Being an independent company we have the advantage of being able to offer unbiased opinions of products from many different suppliers. We pride ourselves in being able to offer our customers the very best products and services from the areas within which we specialise. We have the distinct advantage over most of our competitiors of being manufacture trained with regard to all of our major products.

TeNS Machines

Although they'd been available for quite some time, when we started our business in 1998 they were almost unheard of by the public. At that time there were very few manufacturers and the cost of the few that were available was relatively high. Despite many advances in electronics TeNS Machines at that time were pretty much as effective as they are today.

What is a TeNS Unit?

TeNS is short for "Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation" which at the best of times is a bit of a mouthful. A TeNS Unit is a small electronic device, usually battery powered, that generates a small low voltage electrical current. This current oscillates at frequencies between 2 Hz and 200 Hz and have a variable bandwidth of up to around 300 msecs. This electrical signal is applied to the body using self-adhesive TeNS Electrodes sometimes referred to as Electrode Pads strategically placed close to or around the source of the pain being treated. When you use a TeNS Unit you experience a tingling sensation which most people regard as being pleasant. As well as being able to change the characteristics of the electrical current the user can adjust the intensity of the current so that it sits just within a comfortable level.

When used at low frequencies your TeNS Machine has the effect of stimulating your body's own pain killer - endorphins. This doesn't occur instantly but the effect does build up over a period of 30 minutes or so. The higher frequencies have a different and more dramatic effect. At these frequencies the TeNS Unit blocks the passage of pain signals as they travel along nerve pathways. "No pain signals, no pain!"

TeNS Machines don't work for everyone but overall they're considered to be hugely successful against an almost unlimited range of even chronic pain conditions.

They are completely safe and have no side effects. If required they can be used alongside traditional drugs of any kind without there being any fear of interaction.

TeNS Machines are used within and supported by every Pain Clinic and Maternity Unit in the UK, and beyond. Probably the biggest individual market is their use during Childbirth. When used during Childbirth your TeNS Machine needs to have a limited but very specific set of facilities. To gain maximum benefit the unit needs to be used as soon Labour begins right the way through until the time the baby is borne. In between contractions the TeNS Unit must be set to the low frequencies to encourage your body to generate high levels of endorphins (natural pain killers). As a contraction begins you need to instantly switch from low to high frequency and at the same time increase the intensity to a stronger level. At the end of the contraction your unit needs to be set back to its low range. This process is repeated throughout Labour. A standard TeNS Unit could theoretically be used during Childbirth but in practice without a facility to instantly change between the two modes of operation a standard machine would be frustrating to use and if only for that single reason it would be of very little effect. A Maternity TeNS Unit or Obstetric TeNS Unit has preset programmes specifically designed to cope with the different phases of Labour. In addition a Maternity TeNS Unit incorporates a single and easy to use control button that instantly switches between "background" and "contraction" programmes.

Within the UK you now have the choice of a very wide range of both standard TeNS Machines and Obstetric TeNS Machines produced by a number of manufacturers mostly based in China. You can purchase or hire these from many High Street stores including Boots and Lloyds Pharmacies or from specialist companies such as TeNS Medical Services. Typically at a High Street store you will be limited to that store's own brand and most likely you will be served by someone with very limited knowledge or experience in their use.

There are many online retailers of TeNS Units but the majority will again offer just a limited range of models and are likely to have very limited detailed knowledge of their use.

TeNS Medical Services are independent of manufacturers and have 14 years’ experience and our staff are manufacturer trained. We offer you the choice of all the best and most up to date standard TeNS Machines and Obstetric TeNS Machines in the UK.

A good TeNS Machine will treat any pain condition but is most effective when treating localised pain. Some of the most common conditions include Arthritis, Back Pain, Frozen Shoulder, Sciatica, Osteoporosis, Tooth Ache, Tennis Elbow and Childbirth.

Now a brief explanation of some of the more recent developments of TeNS Therapy.

Interferential

Whilst this technology has been around for many years Interferential technology is a recent development. For simplicity you can consider Interferential as being a sophisticated and powerful form of TeNS. Whilst these Machines operate at low frequencies at between 2 and 200 Hz Interferential Machines operate at high frequencies usually around 4000 Hz. This high frequency introduces the first advantage Interferential Machines have over TeNS Machines. Both therapies rely on a small and harmless electrical current passing through your skin. At low frequencies your skin has a high electrical resistance. For this reason when a TeNS Machine is used you experience a strong tingling sensation and if you increase the intensity too far you will eventually reach a point when it becomes very uncomfortable. At high frequencies the very opposite is true and your skin has a very low electrical resistance. When using an Interferential Machine you experience a very low sensation and sometimes nothing at all. Therefore compared to a TeNS Machine you can pass a significantly higher electrical current when using Interferential without causing any discomfort. This high frequency current penetrates deep into your tissue. The electronics of Interferential are much more sophisticated than those of a TeNS Machine and the electrical current it produces is equally sophisticated. By using two pairs of TeNS Electrodes each pair delivering a similar signal but with reversed polarity to each other, at the precise point where the two currents meet they will electrically negate each other. If you then adjust one pair of electrodes to be, say, 100Hz higher than the other pair of electrodes where the two currents meet they will almost but not quite counteract each other. The residual frequency at that precise location will be (in this example) 100Hz which just happens to be within the range of a standard unit. So, in effect you now have a TeNS Machine penetrating deep into the tissue, running at very high energy levels but with no discomfort to the user. The result is that a very effective treatment is applied close to where it’s needed.

TeNS Machines are "Pain Killers" and cannot claim to have lasting therapeutic effects. Interferential Machines are high powered "Pain Killers" but because of the frequencies used and depth of penetration they achieve, they DO have both medium and long term therapeutic benefits. As well as helping with controlling your pain Interferential can reduce inflammation and swelling which in many situations are major contributors to the pain you're experiencing. Because of these additional benefits Interferential Machines are frequently used by Physiotherapists and in particular for treating sports injuries or other conditions where inflammation and swelling is an issue.

Unlike with TeNS Machines there are relatively few Interferential Devices available in the UK. Our Interferential IF4160 and our own multi-function unit "TIME" are excellent choices.

The Acticare TSE is a simplified form of Interferential. Whilst standard Interferential Machines can be used with either one pair or two pairs of electrodes the TSE device uses just one pair. Technically this is referred to as using Interferential in "2 pole mode". TSE has inbuilt fixed (patented) programs that generate very high energy levels. Unlike all other Electrotherapy devices with Acticare TSE you apply your electrodes directly over your spine. One electrode at waist level and the other electrode just below the base of your neck. If TSE works for you this position will address any form of pain in the lower part of your body. Using your TSE with the TeNS Electrodes placed across your shoulders will address any form of pain in the top part of your body.

Microcurrent

Microcurrent is perhaps the least known about and most underestimated of all forms of Electrotherapy. Microcurrent works in a completely different way to all other Electrotherapies. Microcurrent works by stimulating your body's natural healing mechanisms and can be used to treat a very wide range of conditions including wound healing, fractured bones, arthritis, sports injuries, ulsers and in fact any condition involving damaged tissue or bone. Microcurrent sends extremely small and precise electrical impulses into the cells of your body. The Microcurrent impulse is skilfully designed to replicate and boost an impulse that occurs naturally within all human cells. It has an immediate effect of increasing the production of ATP (energy) within the cells. This in turn increases the rate of healing. This method itself is not a direct pain killer in the way that TeNS Machines and Interferential devices are, as with these devices you can feel the effects almost immediately. However because it relies on your body's own healing mechanisms with Microcurrent it can take several weeks of regular use before its effects are appreciated. Microcurrent therefore requires you to be patient!

Nebulisers

TeNS Medical Services have been supplying Nebulizers to the public, to pharmacies, and to hospitals and clinics for over 12 years. A Nebulizer is an essential element in the process of the administration of medicines and drugs prescribed to patients suffering from serious respiratory conditions. In fact without a nebulizer to dispense the drug the patient simply could not take that medicine / drug. It is somewhat strange, therefore, that most patients requiring a Nebuliser have to purchase their own. Some hospitals and a very few GP Surgeries do give or loan these devices to some of their patients but the majority of patients do purchase their own.

There are two basic types of Nebuliser. The traditional device works by forcing a stream of air through a small opening (venturi tube) located inside a chamber into which the drug / medicine is placed. As the air escapes from the tiny opening it causes the liquid drug / medicine to vapourise. This vapour then escapes in a controlled manner into a face mask or through a tube (mouthpiece) where it is then available for the patient to inhale. A good Nebuliser will produce a vapour consisting of very tiny droplets. The smaller the droplet is the further down into the respiratory system it will go. The further down the respiratory sytem it goes the more effective it becomes.

The alternative to a Nebuliser working by compressed air is a device operated by Ultrasound. In effect an Ultrasonic Nebulizer literally vibrates the drug into submission producing a vapour similar to the vapour produced by a traditional machine. However most ultrasonic Nebulizers produce a finer mist than any traditional device can and are therefore theoretically more efficient. Ultrasonic Nebulizers have an advantage of being almost silent, unlike those working from compressed air which is noisy by their very design. However the compressed air devices are generally extremely reliable whilst most Ultrasonic Nebulizers are notoriously unreliable.

For regular home use we would strongly recommend our patients to start with a mains operated traditional Nebulizer if only because of its reliability and dependability. If that patient needs access to his / her medication whilst away from their home whether whilst shopping, enjoying a day out or on holiday, we would suggest them also having a smaller Portable Nebulizer. Portable devices are available as both compressed air types and Ultrasonic, and can be run from batteries, a mains electricity supply or a vehicle DC socket. It is perhaps even more important that your portable device is reliable than it is for your home base Nebuliser to be reliable. Our recommendation, therefore, is that your portable device should be operated in the traditional manner - by compressed air.

Pelvic Floor Health

The importance of Pelvic Floor Health is often overlooked in the UK. However it's a fact that Urinary Incontinence is a major problem for women in the UK, the most frequent cause being Childbirth. A common and often immediate effect of poor Pelvic Floor Health is a noticeable reduction in sexual pleasure, for both partners.

Over 50% of Urinary Incontinence in women is caused by Childbirth. Caesareans and the natural birth of large babies can cause even more significant damage to Pelvic Floor Muscles. Restoring them to good health can be achieved through regular Kegel Exercises or more effectively with the help of Electrical Muscle Stimulation.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation, generally described as being pleasant to use, makes use of a device that can easily be confused with a TeNS Machine. However there is a great deal of difference between the latter, which is designed to control pain, and Electrical Muscle Stimulation which is designed to exercise your Pelvic Floor Muscles, and in effect replicates the Kegel Exercises. Providing the benefits of Kegel Exercises but without the effort usually associated with Kegel Pelvic Floor Exercises.

There are several forms of Urinary Incontinence:- Urge Incontinence, Stress Incontinence, Frequency Incontinence, Weak Pelvic Muscle, Pelvic Floor Pain Syndrome, Pelvic Floor Lack Of Sensitivity, Pelvic Floor Pain or any combination of these conditions. They can all have a profound effect on your quality of life.

There are several alternatives to treating these conditions:

Kegel Exercises: These are the Pelvic Floor Exercises taught at Pre Natal Classes at every hospital and maternity clinic. Kegel Exercises can be very effective if performed correctly and regularly over a period of several weeks. However they are notoriously difficult to do properly. It’s easy enough to go through the routine of your exercises but it’s very difficult to be sure that your exercises are addressing the correct Pelvic Floor Muscles. In addition Kegel Exercises become boring and most women stop doing them well before they have any effect.

Pelvic Floor Heath can be restored by surgery but this is usually regarded as a drastic last resort solution to restoring your Pelvic Floor Muscles.

Drugs are sometimes offered as an alternative for strengthening your Pelvic Floor but this can be expensive and many of the drugs used to restore Pelvic Floor Health can have nasty side effects.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation has no side effects. Electrical Muscle Stimulation is easy and pleasant to use and it usually begins to demonstrate improvements in your Pelvic Floor Muscles within 2 or 3 weeks of regular use.

Within the UK you'll find a good selection of Electronic Pelvic Floor Muscle Stimulators. Many High Street shops, including Boots and Lloyds Pharmacies keep them. However you will do better to approach a specialist company such as TeNS Medical Services who, being independent, experienced and trained can offer unbiased advice and a choice from a wide range of professional quality Pelvic Floor Stimulators.

Cholesterol

With all the publicity given to the health problems associated with High Cholesterol Levels we should all be aware of the dangers of living with High Cholesterol.

Despite the fact that these levels can be dangerous to our health, for our body to remain healthy we actually need Cholesterol, but the right type and the right amount of Cholesterol.

Cholesterol is present in our blood, carried by a substance called High Density Lipoprotein.

There are two types; LDL is regarded as being bad Cholesterol as it tends to stick to our artery walls. Too much LDL Cholesterol in our coronary arteries can restrict blood flow to our heart - the highest cause of Heart Disease in the Western World. HDL Cholesterol is regarded as being Good Cholesterol. HDL helps to flush LDL away from the heart and actively prevents our arteries from becoming clogged up.

The only way of knowing whether you have dangerous levels of Cholesterol is to have your blood tested. Until recently the only way of getting your Cholesterol tested was via your GP or local hospital. Quite often, unless there's good reason to suspect high levels, your GP, aware of his budget, will be reluctant to test these and certainly so on a regular basis.

With the introduction of sophisticated and expensive Blood Analysers capable of measuring Cholesterol Levels with a high level of accuracy some of the major Pharmacies, including Boots and Lloyds have introduced an "in store" service to test this "on the spot". Usually this Cholesterol Measurement Service is linked to the local NHS authority and is done on a commercial basis.

The most popular Cholesterol Meter in use by professional screening services including outworking departments of the NHS, is the CardioChek system. The CardioChek Cholesterol Meter is available in two forms:

The CardioChek PA Cholesterol Meter is capable of measuring Total Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol, and LDL Cholesterol from one blood sample. This is the Cholesterol Meter most often chosen by professional screening companies.

The CardioChek ST Cholesterol Meter is designed specifically for those who wish to measure their levels in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. With the CardioChek ST Cholesterol Meter you can directly measure Total Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol each test requiring a separate blood sample. By taking a third reading, this time of Triglycerides (free fat in your blood) you can calculate the value of LDL Cholesterol using a very simple formula.

The most common cause of High Cholesterol in the Western World is a diet high in saturated fats. This encourages the body to produce more Cholesterol than it needs and more than it can get rid of.

High Cholesterol can be hereditary so if your family has a history of this or an illness that can be linked to this, it may be wise to keep a close watch on your Cholesterol Levels. The statistics can be quite frightening. For instance - people with High Cholesterol Levels as well as high blood pressure are likely to be 8 times more likely to suffer Heart Attack.