On Sat, 8 Jun 2002, Jon Baker wrote:

>> It is to be regretted that some electronics magazines like Everyday
>> Practical Electronics have had to resort to selling into the fringe
>> medicine population in order to maintain circulation. EPE has also publish
>> Quack items like Hulla Clarkes 'Zapper' and TENS units.  The Rife article
>> was a huge 10 pages as I recall - more than their usual mainstream
>> articles. I think Poptronics has also published pseudoscience articles in
>> the last few years.
>
>There is evidence to support the operation of TENS units. Search for "Gate
>control theory". This theory also explains why acupuncture, some pain
>killers, endorphins and adrenaline also have a pain numbing effect. Think
>transistors.. and the gate either allows signals through or not, both
>chemical and electrical stimulus can close the gate so signals either don't
>pass through the nervous system to the brain, or pass at a much reduced
>level.

Actually afaik TENS relies on almost the same principles as acupuncture.
The principle implies deliberately stimulating nerves in an area way
beyond their intended limits. This is supposed to cause saturation of
certain paths and/or saturate certain nodes that these paths share with
the paths from the real pain source. This should numb or diffuse the
sensation of pain. Note that the nerves stimulated are not related to
pain, they just share paths or whatever it is they share with the pain
problem. Thus the strange acupuncture points (usually far removed from the
area to be treated). This is a somewhat unsupported explanation I put
together from lots of information gathered along several years. I do not
claim that it is true, I just think that it makes some sense.

Peter

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