The Effect of TENS on Pain and Analgesic Consumption After Total Hip Replacement

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on postoperative pain levels and analgesic consumption in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Design A prospective randomized controlled trial. Methods This study was conducted between January 2025 and December 2025. A total of 60 patients were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The control group received standard postoperative care, while the experimental group additionally received conventional TENS therapy for 30 minutes on postoperative days 0 and 1. Pain levels were assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and analgesic consumption was recorded. Results Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the TENS group compared to the control group ( p < .001). However, no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of total analgesic consumption ( p > .05). Conclusions TENS may be an effective, noninvasive adjunct for reducing postoperative pain following THA. However, its effect on analgesic consumption appears limited. Further sham-controlled studies are needed. Clinical Implications TENS can be incorporated into multimodal postoperative care protocols to support patient comfort and optimize pain management following THA. Its use may provide healthcare professionals with an additional nonpharmacological method for enhancing recovery in the early postoperative period. © 2026 American Society for Pain Management Nursing.