TENS Units for Pain Relief In Labor
What is a TENS unit?
A TENS unit is a wonderful tool most of our clients use to assist with their labor pain. TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. Some clients are familiar with TENS being used at their chiropractor’s office, during physical therapy, or it may be prescribed by a doctor to help ease pain in the knee, hip, back, or other parts of the body.
The units we use for labor & delivery are not the same units found on Amazon for other parts of the body. We use special OB TENS units. These units are calibrated appropriately for pregnant people, do not interfere with monitoring that is done in labor, and there is a magical button on the side that is used only during contractions to give you more pain relief.
TENS have been successfully used in labor for many years in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe.
How does a TENS unit work?
The TENS unit passes mild electrical impulses through the skin by way of 4 electrode pads that go strategically on your back into the nerve fibers that lie below.
Why does the TENS work so well for pain management?
Great question. Well, it actually is believed to work in 2 ways.
The first way is that TENS creates endorphins (happy hormones that dull the feeling of pain or feel pain less intensely). The longer you wear it, the more endorphins you build up. The more endorphins you build up, the less intense your pain will feel. This is why we recommend start using the TENS when you start having contractions (as long as it’s after 37 weeks.)
The second way is that the TENS interrupts the pain signals that go to your brain. When these signals are interrupted, you feel pain less intensely.
For both these reasons, the TENS unit helps you delay the use of an epidural or not use an epidural at all!
It also provides relief that last for 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) after discontinuing use!
Does the TENS have any side effects?
No side effects for you or baby AND no effects on your labor as far as extra monitoring or fluids!
When can I start to use the TENS?
After 37 weeks. Prior to 37 weeks it is not considered a safe option.
We recommend you start using it when you are noticing contractions or an overall tightening of your belly that comes & goes and you are noticing there is a rhythm to them…essentially toward the beginning of labor. We have noticed that people who start using the TENS during active labor (6 cm), have mild to no effect on their pain in labor. This is because the endorphins did not build up in the system to have a compound effect.
Is there any reason I shouldn’t use a TENS during labor?
There are a few contraindications, reasons to not use, & precautions to consider.
· Should not before 37 weeks of pregnancy
· Should not be used if you have cardiac issues, a pacemaker, epilepsy, high or low blood pressure, undiagnosed pain, fevers, tuberculosis, malignant tumors or metal implants, and should not be placed over a rash or inflamed or injured skin
· Should not be place over the abdomen
· Should not be used while in the shower or bath
· Should not be used in the presence of flammable gas
Should I tell my OBGYN/midwife that I want to use a TENS unit during labor?
Yes. We ask all TENS unit users to complete a TENS Client Consent as well as a TENS Provider Consent to ensure providers understand their patient’s intent. Many providers are still not educated on the use, benefits and safety of TENS, so the consent is important. It is very rare that a provider refuses to sign the consent. On these occasions, we do our best to educate providers to ensure patient use.
What is our client experience who use TENS units during labor?
Cassie & I (Amy) became TENS unit certified through DONA International in May 2020. We were blown away by what our clients had to say. Once client had such great pain relief that her nurses didn’t believe she was receiving Pitocin because she felt no pain at 5 cm. After seeing the amazing pain relief that was given to our laboring clients in 2020, Dauphin County Doulas decided to purchase 5 to rent out to birth clients and other birthing people who want the opportunity of using another pain management technique. TENS use in labor has become so wanted with our clients and rightfully so.
Can you use any TENS unit?
We recommend you do not use just any unit. The units we use are Elle TENS units. They are specifically designed for labor & delivery; which means they are calibrated to be safe for labor and they do not interfere with any monitoring that is done during labor & birth. The thing we LOVE the most about these units is the magic BOOST button. This handy button should be pushed at the beginning of a contraction. It makes the impulses feel stronger and alters the rhythm of the impulses. Once the contraction is complete, hit the button again and you feel what you were feeling before the contraction.
How to reserve your TENS unit for labor?
If you are interested in using a TENS unit for pain management during your labor, you’re in luck! We rent them (even for non-doula clients). Rental includes everything you need: unit, alcohol pads, extra batteries, extra sticky gel, 4 electrode pads and carrying case. We drop the unit off at your home, teach you how to use it in less than 15 minutes, then pick it up after your birth.
Call or email us to find out how.