New TENS Device Provides Lower Back Pain Relief

Patients with lower back pain now have a new option to relieve their discomfort.

The Aleve Direct Therapy TENS Device is marketed as an OTC nonpharmacological strategy for relieving lower back pain associated with sore and aching muscles.

The device should be attached to the affected area of the lower back, and it employs transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) technology that’s adjustable for intensity and controlled wirelessly for patient convenience.

The product doesn’t require a prescription, and it has the potential to safely aid the 60% to 80% of adults in the United States who experience lower back pain at some point in their lives.

Symptoms of lower back pain often include muscle ache, localized pain, pain radiating down the legs, limited range of movement, and inability to stand up straight. Acute lower back pain lasts for 4 weeks or less, while subacute lower back pain lasts between 4 and 12 weeks, and chronic lower back pain lasts for more than 12 weeks.

This condition leaves approximately 2.4 million individuals chronically disabled, and an equal number temporarily disabled.

Studies have shown that more than 10% of visits to primary care providers are related to back or neck pain. These patients are often given unnecessary prescriptions for narcotics, which can lead to dependence.

In addition to recommending OTC pain relievers like the Aleve Direct Therapy TENS Device, pharmacists consulting patients with lower back pain can counsel them on modifiable risk factors, which include excess weight and lack of exercise.

Pharmacists can also educate patients about the nonmodifiable risk factors that can contribute to their lower back pain, which include increased age, pelvic changes in pregnant women, arthritis, mental health factors, or occupational hazards.