Question

The nurse talks with a client who states, "My primary care provider wants me to try a TENS unit for my pain. How can electricity decrease my pain?" Which response is most appropriate?

Answer 1

A TENS unit uses electrical currents to block pain signals, thereby reducing the perception of pain. It operates similarly to lidocaine, which blocks voltage-gated sodium channels to prevent nerve impulses that carry pain signals, resulting in numbness and pain relief.

Step-by-step explanation:

A TENS unit, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, uses electrical currents to relieve pain. The electrical current is believed to block the pain signals sent to the brain, which in turn reduces the sensation of pain. This concept is similar to the way lidocaine causes numbness by blocking voltage-gated sodium channels.

Lidocaine works by blocking the voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cells, preventing the conduction of nerve impulses that transmit pain signals to the brain. With the transmission blocked, the sensation of pain is not felt. Thus, the electrical current from a TENS unit operates on a similar principle as it provides a high-frequency stimulation to the nerves that can effectively block the pain signal from reaching the brain, mitigating the perception of pain.