Neurostimulation electrode

The neurostimulation electrode (more commonly known as a TENS electrode or TENS "paddles") is an essencial accessory for all home electrostimulation treatments (TENS - nerve stimulation, pain relief;EMS - muscle stimulation; Microcurrent - pain relief, healing stimulation). The pulse is transmitted from the device to your body through an electrode attached to the skin. Without it there is no treatment and no effect. 

The neurostimulation electrode is a consumable that wears out and needs replacing after a few treatments!(it's like gas in a car - the more you use the car, the faster you have to refill the tank).

Neurostimulation electrodes are also a hygienic material, meaning that once opened, the package cannot be returned (just like you cannot return an opened tissue).

Compliance with standard

We distribute electrodes and devices that comply with the European Union Health Standard! The electrotherapy devices and self-adhesive electrodes displayed in our webshop are compatible with each other.

PLEASE NOTE!

The connectors on the devices of some medical wellness manufacturers (e.g. Omron, Beurer, Vivamax, Bluidea, Kentro, Aldi) are mostly non-standard. The standard electrodes available from us usually do not "fit".

This is a marketing ploy by these manufacturers. They sell the device cheaply, but there is no replacement electrode available or if there is, the price is 8-9 thousand HUF. If you have to use the device regularly it becomes much more expensive. 

The larger, medical-grade manufacturers usually have standard PIN or SNAP connectors, so you can connect any standard PIN or SNAP electrode to these. 

Before buying a device, make sure that a replacement electrode is available and that the device is suitable for medical use

Key features of a neurostimulation electrode

• connector type (needle, patent, clip, other)
• size and shape (square, rectangular, round, oval, other)
• layers (overlay, gel, conductive, adhesive)
• use (single or multiple application)
• conductivity.

type of connector

Cables from electrotherapy equipment manufacturers in general

• PIN or
• SNAP or
• other non-standard connectors

Size and shape

The widest range of sizes and shapes on the market. The most common shapes and sizes

• square (4x4 or 5x5cm)
• rectangle (5x9 or 5x10cm)
• circle (2.3, 3, 5 cm diameters)
• oval (3x5, 7.5x13 cm)
• pillar and other shapes.

Consider the area to be treated when choosing the size!

It is obvious that a 7.5x13 cm oval electrode pair will not fit on your face, but round electrodes with a diameter of 2.5 - 3cm are suitable.

For your calves, on the other hand, the larger 7.5x13cm oval electrode is good.

For general analgesic (TENS or MENS) treatment, a 4-5cm square electrode is suitable. I recommend the same for muscle stimulation of the neck, shoulders, arms, and for motor point (larger muscles: thighs, abdomen, breasts, back)

I recommend the 5x9, 5x10cm electrodes for muscle stimulation, as electrodes further away from the motor point.

Be aware that a current of 2mA/cm2 is generally recommended for stimulation. In other words, a 5x5 electrode is 25cm2, so the maximum current recommended is 50mA. The smaller the electrode, the smaller the area over which the current is concentrated. A higher current will cause more discomfort.

Layers, materials

The materials and thickness of the neurostimulation electrode determine the flexibility of the electrode. The thicker and stiffer an electrode is, the less it absorbs the contours of the body.

Inexpensive electrodes usually consist of three layers: adhesive, gel and covering layers. The current is conducted into the gel layer and is distributed in it. Better quality electrodes (types: PALS, Ultrastim, ValueTrode) consist of two gel layers, an adhesive, a conductive layer and a covering layer. The double gel layer provides a more even current distribution, which reduces the unpleasant pinching sensation associated with the treatment. The top layer is usually textile, foam, paper or a special material.

Thicker and stiffer electrodes will smooth the skin properly on larger muscles, thighs, back, abdomen, buttocks. However, they are not suitable for treating a thin wrist, neck, etc., because they do not lie on strong hairlines.

Cheap (usually Chinese) electrodes are stiff, their edges curl up in the hairline, they become stiff. Therefore the current delivery is concentrated in a small area. This makes for an unpleasant handling experience. The PALS electrodes represent the highest level. They contain stainless steel mesh, are extremely thin and flexible. And the mesh covering the entire surface ensures perfect current distribution over the entire surface. The UltraStim electrodes have a silver fibre mesh as the conductive layer. It also allows excellent current distribution, but is slightly stiffer. The general purpose ValueTrode electrodes do not have a separate conductive filament. The current is conducted into the double gel layer, which provides good distribution, but the electrode is stiffer.

How to choose an electrode

An electrical impulse will trigger the desired response in your body if it has the right intensity (current). However, the higher the intensity, the more unpleasant the sensation of treatment can be. Above a certain current intensity, pain prevents the treatment from continuing.

If the electrode is of poor quality, it has poor conductivity. The device must be set to a high current to be effective, but this will increase the pain. But if the pulse is not strong enough, the effect will be lost.

A better conductive electrode will deliver the right pulse at a lower current. This allows for a more effective treatment.

Buy a Chinese electrode if you want to train as a fakir. A poor quality electrode will guarantee an uncomfortable and ineffective treatment.

In general, it's true: if you can afford it financially, go for the best quality and that's PALS electrodes. If price is not an issue, then proceed as follows

Pain Reliever (TENS and Microcurrent) for treatments

Use of ValueTrode electrodes is generally sufficient. They are suitable for TENS and Microcurrent treatments with a diameter of 40-50mm. Stick them around the pain and perform the stimulation.

For facial paralysis and facial cosmetic treatments

For face and neck treatments, a small diameter electrode (25-30 mm) is required, as the muscles are small and space is limited, so larger electrodes cannot be placed with a few cm of space between them.

I recommend using the 32mm ValueTrode Round or the 25mm PALS Round electrodes for the face.

For paralysed (paralysed muscle) treatments

Damaged nerves are sensitive. The better quality the electrode you use, the gentler you are on the nerve. So it's worth using PALS or UltraStim electrodes.

Depending on the muscle you want to treat, you can use 25-32mm round electrodes (e.g. facial nerve palsy) or 5x5 and 5x9cm (peroneal palsy), etc.

For muscle stimulation treatments

For muscle stimulation, there are two trends regarding the size of electrodes to use.Some recommend electrodes with a larger surface area, while others recommend electrodes of different sizes.

Those who advocate larger size argue that the larger the electrode, the easier it is to distribute the current in the muscles, the higher the comfort level, the higher the current intensity and the stronger the muscle contraction.

The opinion of those who advocate different sizes is that the smaller electrode should be placed on the muscle belly (most prominent part). With the smaller electrode, more current is concentrated on the motor nerve plate (moving nerve), which is located directly in the center of the muscle. It is also believed that this allows it to reach much deeper parts of the muscle before reaching another electrode located nearby.

I recommend trying both variations and deciding which you feel is more effective based on your experience.

I made a video about self-adhesive TENS electrodes. Watch the video and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Don't forget to tick the little bell icon to be notified of the next episode! 

You can increase the life of your self-adhesive neurostimulation electrode (peg) with careful use

The electrodes that come with your device can be used repeatedly for up to 20-30 treatments, depending on the quality. There comes a time when they stop sticking, dry out and no longer transmit the pulse properly. At this point you will need to buy a new electrode, which, if you use the device frequently, will mean recurring expenditure.

• The electrodes are supplied glued to a plastic sheet
• Carefully peel them off the sheet. Do not touch the glue as this will reduce its adhesion.
• Make sure that the adhesive surface is not on the ground, do not stick it to clothing as dirt will quickly impair adhesion.
• Before sticking the electrode to your skin, wash the area of skin to be treated with lukewarm, soapy water (degrease) and wipe dry. Only apply the electrode to completely dry skin.
• After use, peel off your skin in one motion and immediately stick back on the plastic sheet for storage. Do not pull by the cord, as the cord may tear!
• Keep the electrode in the fridge! Not in a freezer, but in a regular refrigerator. This will increase the lifetime.
• If the surface of the electrode is dry, drop a drop of water on the electrode to get a few extra uses.
• After a while, the electrode won't stick at all. Then you can extend its life even further by using contact gel and sticking plaster.
• This should not be done for a long time, because a dry electrode will not transmit the pulse and the effect of the treatment will be reduced or lost.
• There will come a time when you will need to replace the self-adhesive electrode with a new one.

If you take the above into account and apply it, you can maximise the life of your electrodes and the effectiveness of your treatment, while optimising your costs.

Is the self-adhesive electrode replaceable?

If you want to avoid repeated costs, you can use "permanent" electrodes. These are usually made of rubber-carbon-silicone materials, meaning they are virtually indestructible and you can use them for years. They are non-sticky and non-gelled. They require a rubber tape with Velcro or a separate adhesive tape (e.g. leuco-plast) to hold them in place. They cannot be used "dry", you need to use a contact gel to transfer the pulse to your skin (without a gel, the treatment will burn and sting).

• You can choose a specially designed large-surface electrode for treating your belly-bottom-comb (FastPads, Flexible Electrode)
• Treat your waist and abdominal muscles with an electrotherapy belt to simplify treatment (FastBand Belt, UltraStim Belt)
• For muscle stimulation, you can use silicone carbon electrodes
• Incontinence can be treated with electrodesinserted into the vagina or anus
• For iontophoresis, a sponge-covered carbon electrode is used