TENS is a drug-free kind of pain relief often used by women in early labour. TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation.
A maternity TENS machine consists of a battery-powered, hand-held controller connected by fine leads to four flat pads. The pads are covered in a firm gel that helps them stick to your back.
The machine sends small, safe pulses of electrical current via the leads to the pads on your skin. The pulses pass through your skin and into your muscles and tissues. This gives you a gentle tingling or buzzing sensation, which may be stronger or weaker, depending on the setting level.
TENS works to help you cope in labour due to a combination of factors. These include:
You can use TENS from the very beginning of your labour.
You could start using it when you’re getting regular contractions or backache. You may find that the machine works better at relieving your backache than other types of pain. This is probably because the pads are on your back.
TENS is most likely to be effective in early labour though you may still need other forms of pain relief as your labour gets stronger.
Never use a TENS machine under the following circumstances, without talking to a midwife or doctor first: