How to use a TENS units & EMS machines for lower back pain relief? Placement of electrode pads

The lower back, that anatomical marvel that allows you to stabilize the body for firm, elegant and harmonious movements. Who would have thought in childhood that it could cause so many problems over the years? Because although it is a blessing, over the years it can become a real torment.

Luckily, electrotherapy appeared, and with it came TENS and EMS, two modalities that will help you alleviate all those ailments to which the lower back is exposed, and also to avoid them as much as possible. And today you are going to know them in detail so that you can learn how to take advantage of all the benefits they have for you.

How to use a TENS machine to relieve waist pain?

TENS electrotherapy is undoubtedly the best alternative to relieve low back pain without relying on drugs that can generate dependence or side effects. Several studies have proven its positive effects on the nerve endings of the sciatic nerve, spinal or femoral nerve to contain pain.

Among the most outstanding benefits we can mention:

• Increases the pain threshold: the sciatic and spinal nerves communicate with electrical discharges, and TENS therapy intercepts these signals to alter the nerve functions that communicate to the brain the noxious impulse that subsequently causes pain, causing the pain threshold to rise considerably.
• It affects the production of pain neurotransmitters: such as endogenous opioids or serotonin, which considerably delays the nerve communication from the lumbar area that subsequently reaches the brain so that you can feel pain, which translates into localized relief during and after electrotherapy sessions.
• Increases blood flow: by dilating the blood vessels as a result of the heat emanated by the TENS currents. This in turn activates a natural analgesic mechanism that increases the effectiveness of the therapy to provide longer lasting relief.
• Stimulates the production of endorphins: which is our body's natural analgesic hormone. This in turn will increase the feeling of relief, and enhance the effects of the therapy as it also reduces the production of serotonin and other pain neurotransmitters.

These benefits make transcutaneous nerve electrostimulation therapy tremendously effective in relieving pain caused by ailments such as:

• Sciatica.
• Low back pain.
• Nerve impingement.
• Muscle strains.
• Tendinitis.

However, while TENS is a good ally to treat lower back pain, you should keep in mind that this method will only relieve such pain as a symptom, which means that it is not a valid treatment to cure your injury. Therefore, TENS should only be used to make the recovery process more pleasant, without neglecting the medical treatment that your specialist has recommended.

Best TENS machines for the recovery of lumbar injuries

Below, you will learn about the best TENS machines you can purchase to take advantage of all the benefits it will bring you in the recovery of your lumbar injuries.

This electrostimulation unit brought to light by iReliev, is a powerful and versatile machine that combines the latest in TENS and EMS technology to create a device that will allow you to develop the strength, size and tone of your muscles, along with gentle stimulation designed to treat all types of muscle and joint ailments caused by injury, fatigue or illness.

It has a total of 14 massage modes, of which 7 are TENS-type currents for pain relief, 1 mode for arthritis pain treatment, and 6 modes for muscle recovery and therapy. In addition, you can adjust the intensity to any of its 25 levels, and define the duration of each session from 5 to 60 minutes thanks to its timer function.

One of the best features of the Belifu electro stimulator is its 4 independent channels that allow you to individually treat different areas of the body with the different modes of use available. This electrotherapy machine has 24 programs and 30 intensity levels with different massage modes for pain relief and muscle stimulation.

The Belifu electric massager includes 10 reusable self-adhesive conductive pads and 5 sets of guide wires. The electrodes are coated with a layer of adhesive that gives them perfect adhesion to the skin, and with proper care, can withstand many uses before they need to be replaced.

The TENS 7000 has one of the most complete models of electrostimulator, which includes a wide variety of functions and accessories. It is a digital unit that combines TENS and EMS technologies together with an innovative dual channel function that allows you to apply these electrostimulation modalities on different parts of the body simultaneously.

The TENS 7000 muscle stimulator includes one of the most complete electrical stimulation therapy packages you will find. It includes 1 TENS 7000 unit, 2 guide cables, 4 packs of reusable pads, 1 9-volt battery, 1 instruction manual and a hard case to carry your electrostimulation equipment wherever you want.

The Etekcity massage unit offers one of the most comprehensive pain relief experiences you will find in a device of this type, with an innovative 4-channel function that allows you to apply different types of massage to individual areas of the body, increasing the effectiveness of electrostimulation therapy and delivering far superior results.

All its modes of use are FSA and HSA approved, making it completely safe for anyone to use. It can be operated and set up very easily. The package includes reusable electrodes coated with adhesive gel in 3 sizes: 2 units of 2x4 inches, 4 units of 2x2 inches and 2 units of 1.5x1.5 inches.

Spacerest offers its users its newest model of electro stimulator that combines TENS and EMS technologies in a dynamic and compact device that includes 24 reusable electrodes of excellent quality and an incredible 4-channel function that will allow you to apply different modes of use to 4 different areas of the body, or even to 4 different people.

It has an incredibly portable size that will allow you to take it anywhere, and a high-powered rechargeable battery that will give you up to 20 hours of continuous use. It can be connected to AC power through its AC adapter, or to an external battery or laptop through its USB charging port.

How to use an EMS muscle electrostimulator for the lower back?

While muscle electrostimulation may seem unnecessary in the lower back, it is tremendously useful because the lumbar muscles are essential for the stability of our every movement. That is why EMS can be a great alternative to strengthen them.

In this way you will take advantage of great benefits of EMS such as the following:

• Strengthens the lumbar muscles: since EMS currents will add hours of muscle work that will result in a considerable strengthening of the fibers that make up the lumbar. This in turn will bring other benefits for the health of your back.
• Improve your posture: by strengthening the lumbar muscles you will notice an immediate improvement in your standing posture. It will be easier for you to keep your back perfectly upright since the fibers of these muscles will be noticeably strengthened.
• Avoid back pain: by improving your posture, you will reduce the tension accumulated in your back, which will prevent pain due to exhaustion of the dorsal, trapezius or scapula muscles, all thanks to the strengthening of the lumbar muscles.
• Increases blood flow: the currents used in EMS emanate heat that will dilate the blood vessels in the lumbar muscles. This will generate a chain reaction that will considerably improve the assimilation of nutrients from these muscles, helping to strengthen them even more.
• Prevents spinal injuries: having healthy and strong lumbar muscles will allow you to eliminate tension on the vertebrae of your back, which is related to the improvement you will notice in your posture. In this way, you will reduce to the maximum the probabilities of suffering from nerve impingement injuries and even herniated discs.
• Muscle relaxation: after an EMS therapy you will feel your lower back muscles much more relaxed, which will prevent them from getting injured due to accumulation of tension and stress, and could even help you to relieve pain due to myofascial trigger points.

Best EMS electrostimulators to strengthen lower back muscles

Now it's time for you to learn about some of the top EMS devices you can buy on the market for healthier and stronger lower back muscles.

The Compex Sport Elite 2.0 comes to the market as one of the most versatile and complete options to increase the results of physical conditioning and reduce the negative effects of the same through its TENS stimulation technology which allows an adequate management of the odor, reducing the intensity of the same and increasing the mobility and functionality of the muscles.

It includes 10 electrostimulation modes divided into 3 recovery modes, 2 warm-up modes, 1 TENS massage mode and 4 strength training modes. It also has 5 levels of progressive intensity that will help you improve your strength, endurance and combat various ailments caused by exhaustion.

The AUVON brand has one of the most versatile electrostimulation machines on the market, which has a powerful combination of TENS and EMS technologies, allowing you to treat any muscle or nerve ailment, as well as generate activity in the muscle to stimulate its growth. It has a dual channel fiction that will allow you to treat different parts of the body using different settings for each channel.

It works with 24 pre-programmed modes of use and 20 intensity levels with a programmable session timer up to a maximum of 60 minutes, and is powered by an internal lithium battery that allows continuous use for over 10 hours. The package contains 1 AUVON electrostimulator, 12 TENS pads 5 x 5 cm, 2 guide wires, 1 USB cable, 1 carrying case and 1 user guide.

The Belifu electrostimulator has several features that make it stand out from other devices of this type. One of these is its function of 4 independent channels that will allow you to individually treat different areas of the body. It has 24 massage modes and 20 intensity levels that allow for a wide range of ailment relief.

The Belifu electrotherapy device includes 10 reusable self-adhesive conductive pads and 5 sets of guide wires. The electrodes are coated with an adhesive layer that gives them perfect adhesion to the skin, and with proper care, can withstand a large number of uses before they need to be replaced.

The Mollan brand has in its stock one of the most powerful electro stimulators on the market, which also has an incredible versatility thanks to its 36 modes of use, which combine the most advanced TENS and EMS electro stimulation technologies. Thanks to this, it is one of the most complete options for treating acute and chronic ailments and strengthening the muscles of the shoulders, back, legs and more.

The Mollan TENS electrostimulation unit features a dual independent channels function, whereby you can program two separate massage modes on channels A and B of the device, which means you can apply a pain relief massage mode on one channel, while using a muscle electrostimulation program on the other.

PowerDot 2.0 wireless muscle stimulation electrodes are among the newest and most cutting-edge devices related to the field of physiotherapy, specifically designed to be portable, comfortable and provide an immediate sense of relief to its users. The package includes 2 pre-loaded pods, 2 sets of lead wires, 2 sets of electrode pads, 1 carrying case, 1 USB charging cable and 1 user guide.

To provide one of the fastest and most comprehensive improvements for pain of all types, the PowerDot 2.0 has over 400 different usage modes with different settings, aimed at muscle recovery, performance enhancement and pain relief, which can be adapted according to recent activity, fatigue level and the area to be treated. All these options can be managed through its mobile application, which is available for both Android and iPhone mobiles.

Video: How to place the electrodes pads on the lower back?

Electrodes for lower back

• For low back pain: The placement of the electrodes in TENS will depend on the ailment we wish to treat. If we are suffering from localized low back pain, the first thing to do is to locate the point of pain as precisely as possible, and in doing so, enclose it in between two pads so that the current flows down the nerve and increases our pain threshold.
• Herniated disc pain: In case of pain due to a herniated disc, you must locate the affected vertebra and enclose it in the middle of the electrodes following the line of the spine, since the electrodes cannot be placed in different hemispheres as it may be counterproductive.
• For sacroiliitis pain: Another pain that we can contain with TENS is sacroiliitis. For this we place one pad on the iliac crest on the side where you feel the pain, while the other is located in the belly of the gluteus maximus as close to the rectum so that the current flows through the joint and thus relieves pain due to inflammation of the same.

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Most common types of lower back injuries

Before showing you the solutions, it is time for you to know the problems, because the lower back is exposed to a huge number of injuries that can be the cause of your pain. Among them we can highlight the following:

• Lumbago: this is the medical name given to pain in the lumbar area, which is usually related to lumbar muscle strains, inflamed ligaments or nerves. It usually manifests itself with a sharp pain that may spread to the upper part of your buttocks.
• Lumbar hernia: this is the name given to the slippage of one of the cartilaginous discs found in the middle of the vertebral discs that make up your lumbar area. This slippage causes it to bulge out of its original position, which usually causes pressure on one of the many nerves that pass through this section of the back. This is why the pain usually manifests itself when we try to perform a movement that involves flexing the torso.
• Arthrosis: this is a degenerative disease that generates wear and tear in the cartilaginous tissue that covers the bones. When it manifests itself in the lumbar area, as cartilage is lost, it generates wear and tear in the vertebral discs, which generates strong rheumatism.
• Sacroiliitis: the sacroiliac joints are those where the lower back joins the pelvis. This injury refers to the inflammation of these joints, which causes acute pain that may even spread to the buttocks.
• Nerve impingement: refers to the shortening or compression of one of the many nerves that flow throughout the spinal column and spinal cord, which may manifest itself in the lower back.

These are just some of the possible causes of your back pain, but the reality is that the list is much longer. For this reason you should always go to a specialist to rule out much more serious pathologies such as:

• Cancer or sarcomas.
• Severe kidney deficiency.
• Severe scoliosis.
• Osteoporosis.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Severe nerve pathologies.

Differences between TENS and EMS: Which one to use for low back pain?

Well, now that you know your rivals, it is time to introduce you to your partners. First of all, we have TENS electrotherapy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, which is based on the administration of low and medium intensity currents that reach the lumbar nerves with the objective of affecting the pain transmission process.

This can be achieved in several ways; reducing the production of pain neurotransmitters such as endogenous opioids, acetylcholine or serotonin, which are chemical substances that the body generates as a result of a stimulus that is harmful to the organism. As well as altering the nerve receptors to increase the amount of these neurotransmitters necessary for them to be activated, thus raising the patient's pain threshold.

Then we have EMS therapy , which uses medium and high intensity currents that pass through the nerves and reach the lumbar muscles directly, generating in them a contraction that simulates the one obtained naturally when performing strength exercises. It strengthens the musculature that gives stability to the lower back, which helps prevent soft tissue injuries.

What is the best way to treat low back pain? Well, obviously TENS therapy. This will be more effective since it will act on the pain receptors in the sciatic and spinal nerves to generate a relief that can be maintained even for several hours after the session.

Contraindications for the use of electrodes and electrotherapy