Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Postoperative Pain Relief

Traditional management of postoperative pain with the use of opiates has resulted in unwanted side effects such as respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting, hypotension and bradycardia, pruritus and inhibition of bowel movements.  Investigations on effective management of postoperative pain with minimal side effects has led to the use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) due to its success in pain control.

The effects of extensive use of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to control postoperative pain has been quite controversial and this can be attributable to the varying intensity of postoperative pain and the type of surgical operation performed.[1]