Can Tens Machines Help with Pregnancy?

What does a Tens Machine do?

TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation device helps relieve pain which involves sending a very mild electrical current through your body. A Tens machine is a small battery-operated device that comes with sticky electrodes which are either connected to the machine via wires or connected to the machine via Bluetooth.

The sticky pads / electrodes are attached directly to your skin, but do not worry they will not hurt you when you pull them off after using your tens machine. Once the machine is switched on a small electrical current will begin passing through your body but will only focus on sensory nerve endings that controls the pain. This allows the brain to begin releasing endorphins which are also known as the natural pain killer for the body.

The devices have a mix of buttons to help control the frequency and strength of the electrical current – fitting to your preference.

Do Tens Machines Work in Labour?

Tens do indeed help relieve pain during labour by focusing on several factors:

• Offers a distraction to your contractions.
• The pulses from the ten’s machines help your body stimulate the natural painkiller and feel-good chemical known as endorphins.
• The electrical pulses along the sensory nerves help block pain signals reaching your brain.
• Our Tens machines come with a mix of different settings and frequencies to help you feel in control of your labour and feel a little less anxious.

You can begin using your Tens Machine when you are beginning to feel regular contractions or general backache, as they should help relieve the pain. If you have positioned your electrode pads on your back, there is a chance you may feel that the machine relieves your backache over any other pain.

Many customers usually feel that Tens Machines are most helpful during the first stages or early stages of labour, but others may prefer using it throughout the first stages and the second stages of labour.
We still very much recommend you consult your midwife before using any Tens Machines.

Can you use any Tens Machines in Labour?

Tens Machines over the past 25 years have changed dramatically, especially the number of features you are not able to use and benefit from. Over time we have listened to several our customers to evolve and develop a product that would work very well for those in need of a maternity Tens Machine.

The price of the product is £49.

Our Mum’s to Be Tens Machine has postnatal programmes available that also include pelvic floor muscle stimulation. The Maternity Tens Unit uses the latest Tens technology to provide you with a non-invasive method to help with pain relief, allowing you to have a drug-free pain relief for early stages of labour. The Obstetric Programmes available on our Maternity Tens machine focuses on the early stages of contractions which is program 1, and program 2 focuses on later stages of contractions.

When should I not use my Tens Machine?

Tens Machines are electrical items and should never be used close to or around water – which is why we recommend you should not use your Tens in the shower, bath or birth pool.

You should look to seek advice from your midwife before using a Tens Machine, but you should seek advice from your doctor or midwife if you have:

• A Pacemaker or heart problems.
• A healing scar or broken skin where you want to place your electrode pads.
• Epilepsy
• Pain that is not connected to labour pains.