpleasant feelings on an emotional level in the patient.

This type of disorder can have several causes, among which the following can be highlighted:

• Genetic trait
• Stress accumulation
• Traumatic events
• Significant lifestyle changes
• Chronic medical problems
• Use of certain medications
• Use of drugs or alcohol

What is electrotherapy and how can it help you with depression and anxiety?

Electrotherapy is one of the best techniques for the relief of ailments caused by different diseases and disorders, in addition to promoting the release of endorphins to reduce the negative feelings caused by depression, as well as the state of uneasiness caused by anxiety.

With this in mind, it is necessary to highlight the fact that electrotherapy has different modalities that are focused for different purposes, so they can have varied effects on anxiety or depression.

TENS

TENS therapy, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, is a technique aimed at the treatment of ailments that are generated as a result of various types of diseases, trauma or disorders. It focuses on the application of low intensity electrical impulses that influence the nerve endings of the treated areas, minimizing the sensation of pain.

The effectiveness of TENS against depression is highlighted by applying electrical stimulation in an area of the brain called the orbitofrontal cortex, through which the effects of treatment-resistant depression can be diminished.

EMS

The physical conditioning modality derived from electrotherapy, known as Electro Muscular Stimulation, works through the application of medium to high intensity electrical impulses that cause contractions in the muscle groups worked, increasing the generation of muscle fibers, which increases their strength, elasticity and resistance.

Although EMS is a beneficial therapy in many aspects, it does not have a positive effect on the treatment of depression, due to the fact that the position of the electros is on the head, making it impossible to apply EMS impulses because of its high minimum intimacy.

Contraindications to the use of electrodes and electrotherapy