The 5 Best TENS Units For Back Pain Of 2022 For Quick Relief

If you're considering a transcutaneous electrical nerve muscle stimulation (TENS) unit, you're likely experiencing some degree of chronic pain—and you're not alone. A 2019 National Health Survey found that over 50 million U.S. adults1 (about one in five) reported pain on most days, if not every day. Chronic pain has been linked with a reduced quality of life and can be extremely disruptive to your daily routine. While some therapeutic treatments and modalities are expensive and intrusive, the best TENS units for back pain can be an effective and efficient pain-relief method.

A TENS unit uses low-voltage electrical currents to stimulate your nerves and ease pain in your body. These devices have been used for relief from neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis pain, and chronic low-back pain2. TENS can also be used as part of a postoperative plan of care.

These machines are battery-powered, with small electrodes that are placed on your skin, either where you have pain or on corresponding trigger points. The belief is that these electrical currents are not so much treating the pain but rather changing your perception of it by blocking the transmission of pain signals or raising the level of endorphins in your body.

"Sensory-level treatments use what is known as the gate control theory, where non-painful stimulus closes the gate on (overrides) the transmission of painful impulses," explains Chad Starkey, Ph.D., author of Therapeutic Modalities. "In addition to the sensory effects of sensory-level pain control, motor-level pain control uses relatively intense muscle contractions to release endogenous opiates (the body's morphine-like substances). This arguably provides better, longer pain relief than sensory level but does require a deeper understanding of electrical stimulation parameters and neuroanatomy." 

The best way to ensure you're using your TENS unit for back pain correctly is to speak with a medical professional. Any reputable machine should come with extensive instructions—and this is not an instance where you want to skip the instruction manual. "TENS is a relatively safe treatment, so long as those instructions are followed," Starkey confirms.

That said, before you decide to charge up your TENS unit, Starkey says you'll want to make sure you have an understanding of where your pain is coming from. "It's cliché but TENS (or anything else) should not be used to treat pain of unknown origin or used for more than two weeks without being examined by a medical professional."

As for pad placement during sensory level pain control (no muscle contraction), Starkey recommends an "X" pattern with the painful area at the center of the X. The electrodes on each set of wires should be placed so that the current crosses over the area in pain.

In terms of frequency of use, "Sensory-level pain control can be used for days at a time," Starkey advises. He recommends moving the electrodes slightly with each use to avoid irritation from the adhesive.