How TSE Works - The Basics

All pain signals need to pass through the spinal cord in order to be "felt". If pain signals can be suppressed in the spinal cord before they reach the brain, then pain can be reduced or eliminated altogether.

In 1991 Dr Alexander Macdonald and Dr Tim Coates discovered that very short electrical pulses could suppress pain signals in the spinal cord, giving effective relief from pain. Unlike earlier technologies where electrodes needed to be surgically implanted in order to stimulate the spinal cord, their technique worked from the surface of the skin. They called their invention Transcutaneous Spinal Electro-analgesia (TSE).

In common with many drug therapies, the effects of TSE are well understood, but the exact mechanism(s) by which these effects are achieved are theoretical. However, several theories have been put forward as to how TSE interacts with the bodies neurological system to produce pain relieving effects. If you would like to learn more about this subject read the clinical papers published on TSE.