Tens Machines and Circulation Boosters
Sliced Bread
BBC
4.6 • 695 Ratings
🗓️ 14 March 2024
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Greg's getting electric for this one, as he tries out a tens machine. Tens (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) is a type of pain relief which uses a mild electrical current. They're marketed at all types of pain - but do they work? The NHS isn't convinced yet. Listener Patrick is one of many who have asked about these devices, so we got in touch with a a professor who's studied them for 40 years. Also - another type of electrotherapy is a circulation booster. These circular devices claim to be able to help sore legs by activating the muscles. On behalf of listener Rick, Greg finds out what the evidence is for their effectiveness.
PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY PRESENTER: GREG FOOT
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, podcast fan. |
| 0:03.0 | Consider this your invite to the UK's biggest podcasting party. |
| 0:06.7 | We're heading to Sheffield from the 4th to the 6th of July |
| 0:09.0 | for the BBC Sounds Fringe at the Crossed Wires Festival. |
| 0:12.8 | We'll be joined by some of the biggest names in podcasting, |
| 0:15.3 | including Sarah Cox, Charlie Hedges, Russell Kane, |
| 0:18.4 | and some bloke called Greg James doing his radio four show called Rewinder. |
| 0:23.2 | You can watch live shows of your favourite podcasts and the best part is free. |
| 0:28.0 | To book your free tickets, go to crossedwires.org slash fringe. |
| 0:34.4 | BBC Sounds, music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:46.5 | Hello, I'm Greg Foote and welcome to the show that runs your suggested wonder products through the evidence mill to find out if they are indeed the best thing since sliced bread or marketing BS. |
| 0:51.7 | This week, I'm tackling two related types of electroph therapy products. |
| 0:56.5 | Here's the first from Patrick Wilcoxson in West Sussex. |
| 1:02.6 | Hello Greg, I'd like you to investigate tens machines, devices that you put on your body |
| 1:08.9 | and they give you a mild electrical pulse or tingle, |
| 1:12.4 | supposedly to help you deal with pain. |
| 1:14.7 | My partner uses one for her back pain. |
| 1:17.2 | Are they effective in the placebo way or are they backed up more with science? |
| 1:22.7 | Can they be used as often as you like? |
| 1:25.4 | Do they work better on some parts of the body than others? Does the |
| 1:29.3 | price matter? I've seen some for 15 to 20 pounds up to the hundreds. Many thanks. Thanks, Patrick. |
| 1:36.7 | Quite a few of you have been in touch about Tens machines to ask whether they can help with various |
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