---
title: "What Is Electrotherapy? TENS and Pain Glossary | Analgesic Healthcare"
description: "Electrotherapy is a group of physical therapy methods that aim to reduce pain and improve function by putting energy into the body."
url: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/electrotherapy
publisher: Analgesic Healthcare
phone: +1-800-749-1188
contact: https://analgesic.multisites.ai/contact
---

Therapy

# Electrotherapy

Electrotherapy is a group of physical therapy methods that aim to reduce pain and improve function by putting energy into the body. Some methods use electrical current.

A Cochrane review in PMC describes electrotherapy modalities, also known as electrophysical agents, as methods that aim to reduce pain and improve function through an increase in energy into the body. It lists examples such as therapeutic ultrasound, low-level laser therapy, TENS and pulsed electromagnetic field. This site covers the electrical methods used for pain and muscles: [TENS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/tens), [EMS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/ems), [NMES](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/nmes) and [interferential current therapy](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/interferential-current-therapy). They differ in purpose and in how they work. Your clinician chooses a method and tells you how to use it. Read [TENS vs EMS, NMES and interferential therapy](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/guides/tens-vs-ems-nmes-interferential).

## Related terms

-   [TENS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/tens)
-   [EMS](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/ems)
-   [NMES](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/nmes)
-   [Interferential current therapy](https://analgesic.multisites.ai/glossary/interferential-current-therapy)

## Sources

1.  [Cochrane review in PMC: Electrotherapy modalities for rotator cuff disease](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8570637/)

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