Pain relieving modalities are a typical form of physical therapy as one of the primary goals of physical therapy is to have a modality which is non invasive.
TENS is a very popular form of pain management, with TENS units, two pads will be placed over the part of the body affected with pain. Once they are activated, they provide an electrical signal which stimulates the body to release natural pain-relieving chemicals.
ED is an embarrassing problem, and can affect your sex life and relationships. If you have ever failed to get your erection to stand to attention, you will know the pain. So, in this case, sometimes electroshock therapy seems like a small price to pay for many men (Also check out How Much Does Shockwave Therapy For ED Cost?).
However, we have to ask if TENS is really the solution, and how do you use it? After all, should you really be placing something that sends out an electrical shock on your penis?
Let’s find out!
Do TENS Units Work For ED?
There is quite a bit of evidence that states it is possible for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to be useful in the treatment of ED. A study actually found that TENS often improved the symptoms of ED In 60% of cases (or 60% of participants in the study).
There have also been some studies which show that TENS can potentially help to improve blood flow, and therefore arousal, which are two very critical factors in the achievement and sustaining of an erection.
But, still, there needs to be more research done to confirm this and back it up more.
TENS should never be directly focused on the genitals. Electrodes should instead be placed on either side of the penis and away from the penis head.
Before using TENS for ED, you should always speak with your doctor beforehand to ensure that it is safe for you to do so.
Where Should You Place A TENS Pad For ED?
There are a multitude of ways that you can use and place TENS pads for ED. It all depends on the individual. Some people may find that placing them on the upper hip works best for them, or perhaps the lower stomach.
Some others find that placing the pads on the lower back, sides, or even above the knees helps more. It is worthwhile trying out plenty of these techniques to find out which of these placements is most ideal for you.
Here are some ideas for you:
Place the pads on your inner thighs near your groin.
Place the pads on either side of your lower abdomen.
Place the pads on your lower back at the very base of your spine.
Place the pads either side of your penis, just below the base of the shaft, and near the head.
Place the pads over your pelvic area, including the lower abdomen and the pubic bone.
How Useful Are TENS Units For ED?
Some time ago there was a study done that used 30 patients who suffered from ED. These patients were split into 2 groups.
One of these groups were subjected to pelvic floor exercises and TENS, while the other were subjected to pelvic floor biofeedback training.
The results of this study showed TENS to be a superior method of aiding in the correction of ED in comparison to biofeedback training. Yet, the use of TENS for ED is still being debated as some other experiments in this field have been inconclusive.
It is still a topic under a lot of research.
Are TENS Units For ED Safe?
One question that many men will have is if TENS for ED is actually safe.
Well, shocking/zapping body parts is considered to actually be a safe practice since it has been treating back pain for several decades. The effectiveness of this treatment is mixed, and still, it is not always recommended as it has not been researched fully yet.
There is no solid proof that TENS is effective in treating ED.
That being said, even without enough evidence, men do still zap their genitals. This is often down to how urologists see the new treatment as promising, and you can get TENS therapy in clinics across the US, and in some other countries.
It is gaining a lot of popularity among middle-aged men who suffer with ED, with many of those who use this claiming that the electrical shocks trigger new nerve tissue and blood vessels to grow in the penis, thus improving the tissue sensitivities.
But… Science does not completely support these claims, and the FDA has not approved of its use yet either, even though TENS is approved for plantar fasciitis and lateral epicondylitis.
Some early studies show that it is safe to use, and it has been successful in some cases, however extensive long-term studies need to be done before this can be fully approved.
How To Use TENS Pads For ED
If you wish to work with TENS pads for your ED then you should take a few things into consideration.
Always test the battery pack and ensure that your TENS machine is totally charged up. It will have control knobs, one making the signal stronger and the other controlling speed. Turn these off before you use it.
Once you know where you will place the pads, be it your abdomen, groin area, or elsewhere, use rubbing alcohol to clean the skin, and then allow it to dry. Placing a thin coat of gel at the base of each electrode.
Place the electrode onto your skin and use medical tape to keep them in place. If you need help placing it in an awkward place, seek out some assistance. Then hook the pin connectors from the electrodes to the electrode wires and plug them into the TENS unit.
Turn the knobs, and you should feel some tingling, then adjust as advised.
If you use electrodes around the clock, always remove them once a day to check your skin for any tenderness or redness.
Hello, my name is Amelia Martin and I am a relationship columnist. As part of my job, I like to talk about all the things that come with relationships, intimacy, communication, health, and all the nitty gritty details that come with it.
As an adult, I cannot believe how many people struggle to open up about their sexual health problems, and don’t have the knowledge and advice they need to solve them.
That’s why I have created babyboomerdaily.com. In all of my years dealing with relationship advice, you would be surprised how much information I’ve gathered when it comes to the sexual health issues that are incredibly common, but we don’t like to talk about them.
Hopefully, we can learn new things together, and open up a friendly discussion about how to deal with these topics!
