A client has a prescription for a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) unit for pain management during the postoperative period following a lumbar laminectomy. Which information should the practical nurse (PN) reinforce about the action of this adjuvant pain modality?

A. Pain perception in the cerebral cortex is dulled by the unit's discharge of an electrical stimulus: The TENS unit does not directly alter cerebral cortical processing. Its primary effect is at the spinal cord level, modulating pain signals before they reach higher brain centers. B. An infusion of medication in the spinal canal will block pain perception: This describes epidural or intrathecal analgesia. Medication infusion is an invasive method, whereas TENS is noninvasive and works through electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. C. A mild electrical stimulus on the skin surface closes the gates of nerve conduction for severe pain: TENS works based on the gate control theory of pain. The electrical impulses stimulate sensory nerves, which inhibit the transmission of pain signals to the brain, effectively “closing the gate” and reducing perceived pain intensity. D. The discharge of electricity will distract the client's focus on the pain: While some clients may perceive relief due to distraction, the primary mechanism is physiologic modulation of nerve conduction, not cognitive distraction.