In acute pain management, which TENS frequency range is commonly recommended?

• A. 2–10 Hz
• B. 100–150 Hz
• C. 50–100 Hz
• D. 1–5 Hz

Answer: (C)

High-frequency conventional TENS around 50–100 Hz is commonly used for acute pain because it quickly activates large-diameter Aβ fibers that engage the gate-control mechanism at the spinal cord, reducing nociceptive signal transmission. This leads to rapid, short-acting analgesia with a comfortable sensation and minimal muscle contraction, which suits the needs of acute pain management. Lower frequencies (1–5 Hz or 2–10 Hz) rely more on endogenous opioid systems and often take longer to produce analgesia, with a higher chance of muscle twitching, making them less ideal for acute relief. While some clinicians may use frequencies up to 100–150 Hz, the typical recommendation for acute pain falls in the 50–100 Hz range.