Academic publishes book on TENS treatment

A respected academic has published a book examining the effectiveness of using a TENS machine for pain relief.

The book, entitled Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) was written by Mark Johnson, Professor of Pain and Analgesia at Leeds Met University.

Trained as a neurophysiologist Professor Johnson has been investigating the science of pain and its management at Leeds Metropolitan since the early 1990's.

He has published over 150 research articles and 30 book chapters and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain, The Pain Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The Leeds Pallium Research Group and The Higher Education Academy.

Published by Oxford University Press his book provides a comprehensive coverage of research issues and findings about TENS, and is considered essential reading for healthcare professionals, practitioners and students.

Although TENS equipment can be purchased by the general public so that they can self-administer treatment, the book explores how to administer TENS appropriately in clinical practice.

It also provides information on how TENS works and looks at the research evidence to determine whether Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is clinically effective.

Used by practitioners throughout the world to manage painful conditions such as arthritis, back ache, neuralgia, sports injuries and sciatica, TENS machines are small, battery-operated devices that have leads connected to TENS electrodes which are attached to the skin using self-adhesive pads.

The electrical pulses they deliver to the body disrupt pain signals to the brain whilst stimulating the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.

Of particular interest to other academics, Professor Johnson’s book also offers solutions to the problems faced by researchers when trying to design clinical trials on TENS.